Is Transparency in the Workplace Related to Employees’ Mental Health?
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One of the positive returns of the COVID-19 pandemic is the attention driven to transparency in the workplace about mental health issues and care. Before the big shutdown, many people used to see overworked employees as productive workers without wondering how this situation could impact their mental and physical well-being.
Fortunately, now both employers and employees are more interested in raising awareness about the causes and solutions of depression, distress, and other disturbances related to work-life balance. For those companies just jumping in on this much-needed trend, keep in mind that one of the best starts you can have is fostering transparent communication among workers and managers.
The reality of mental health in the workplace
The pandemic was a turning point for mental health awareness. As the line between the workplace and home diluted, many people experienced changes or started noticing the real status of their mental well-being. According to different surveys, 84% of workers had one mental health challenge in 2022, while only 38% of employees feel comfortable using their company’s mental health resources.
Similarly, 68% of millennials and 81% of Gen Zs left their jobs for mental health-related reasons in the last year. Another concerning stat related to younger generations of workers is that almost half of this population (47%) has reported a negative impact on their mental health.
The lack of transparency in the workplace related to this topic and awareness of employers’ mental health services has led to a perception that work has a negative impact on mental well-being. Four out of ten US workers stated that their job has an extremely negative (7%) or somewhat negative (33%) impact on their mental health.
How to improve mental health in the workplace
Several aspects play an essential role when it comes to improving mental health in the workplace, from promoting awareness about the importance of stress management and speaking up in the workplace to putting into action strategies that combine mental and physical health interventions.
Due to the structure and the ideal nature in terms of communication and support, workplaces should be the optimal setting to create a culture of health. Here are some actions employers can lean on to improve mental health in the workplace.
Be aware of discomfort and anxiety
As mentioned above, over two-thirds of the US workforce has experienced at least one mental health challenge over the last year. Therefore, keeping an eye on any signs of mental distress, such as anxiety, is crucial to take action on time and bet on employee wellness.
Anxiety and distress can be seen in different ways, from physical signs, including palpitations, breath shortness, headaches, tiredness, or dizziness, to erratic behaviors or heightened emotions, such as irritability or tearfulness. Employees experiencing any of these symptoms are more susceptible to experiencing other issues like burnout or chronic fatigue.
Time is key when it comes to preventing employee burnout. Therefore, whenever you notice any of the above signs, it’s a queue to open a dialogue with employees. Five minutes can be enough to have a positive impact and get feedback on improving workloads or adapting the workplace environment. Most of the time, the best way to improve production isn’t by cracking the whip.
Encourage awareness and open communication
As mentioned in the previous point, fostering an open-communication atmosphere will make employees feel more comfortable sharing any mental health issues they’re experiencing. Here is where transparency in the workplace takes action. Transparent communication goes beyond budget or project deadlines. Mental health transparency encourages workers and managers to talk about their physical and mental well-being.
You can start with small actions to foster open communication between you and your employees. Aim to have small weekly talks with every member of your team and practice “active listening. This will let your workers know you’re interested in reinforcing good leadership and that you’re willing to take the initiative and help them solve any issues related to their mental health.
It’s about understanding and reflecting on your workforce’s feedback about how to improve transparency in your workplace. Equipping your workforce with emotional intelligence skills is another must to make them feel comfortable when talking about their thoughts. That way, your efforts will help them identify their feelings and speak their mind.
Provide self-assessment tools to your employees
While an employer’s interference plays a huge role in setting transparency in the workplace, employees should be capable of identifying their current mental health condition and bringing up any concerns about it.
Providing mental health training, supportive policies, and resources will equip your workforce with skills to identify signs of distress. As well as empower them to adapt the companies’ accommodations, such as flexible schedules and remote work options, to their advantage and use the counseling services and employee assistance programs within their reach to improve their mental well-being.
Here are some resources you can provide to your workforce to strengthen health transparency in the workplace:
- Free or subsidized clinical screenings for depression from qualified professionals, followed by directed feedback and clinical referral.
- Health insurance with no or low out-of-pocket costs for mental health medications and counseling.
- Lifestyle coaching, counseling, or self-management programs.
- Educational materials such as brochures, videos, or fliers about mental health symptoms and treatments.
- Seminars or workshops that address depression and stress management techniques.
Adopt mental health care campaigns
In the last point, one listed resource to help improve your workforce are seminars or workshops that help employees identify depression, burnout, distress, and many other mental issues. Single interventions don’t have the same impact as medium or long-term campaigns that approach the problem from different angles.
For example, UK’s charity institution Nuffield Health developed an awareness and treatment campaign after they noticed the increase in people experiencing depression symptoms and investing time in their mental health. The “Find 5” campaign encourages individuals to dedicate five extra minutes of their day to treat their physical and mental well-being.
As you can see, a simple mental health campaign that breaks the corporate routine with mindfulness sessions, physical exercises, or even team-building dynamics is enough to ease the mood and anxiety between your staff and foster transparency in the workplace.
Empower employees to choose the best for their mental health
All of these tips to improve mental health transparency in the workplace contribute to this last point. One key aspect of helping individuals with any kind of well-being issue is to make them feel validated in identifying their emotions, talking about them, and making their own choices to improve their situation.
Despite the campaigns or resources you integrate into your workforce’s daily routine, you should still let your workforce pick the time and method they prefer to vent out or lessen their burden—the same case with how they communicate with you. Encourage your employees to use the professional communication style that makes them feel more comfortable, whether face-to-face or through a phone call.
Even if a company hasn’t embraced mental health transparency in the workplace, employees should speak up and request their managers be aware of these issues and create an action plan to solve any depression or distress cases.
Contributed by Luis Arellano
