Business in Colorado - May 2021
Raise your culture
Brandy Lappi, MA 2021-06-02 03:05:01
Mental health matters at work
COVID-19 changed the way all of us work — in offices, restaurants, retail outlets, and manufacturing facilities. But it didn’t change at least one thing: the importance of supporting a mentally healthy workplace. In fact, the pandemic made improving mental health in the workplace more important than ever.
In April 2020, only one month after the pandemic took hold in Colorado, Bloomberg reported that seven in 10 employees felt this was the most stressful time of their entire working career. Stress, when unaddressed, can lead to employee burnout and other mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse and more. All of this can take a toll on your business’ bottom line in the form of lower productivity, higher employee absenteeism, and shrinking margins.
So, in these times of high stress, how can you support a healthy workplace? First, recognize what it is. The American Psychological Association defines it as a workplace that operates in an environment that “fosters employee health and well-being and enhances organizational performance.”
Next, you need a framework for developing a healthy work environment. For example, Kaiser Permanente’s framework for a mentally healthy workplace includes these elements:
• Creating a culture in which mental health needs are as easy to talk about as diabetes, the flu, or even migraines so that people feel comfortable seeking the assistance they need
• Offering robust care options and programs that make it easy for employees to get the care they need, including employee assistance programs and resources to help manage stress and build resilience
• Building a culture of well-being by embracing wellness programs that support emotional and mental health in addition to physical health
The mental health of employees was a growing focus of many businesses before COVID-19. But the pandemic brought a new level of focus. Channeling that focus into creating a psychologically healthy workplace could be key to seeing your business through these uncertain times.
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT A HEALTHY WORKPLACE
Even if they don’t say it or show it, the COVID-19 pandemic has probably added a significant amount of daily stress to your employees’ lives.
• 84% of Americans say COVID-19 disrupted their lives Kaiser Family Foundation
• 7 in 10 employees say that the COVID-19 pandemic has been the most stressful time in their entire working career Bloomberg
Creating a workplace environment that supports mental health as strongly as it does physical health is critical at any point, but especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Take advantage of these resources to support mental health in your workplace:
• Plan for the next normal at work with the COVID-19 Return to Work Playbook
• Stress can lead to burnout among employees. Listen to the podcast Preventing Burnout in the Workplace, in Health Views with Deb Friesen, MD, a Kaiser Permanente doctor
• Learn how Kaiser Permanente can help your business at kp.org/choosebetter
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