The coronavirus pandemic has indubitably reshaped our global society, notably altering our perspectives on work and its role in our everyday lives. Shifts in our interactions with healthcare providers, as well as with our peers at work, have transformed in various ways. A multitude of organizations are now addressing the challenges presented over the recent years, viewing mental health and wellbeing as non-negotiable aspects. Queries have pivoted from, “Is workplace wellbeing even significant?” to “How might we positively impact our employees’ wellbeing?" Addressing these questions can appear overwhelming, but neglecting them can harm your staff members’ mental health.
At Roadstead Capital Partners, our wellbeing strategies are multifaceted and firmly based on health equity. We acknowledge that mental health is the result of multiple elements, encompassing social determinants of health, and we view employee needs within the context of their life circumstances, both in and outside the workplace. Current statistics reveal that nearly 1 in 4 individuals grapple with a diagnosable mental health condition every year. This underscores a significant opportunity for employers dedicated to employee wellbeing to make a difference, starting with the work environment.
Embrace the Framework
In the previous year, the U.S. Surgeon General introduced an all-inclusive Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing framework to aid workers and guide employers in integrating mental health initiatives within their companies. If you have the report at hand but need guidance on implementing it in your organization, its core essentials—based on five key human needs—provide a comprehensive framework addressing employee concerns:
Protection from harm –builds on human need for safety and security. It involves creating preventive policies against physical harm or threat, such as an Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP). It includes promoting psychological safety through consistent communication of benefit programs that encourage conversations about and utilizing mental health resources, like self-care, coaching, or therapy services.
Connection and community – focuses on the human need for social support and belonging. This element values connection and inclusion through effective diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, such as an employee resource group (ERG) for mental health.
Work-life harmony – considers the human need for autonomy and flexibility. This key concept provides employees with greater control over work schedules through regular and adaptable timing. Such autonomy allows employees to manage emergency or unplanned life situations without fear of reprisal, thereby reducing mental stress.
Mattering at work – is rooted in the human need for dignity and meaning. This essential recommends employers infuse purpose into the work done and ensure employees feel valued. Fundamentally, this involves establishing an equitable compensation plan to eradicate gender and racial wage gaps, which contribute to mental stress, depression, and anxiety.
Opportunity for growth – is based on the need for learning and achievement. The last essential emphasizes on the importance of skill enhancement and transparent promotion opportunities for individuals aiming to grow within the organization. Consider formalizing a learning and development program to offer employees professional training opportunities that benefit everyone involved.
Take Courageous Steps
Actions in each of the framework’s essentials reinforce workplace culture and nurture overall emotional wellbeing. Companies can use this framework to design or upgrade a strategic approach to cultural change and employee emotional wellbeing. View the essentials as a call to action—are there areas within your company that need modification to foster a more supportive and inclusive culture where employees flourish? Perhaps, company leaders can incorporate mental health breaks in the workday through walking meetings, 60-second breaks at the start of meetings, or even by considering the advantages of alternative work weeks. Reflect on the brave steps you can take—actions that employees need but you have been hesitant to execute—that would transcend conventional norms to enhance mental health and boost employee wellbeing.
Roadstead Capital Partners can facilitate your strategic initiatives with our dedicated resources specializing in inclusive benefits and financial wellness initiatives. Get in touch for more details.