Many businesses, when contemplating the wellbeing of their employees, often put measures in place to ensure good physical condition. However, a vital human aspect is often overlooked when these measures are instated. What about mental health?
The effect of mental health on a business can be felt more profoundly than we think. Workers struggling with their mental health on a day-to-day business may slip in productivity, causing a knock-on effect throughout the company that may even reach the CEO. Being aware of how mental health impacts your business as a whole can mean all the difference between thriving in the corporate world and sinking into debt and despair.
Take the UK, for example; the Office for National Statistics estimated that output per hour worked in the UK in 2015 was 15.9 percentage points below the average for the rest of the G7 advanced economies. This is despite a Government plan – published the same year – to increase productivity.
So, What’s Going Wrong?
Significant evidence supports the link between wellbeing at work and productivity – with emphasis being placed on the mental wellbeing of workers. “Good work” – that is, skilled, autonomous, and secure work bringing a steady income – is associated with better mental health and less absenteeism.
Too often, mental “health” is seen as a cost rather than an essential investment. Engaged employees who are appreciated and cared for on all fronts massively benefit the productivity and profit margins of a company, but you can’t have such productivity without mental wellness being a priority; they are closely linked with each other.
Instate good working practices – such as autonomy, good management, and a good work-life balance – and watch your company reap the benefits. You will witness boosts in creativity, innovation, and on-the-job learning, all of which are conducive to productive, high-quality work.
One way to implement positive working practices such as these is putting in place an employee wellbeing program. Designed to maximize employee productivity, wellbeing programs like this provide the long-term commitment needed for true habit formation in the workplace.
Invest in The Right Wellbeing Program for Your Workforce
A survey of 25,000 health workers found that those who smoked were twice as likely to take time off work. If you would impose measures to decrease smoking in order to improve your workforce’s productivity, why not implement the same for mental wellbeing?
This is where organizations such as LifeWorks are making revolutionary strides in a workplace environment, as the wellbeing program from LifeWorks takes a proactive approach to mental wellness that inspires action (and consequently, thriving productivity in the office).
Set yourself mental wellbeing goals with activity-based challenges and meditative podcasts. A productive workspace starts with you, so make sure you’re instilling healthy habits into your corporate culture from the start to the end of every workday.
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