Tag Archives: workplacewellness

Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me.

As a Leader Are you cultivating a positive work environment for your team’s success?

In 21st century, Leaders have more responsibility to create environments where dignity, integrity, honesty, and compassion are keystones of the workplace. A healthy leader is one who understands the importance of their team members’ emotional well-being.

In a leadership position, it’s your responsibility to listen to what your team needs for a healthy workplace environment. Employees are, after all, the heart of the company and the best ambassadors for your brand. Taking care of the office environment will not only improve the overall mood at work, but will increase employee loyalty, work productivity, and team relationships.

Employees’ mental health is likely only to worsen with the present tumultuous economic climate and the drastically changing 21^st century workplace. As employees reckon with this, employers may be faced with more employees going on medical leaves or resigning altogether. Having strong mental health support system, may be vital for businesses to grow and thrive and may enable them to attract top talent and retain productive workers.

As a Leader its your responsibility to create a Healthy work environment, where your employees can contribute towards the success of the team and organisation.The mental health and wellbeing of your employees should be a priority for any company. In order for your employees to be happy and successful within your company, it’s important for you to demonstrate how much your care and that the support is there!

Mental health at work refers to the psychological well-being of employees in their work environment. It includes factors such as job satisfaction, work-related stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues that can arise from work-related pressures and demands.

Like chronic diseases, mental health disorders are treatable, and employers can use comprehensive strategies to cultivate supportive work environments.

The health and wellbeing of your employees should always be a priority in your workplace, make sure that you implement some of the strategies mentioned to keep your employees happy and healthy! Employers need to be more aware of their employee’s feelings than ever before and offer support and guidance to their employees. 

Several factors contribute to poor mental health in the workplace, which can lead to high turnover and a reduction in productivity for a business. These risk factors typically include the workplace structure, interactions at work, how managers function, and the availability of support.

• Bullying and harassment: A healthy workplace should be void of any mistreatment and hostility.⁶
• Micromanagement: 70% of employees who experienced micromanagement considered quitting their jobs.
• Lack of resources: It is challenging to succeed at work without proper support from a company and its managers.
• Silence regarding mental health issues: Employees may feel like they need to hide their mental illness when a company exhibits a discriminatory or toxic culture.
• Inflexible hours and time off: A lack of flexibility can negatively impact employees’ mental wellbeing.
• Unclear responsibilities and expectations: When expectations aren’t clear, employees are more likely to make mistakes and receive ridicule. This issue can be hard to address, especially when there is a lack of effective communication.
• Unreasonable expectations: When employees are given tasks that do not align with their experience and training, this can set them up for failure.
• Poor work-life balance: Employees who are unable to create separation between their profession and personal life are more likely to experience burnout and a lack of productivity.

Post Covid-19, Mental health at work is important for several reasons. Firstly, it affects the overall well-being and productivity of employees, as well as their job satisfaction and engagement. Secondly, it can impact the performance and success of the organization, as employees who are struggling with mental health issues may have difficulty concentrating, making decisions, and working effectively with others.

However, organisations looking to address mental health issues in their workplaces must first assess the culture and leadership team. Having the right culture and a supportive leadership team are key factors to drive an effective and more positive work environment. Therefore, organisations need to coach their leaders on reinforcing an empathetic and more inclusive culture to encourage employees’ mental wellness, sense of relevance and optimal productivity at work.

Employers have a responsibility to create a healthy and supportive work environment that promotes good mental health. This can be achieved through a range of strategies, including providing mental health resources and support for employees, promoting work-life balance, fostering a positive and inclusive workplace culture, and addressing workplace stressors and other factors that can contribute to poor mental health.

Employees also have a role to play in maintaining their own mental health at work. This can include seeking support when needed, setting boundaries to maintain work-life balance, and practicing self-care strategies such as mindfulness, exercise, and social connection.

To support mental health at work, employers can take a number of steps, including:

1. Creating a positive and inclusive work culture that prioritizes mental health and well-being.
2. Encouraging open communication and providing opportunities for employees to share their experiences and concerns. Involve employees in decision making and encourage participation
3. Offering flexible working arrangements and encourgae Hybrid work culture
4. Educating managers and employees about mental health and how to support those who may be struggling.
5. Be aware of the existing environment and how it can be altered to promote mental health in the workplace
6. Learn from leaders and employees who have taken action to create a healthier workplace
7. Utilize tools that other companies have used to promote mental health
8. Understand that different employees may have different needs
9. Take advantage of resources and support for employees who are struggling
10. Implement and enforce health and safety policies, which includes identifying distress, substance abuse disorders, and illness
11. Provide resources to manage employees who experience mental health issues and inform them that this is available
12. Incorporate practices that support a healthy work-life balance
13. Recognize and reward employees for their contributions

With the right strategies, you can address your mental health issues and get back on track with your overall well-being. No matter how long you’ve been ignoring your mental health, the time to dedicate to your recovery is now.

The only way to enjoy life to the fullest and experience all its wonders is if we take care of ourselves, mentally and physically. Times have changed and more and more people are changing their outlook on mental illness. However, we have a long way to go. Supporting your company’s business goals and supporting your employees’ mental health needs are not different outcomes. As you know, culture eats strategy for lunch. By investing in healthy work culture, you are supporting your employees while also addressing the bottom line.

Conclusion

A positive workplace is more successful over time because it increases positive emotions and well-being. This, in turn, improves the relationship of team members and amplifies their abilities and their creativity. This type of workplace environment is a buffer against negative experiences such as stress, thus improving staff’s resiliency to bounce back from challenges and difficulties while bolstering their overall health. It has the added benefit of attracting employees, making them more loyal to the team and to the organization as well as bringing out their strengths. When organizations develop positive cultures, they achieve significantly higher levels of organizational effectiveness — including customer satisfaction, productivity, and employee engagement. That’s a sure recipe for success. Give it a try and be the leader who inspires others.

Don’t wait another day or another week or another month. You don’t need to be dealing with this anymore. It’s time to take back control of your thoughts and emotions, and start living a happy and fulfilling life.

If you are experiencing a mental illness that you have not yet sought treatment for, it is crucial to ask for help right away. You are not alone, and there are various mental health professionals who can help you live a happier life, even in these unprecedented times.

If you wanna share your experiences, you can find me online in all your favorite places  LinkedIn and Facebook. Shoot me a DM, a tweet, a comment, or whatever works best for you. I’ll be the one trying to figure out how to read books and get better at playing ping pong at the same time.

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