How Leaders Can Promote Mental Health In Organizations

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One of the biggest issues that people have in the world of business organizations is their mental health. The stress of being a part of a big corporation can cause a lot of stress and mental anguish for people, and often leaders don’t know how best to help them, or they struggle with mental health issues themselves.

But mental health is a problem that can contribute to a whole host of problems for the health of employees as well as the health of the business, and the best way for leaders to handle this issue is to make sure that it gets talked about. Here are some ways that leaders can ensure mental health is both talked about and is treated in the workplace.

Focus On Getting To Know The Employee

Everyone’s problems with mental health are different, and even people suffering from the same mental illnesses could have different stressors and could respond differently when overwhelmed.

Instead of treating mental health with a standardized plan, try to learn about each employee and what causes them issues. This might be harder to do in a big company, but by talking to each person involved in your business, it doesn’t just make them feel seen, but it also shows that you as a leader are taking their health seriously.

Learning about mental health, specifically how it relates to a person, is also important because it teaches you how to help them. And if you help your employees effectively, then they can get back to work in a much better mood!

Counseling Sessions

Of course, a leader in the workplace might not be a certified psychologist or equipped to handle severe mental health issues, so it is important to know when to pass the torch and get some help from a professional. Counseling sessions can help with that, and all you need is a certified professional and simple tools like Foothold’s mental health EHR.

By providing access to tools, programs, and counseling sessions for your employees that they can use, they will know that they can go to those programs whenever things get too tough for them.

Check In And Respond

The best strategies for mental health often involve stopping the problem before it starts rather than trying to overcome the effects. By having a culture of open communication about mental health as well as having regular check-ins to inspect the mental health of your employees, you can look for ways to mitigate threats before they occur. 

If you notice that things are starting to veer in an uncomfortable direction, then you can talk about the issue and get everything back on track before all the work that needs to be done is derailed. 

Model Healthy Behaviors

As a leader you are under a lot of pressure, so don’t be afraid to speak about your own mental health and take advantage of the tools and resources that your company is offering. If your employees see that their leader is taking time away from the office and prioritizing their own well-being, they will be more inclined to take the breaks they need and get help for their own health.

So if you need help, need to take a staycation, or need to schedule breaks into your day to prevent burnout, share that with your employees. Not only will it make you a much better leader, but it will also help your business remain on track because everyone is taking care of themselves, and that means that better work can be done for your company.