Help Your Employees Stay Mentally Healthy During a Pandemic

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As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented a whole new set of difficulties for everyone. The business sector has taken a massive hit and this has caused a cascade of disasters in other sectors. If there’s a recurring theme in all this, it’s that we all need to bear the burden together, and that means helping each other out when we can.

Work is inherently stressful. However, it is also what gives us purpose. Without employees, a business is bound to fail. Without good leadership, a business will be directionless and ineffective. As leaders, it’s important to not only ensure that your team members are performing their tasks, but that you’re watching over their well-being.

Mental health is an aspect that we tend to overlook in the workplace. Not paying enough attention to this will not only lead to a reduction in team member performance, but it may even have a severe and adverse impact on their personal lives. So, how do you help take care of your team’s mental health?

Utilize Technology

The pandemic has proven technology is an essential tool for our survival. The business sector has shifted to a remote working system, and people are able to keep in touch with their loved ones courtesy of technology. In the same manner, technology can be used to provide a variety of mental health programs and resources. Communication software and collaboration tools can be used to give employees access to on-call licensed counselling, mediations, and virtual education to help improve their ability to cope with and manage their stress.

Encourage Communication

More often than not, the stigma of asking for emotional support prevents those who need it from asking for it. It’s rarely an easy subject for discussion, but by encouraging communication with your employees, they’re more likely to reach out for help.

Incorporate Mental Health Services Into Your Benefits Plan

A good way to show your team that you truly care for their well-being is to incorporate mental health services into your benefits plan. This shows that the company values employee mental health even beyond a major crisis. Adding things like on-call counselling and NASM or ACE-certified physical training programs give your employees a means for self-help and a convenient way to reach help if they need it. Remember that physical health can also help alleviate stress and depression.

Show Empathy

Finally, it’s important to be able to show empathy to employee plights. When they do open up, show genuine concern for your employee, especially during these times when there is an overarching sense of uncertainty and anxiety. Leaders do not just direct a concerted effort toward achieving the same goal, they also serve as a buttress for team morale.

Mental health is something that should never be overlooked. The rate at which the number of suicides has increased during the pandemic should be enough of a warning. Human life is precious, and sometimes, all it takes is a moment of kindness to help someone else.