Five Steps to Recognizing and Addressing Mental Health in the Workplace

Welcome to SMB Matters. I’m Rachel Sufczynski, Senior Benefits Communications Specialist for TriNet. This podcast series takes a close look at the latest news and trends on a variety of topics related to running a successful small and medium-size business.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and today I will try to connect the dots between mental health and the workplace. I will also discuss simple strategies that can positively impact the mental health of you and your employees.

We will be covering a general approach for how to help your employees with their overall mental health. For specific employees with mental health concerns, there may be applicable federal, state and local laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that require you to take certain steps to address your employees’ mental health conditions, and also put policies in place for all of your employees.

The U.S. is currently in a mental health crisis. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness 20% of the population reports mental illness each year—putting these individuals at increased risk for cardiovascular and metabolic disease as well as substance use disorders. By those stats, one in five employees might be suffering from a mental illness. On the human side, employers want their employees to be well, both physically and mentally. Viewing this statistic through a business lens mental illness can negatively affect productivity, company approval and morale. In addition, mental health is a significant driver of healthcare cost which can ultimately impact an organization’s bottom line.

In the post-Covid crisis world, employees expect mental health to be addressed. It demonstrates that their company cares about them beyond what they can do for the business. This is becoming a vital part of employee retention and recruitment. Now that we have the “why” established, let’s dig into what you can do about it.

Step 1: Name-the-issues. Whether it’s work stress, a need for work/life boundaries or something else, a solution can only be implemented if the problem is named. Remember you don’t have to address everything all at once. Try picking one or two opportunities to implement change, observe what is impactful—and what resonates with your employees—and then continue to expand your offerings as able. This small-step approach is Behavior Change 101. You don’t have to solve everything today; you just have to begin.

Step 2: Identify what you as the employer have control over. Where can you make a difference in the problem you named? If the problem is that people are working 24/7, causing stress and anxiety, can you implement a policy that limits work hours? What if you held a companywide 10-minute weekly mediation or brought a speaker in to talk about strategies for setting boundaries and stress management. Put on your brainstorming hat—get creative!

Step 3: Turn to the professionals. You are not expected to act as a mental health expert or professional. Luckily there are a wealth of mental health resources available so that you don’t have to. Employee assistance programs (EAP), the Centers for Disease Control and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention are a few places where you can begin your resource search. The EAP also has a self-service option where employees can log in and peruse articles on everything from heart health to how to heat and cool your home for less. While on the surface these may not seem like mental health subjects; they certainly have an impact on an employee’s state of mind and stress level. If you have not already consider implementing an employee assistance program within your business.

Step 4: Put the policies in place! Make sure your employees know that they are protected from if they come to you with a mental health issue or point out a work concern that may be causing stress. An anti-retaliation policy and reassurances that everything they say is 100% confidential to the greatest possible extent can help employees feel more comfortable. Other policies like limiting meetings and offering self-care opportunities (and the time to take them) can help show employees that you are walking the walk, not just talking the talk. It is one thing to say mental health is important to you. It is another thing entirely to lead by example.

Step 5: Rinse, repeat. This is the simplest but one of the most important steps. Mental health is not a one-and-done conversation. It is ongoing and should occur throughout the year. Through an open dialogue, you can begin to tear down the stigma that surrounds mental health. Give your employees freedom to get the support they need. And remember small change can have a big impact.

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Legal Disclaimer:

This podcast is for educational purposes only. With decades of experience supporting small and medium-size businesses, TriNet has unique insight into HR best practices for businesses. TriNet does not provide legal, tax or accounting advice. The materials in this podcast and the options and opinions expressed herein may not apply to your company or scenario, so you should consult with your own advisors on how best to proceed. Reproduction in part or in whole is not permitted without express written authorization from TriNet.