Last month we looked at the role of nutrition and fitness in supporting better mental health. As we explained, there is a strong link between physical and mental health – and when the two areas have the focus they need, better productivity follows. This month, we are looking more closely at mental wellbeing itself.
We’ve focused on 5 approaches that support and improve emotional and mental wellbeing. Many more are of course available, but these are all activities that employers can influence in the workplace.
Connecting with others
One of the lessons we all learnt from the lockdown period is the importance of connection between people. We need others to share our experiences and emotions and to experience support. Now that many work remotely, we’ve started to notice reports of workplace loneliness on the increase. It’s important that a level of connection is built into how we work together as colleagues and how we experience the organisations where we work. Also, see our article: ‘Managing the impact of loneliness’.
- Even when your people want to work remotely, don’t forget to include them in meetings that happen in the office. Technology such as Teams, Google Meet and other services enable good screen time and interaction. Don’t create a ‘them and us’ culture.
- Encourage line managers to check in with remote based employees. One to one catch-ups are more important than ever when that call might be the only interaction your team member may have. But don’t forget to give your line managers the support they need to manage people remotely.
- Think of your office more as a place to connect. Don’t ask people to commute in and then sit behind a screen, make meetings more fun and encourage social interaction.
Encouraging physical activity
There is plenty of research showing just how important physical activity is to our mental wellbeing. It has a positive effect on our moods due to the release of chemicals that exercise brings, and this helps us to overcome problems with a positive mindset. What’s more, the benefits of physical fitness boost self-esteem.
- There are initiatives that encourage physical activity, such as the cycle to work scheme and outdoor or ‘walking’ meetings. We covered this in more depth in our blog ‘Nutrition and fitness at work’.
- Help redefine what physical activity actually means, making it more inclusive for all. It’s not only about the gym, but also about building any form of exercise into the day, and that taking breaks while working from home are equally important.
- By building a more ‘connected’ and present workplace culture, organisations can combine being active with greater social interaction.
Developing new skills
Learning is stimulating. Think about the thrill experienced when you first learnt something new at school – that feeling doesn’t leave us, but many don’t get the same stimulation from their work. And this is where employers can make a difference.
- Make sure your people feel they are receiving the development opportunities they need or were promised.
- This doesn’t always need to relate to the role itself, much in the way of development can come from taking on a new responsibility, such as mentoring others.
- What courses can you offer – or are there local colleges that run courses that your people may benefit from? This is also an opportunity to build social contact and connection into their lives.
Promoting sleep hygiene
You might be surprised to see sleep on this list, but without it we put our mental health at risk along with the health and safety of others. Other negatives include an increase in job-related accidents, higher absenteeism and displays of anger and stress in the workplace. It’s thought the body needs between 7 to 9 hours sleep each night – but research has found that a third of the UK population regularly has less than 6 hours a night.
- Establish a culture that values sleep rather than one based on the outdated belief that longer hours create greater productivity. Discourage presenteeism and focus on quality of output, not time spent at the office.
- Discourage the amount of screen time that can have a negative impact not only on the ability to sleep but can also minimise social interaction.
- Develop a shift worker policy as sleep loss can have a major effect on shift work and is most noticeable after a night shift.
We have covered the importance of sleep in greater depth in our article ‘Sleep Hygiene – How To Improve Sleep And Boost Employee Performance’.
Helping and supporting others
Both the NHS and the British Red Cross cover this in their content on improving mental wellbeing. Research shows that doing positive things helps us to feel good. This creates the perfect opportunity for employers to use this as a strategy to bring together many of the other suggestions we’ve made in this article.
- Supporting a charity as a business and doing voluntary work helps strengthen feelings of connection to both the organisation and colleagues, and it improves physical activity. It is a ‘win win’ in terms of improving mental wellbeing.
- Encouraging those who want to pursue mental health training brings two immediate advantages; it enables learning a new skill that also results in a more understanding culture.
In conclusion
We believe that improving mental health is directly linked to improved wellbeing. This benefits us as individuals, and it’s certainly beneficial for our productivity in the workplace. This makes supporting better mental health not only an ethical policy, but also one that brings benefits across an organisation.
For further information
The following articles contain additional tips on creating better mental wellbeing:
NHS: 5 steps to mental wellbeing
Mind: How to improve your mental wellbeing
British Red Cross: Five ways to improve your mental wellbeing
Photo by Matthew Ball on Unsplash
