Last week, Gillian Ryan at Wellness Works attended the MBGH (Midwest Business Group on Health) mental health forum. There were a number of talented speakers and attendees included in the discussion. Mental health concerns are becoming increasingly relevant in the workplace. In fact, up to 85% of employees’ anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns are undiagnosed and untreated. As an employer and coworker, you can make a powerful difference in the lives of those around you.
Key Objectives
One of the best things you can do to support a healthy mental health environment is by developing a strong workforce mental health strategy. Dr. David Ballard, the founder and principal of GhostNote Consulting discusses this in terms of being a superhero. You have an origin story which later becomes a narrative arc. Through this lens, you can see for yourself how acting upon these mental health efforts leads to a difference in the lives of your employees. But first, you must start with the foundation and decide how to measure the success rate. There are a few different criteria; below highlights several ways to approach and drive success.
Step 1) Organizations Approach
- Accessing hazards and risks.
- Addressing performance gaps.
- Identify opportunities to improve employee mental health.
- Setting and prioritizing goals.
- Allocating resources to measure results.
Step 2) Drivers of Success
- Aligning with culture, mission, values, and goals.
- Leadership support and effort across the organization.
- Employee involvement in the implementation of the strategy.
- Ongoing measurement and continuous improvement.
Once the foundation and key measurables are complete, choose the benefits that you want to target as goals. Once chosen, they can be measured continuously and improved.
Benefits of a Workplace Mental Health Strategy
- Demonstrates organizational leadership.
- Reduces stigma and increases awareness.
- Encourages use of resources.
- Increases participation in engagement of mental health workplace efforts.
- Allows for less time off, absenteeism, and negative emotions in the workplace.
- Increased job satisfaction.
Next Event
MBGH hosts a number of events and conferences throughout the year to help employers improve their workplaces. The next webinar is on April 4th from 2-3:30pm. Until recently, employers did not need to worry about their businesses being impacted by diseases such as measles, polio, and pertussis. A perfect storm is now brewing as vaccination rates among children dip and adult rates for some preventable diseases remain low. Employers can reduce this threat by taking steps to improve employee confidence in the use of vaccines as a safe and effective way to prevent diseases.
At this webinar, you will:
- Learn how to increase workplace vaccination rates and identify which member segments need the most immediate attention.
- Understand how family, peers, community, culture, and politics can influence vaccine confidence and learn how to leverage these factors to support your workplace strategy.
- Gather tips on effective communication and plan design strategies.
Click here to register and view upcoming MBGH events.