Your employees are only human and at times we can all suffer with anxiety, stress or even depression. While leading a team, you should always encourage open communication about this subject, and try to reduce ant stigma around the topic within the workplace, so everyone in your team feels comfortable discussing this.
A great way to ensure you are providing high quality mental health support within your teams is to consider creating a Wellness Action Plan.
The elements that you can include in a Wellness Action Plan and overall mental health strategy are listed below:
Mental Health & Stress Management
Supporting Mental health and Stress management can involve flexible working options and organising benefits such as access to mental wellness apps (Headspace and Mind for example). Work-life balance is such an important part of mental wellbeing, as there is nothing worse than having children or family duties that can be a struggle to work around. Be understanding as a leader and offer any Work Form Home days if any of your team members will benefit from this.
Physical Health
Physical health is another incredibly important topic. So, with this, it’s important to include tips to help your team keep up their physical activity inside and outside the workplace. You can share nutritional recipes and snack ideas around the workplace. Another fun way to get your physically healthy is to consider announcing an annual fitness challenge. Perhaps a charity fun run, a step count competition which employees can do throughout the day, or even walking / outside based meetings. Fresh air can make a word of difference.
Financial Wellbeing Support
Financial wellbeing and support should always be one of the highest topics included in the Wellness Action plan. Your team need to understand and know the financial choices they have. Money is an extremely difficult subject for many people to discuss, but it should be more open to discussion. Ensure you provide support options in your wellness plan where you share information or training on budgeting, childcare costings, and other financial aspects such as pensions and saving. You can even organise an expert to come in for a talk to your team.
Emotional and Social Wellbeing
Emotional and social wellbeing can include sharing social groups and action plans for the workplace. You can do this by encouraging your team to make great working relationships and become friends. Organise group outings and group projects so your team can work together and build strong connections. This will help productivity as one of the most important aspects of working is also the social side. Your team will feel happier and enjoy coming to work if they appreciate the people they are working with.
Encourage Professional Development
Professional development is an important element, as your team will feel more valued and motivated when they are continually developing in their roles. Have regular meetings with your team to understand their skillset and any specific goals they want to achieve. This will be helpful to your company in the long run too, as the more knowledgeable your team are, the more likely they will share ideas and inspiration for making the company more successful.
Provide Helpful Contact Information
Also ensure you provide contact information for support within, and outside the workplace. It’s important to have a place where your team can vent, unwind, and talk about anything that they are struggling with. Include phone numbers for professional help in areas such as toilets, coffee rooms and workspaces. Ensure your team know what to do if they need support and who they can reach out to at work and professionally if the need arises too.
Let us know if you will be taking on any of these tips with your team?
If you need help implementing any of the ideas below, please feel free to contact us today and we would be happy to discuss your requirements.