FEATURE
work. Provide support if they are experiencing unreasonable work demands to avoid the risk of burnout, stress and anxiety. Reminding staff to take regular short breaks can help them to recharge and refocus, while offering flexible working hours can help to maintain a work/life balance, thereby improving productivity and morale and reducing the risk of work injuries. Excessive workloads may not be as easy to identify among remote workers, so organise catch- ups by phone or video call to keep regular channels of communication open. Encouraging all employees to regularly talk to their co-workers can provide support in the form of a team atmosphere to help them better manage stress. Keeping employees in the loop about any changes taking place at the company will also build trust and help to minimise any uncertainty surrounding job security which can lead to stress.
Make access to independent advice and support available. Confidential employee assistance/ counselling services or appointing existing employees as dedicated Mental Health Champions to provide peer support can be useful if someone has a problem they cannot discuss with their manager. Likewise, you could also assign a certain employee or group of employees the task of making the workplace safe, comfortable, and ergonomically correct. They can collect grievances and find solutions to valid complaints that other employees may be reluctant to discuss directly with their superiors.
Offer training and education to all levels of staff that promote wellbeing and resilience in the workplace.
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The first line of defence against job-related stress should be modifying the work environment. Educating employees on the symptoms, causes and treatments for stress can also be beneficial. Management can learn how to recognise stress in those they work with and what they can do to prevent it from becoming a problem by taking a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course, for example. Employees can be given tools and techniques to help them identify their own issues and deal with them. Goals can also be set for wellbeing improvement. Recognise and praise the completion of training where possible, and regularly assess the training programmes by asking those who have taken part for their input.
Create a positive culture that removes the stigma associated with mental health issues and encourages early reporting and therefore intervention. Incorporating mental health into HR policies and procedures, and into core training as described in the previous points, will help to achieve this. But also think about making literature available in the workplace or on the intranet, putting up posters/infographics and hosting fun and informative virtual or live events to raise awareness as part of your wellness programme. Undertaking physical activity is also one of the best ways to reduce stress, so why not organise a walking club at lunch time or a competitive steps challenge to encourage employees to use the stairs and not the lifts?
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