Addressing mental and physical health at work

Burnout and stress should have us considering ways to encourage mental and physical health at work. Why should managers consider these issues and how should they be incorporated into business culture?

We all know that we’re at our best when we feel good and strong, yet there are so many issues bombarding us day to day that create stress.  It’s easy to let our physical health slide in our too busy lives and that can also affect our mental health.  Knowing mental and physical health can make a difference, however, needs to be appreciated and addressed by managers.  How can we help employees better prepare for the challenges of the day?

A key to mental health at work is developing trust between managers and employees.  If an employee has a concern, they are much less likely to address it if they don’t trust their manager.  Being supportive and actively concerned about staff’s mental and physical well-being will help build a trusting relationship.  Discussing roadblocks and worries can help us remove the barriers and move forward.  Ignoring them often exacerbates issues.

Examine your approachability.  Do you welcome feedback/comments or do you tend to make it clear you don’t have the time or capacity to hear concerns? If it’s the latter, talk with your staff about making a change and encouraging them to discuss their needs.  And mean it.  Hold brainstorming sessions where you encourage open discussions and then do something with the suggestions.  Initial comments may be limited until you’ve built a rapport, but once you’ve learned to work together, productivity and energy will likely improve.

Helping employees move and get their blood pumping during the day will also help.  Have outdoor meetings when you can; encourage individuals to move away from their computers periodically during the day, even if it’s just to move around the inside office.  Find out what activities your staff enjoy and work those into the schedule where you can—ask for suggestions/ideas.  Keeping our heads down and constantly focused can slow us down.  We need periodic “targeted” distractions that invigorate us and awaken our brains!

Do what you can to increase mental and physical health at work.  You will see positive results!

#positivity #mentalhealth #exercise #managementsolutions #hrconsultant

Man using a resistance band for exercise.