4 Corporate Benefits that Improve Employee Mental Health and Engagement

The benefits of mental health support programs are numerous. Some of these programs include free therapy, healthy eating, and physical activity; others provide financial assistance to employees who need it. Whatever the case, there are three main reasons why you should care about your employees' mental health. All three promote a healthy work environment, and having a positive company culture is one of the most important factors in preventing mental health problems. Read on for some examples of mental health benefits offered by companies.

How to Create a Positive Company Culture

Employees' mental health is of vital importance to any organization, and there are many reasons for fostering a positive workplace culture. Studies show that positive work environments increase the level of happiness, reduce stress, boost creativity, and boost overall wellness. These benefits translate into greater business results, higher productivity, and lower healthcare costs. Positive company cultures also attract talented employees and lower turnover rates.

Here are a few ways to foster a positive culture:

1. Offer Free Therapy

According to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five adults in the United States suffers from a mental illness. The findings also suggest that nearly a billion people live with mental illness around the world. The Employee Assistance Programs offered by companies can support their employees with mental health issues. Often, these programs are free and are designed to help employees manage their condition. But what are the advantages of these programs?

One such program is provided by Salesforce, an employee assistance program. Its website also includes a series of self-help resources, as well as free counseling sessions. A daily well-being survey, featuring interviews with Deepak Chopra and Arianna Huffington, is also offered to its employees. Another company that offers free mental health care is Plum Village. Employees can now use a Zen Meditation app. Its employees can also take advantage of a company's partnership with Modern Health, which offers discounted subscriptions to teletherapy and guided meditation.

2. Promote Healthy Eating

There are many benefits to caring about your employees' mental health. In addition to offering health benefits, fostering a supportive culture can help identify and prevent workplace mental health problems. These benefits may include providing time off and flexible work hours to employees who need them. If you're concerned that your employees aren't getting the support they need, consider offering financial assistance for therapy. The cost of therapy may be prohibitive, so consider offering financial assistance for therapy sessions.

Investing in mental health training can help your employees stay motivated and refreshed. By providing employees with mental health training, you can help them develop coping mechanisms and improve their work-life balance. Mental health training can include classes taught by experts in fields such as mindfulness, stress management, and imposter syndrome. For a more comprehensive approach, you can hire a professional for a half-day workshop that will teach employees a variety of skills and habits to help them cope with mental stress and achieve peak performance.

3. Encourage Physical Activity

One of the best ways to help your employees improve their mental health is to provide them with opportunities for physical activity. Whether it's walking, running, or swimming, a break from the computer can do wonders for their mental health. In fact, physical activity also boosts energy levels and serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in increased mental clarity. Those benefits translate into increased productivity, better health and a healthier bottom line.

Even if you're unable to offer employees an exercise facility or a gym membership, there are many ways to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives. Aside from being able to use the stairs to get to and from work, you can also arrange for employees to attend fitness classes during lunch, or take a walk on the golf course. Even if your employees don't like physical activity, you can still get them moving by implementing short spurts of activity throughout the day.

4. Promote Stress Reduction

While workplace culture has improved over the years, the importance of an employee's mental health has only increased over the last five years. Depression and anxiety are widespread problems for many employees, and they can be detrimental to a company's productivity. Listed below are three reasons why it's important for employers to be aware of employee mental health. While these issues may seem trivial, they can have a profound impact on employee performance and teamwork.

A recent study by Ginger, a mental health provider, found that 69% of employees found the coronavirus stressful. More than half of the employees surveyed experienced moderate to extreme stress over the past four weeks.

While there's no direct link between stress and work performance, it is well-known that stress is harmful to both employees and employers. Not only does it affect employees' job performance and engagement, but it also lowers their productivity and negatively impacts the business. Mental health experts have warned employers of the long-term effects of workplace stress.

Conclusion: Creating a Mentally Healthy Workplace

The modern workforce is undergoing a variety of changes, and workplace culture is one of the biggest contributors to financial success. Gallup's latest report shows that companies with positive workplace cultures experienced an 85 percent increase in net profits.

In addition to this, strong company cultures can increase employee engagement by up to 50%. And overall, a positive environment promotes employee happiness and boosts their productivity.