“Employee mental health, key to productivity. Promoting dialogue, resources and a healthy environment helps improve it.”
Miguel Sanchis
CEO and co-founder of TuCan Feel
Cristina Botella
CFO and co-founder of TuCan Feel
Employee mental health is becoming an increasingly important issue in today’s workplace. As we move into the digital age and globalization, the amount of work and the pace of life are accelerating, which can have a negative impact on workers’ mental health. In this article, we will explore the challenge of the importance of optimal employee mental health to increase productivity in the enterprise in 2023.
First, it is important to note that mental health refers to a person’s ability to cope with everyday situations in life, manage stress and maintain a positive attitude towards change and adversity. Mental health can have a significant impact on employee productivity.
The last World Mental Health Report of the World Health Organization (WHO) March 2022, to achieve the global targets set out in the WHO Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, indicates that mental and behavioral disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide.
In addition, another study by the Harvard University Research Center found that 25% of workers in the United States experience high levels of stress at work, which can lead to mental health problems.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, depression and anxiety increased by 25%, alarming data for the world’s population affecting the workplace. In this sense, a worker experiencing depression may have difficulty concentrating and making important decisions. Similarly, an employee suffering from anxiety may have difficulty communicating effectively with co-workers. Ultimately, an employee who suffers from mental health problems may have difficulty performing his or her job effectively.
The WHO highlights the relevance of companies and institutions in promoting and protecting the mental health of their workers. This demonstrates high business value, as an investment in mental health for a better future for all. In addition, a company that promotes the mental health of its employees may see an increase in productivity. A 2019 study by consulting firm Deloitte found that companies that invest in the mental health of their employees have a 4-to-1 return on investment. In other words, for every dollar invested in employee mental health, the company can get a return of $4 in productivity and cost reduction.
In this regard, how can companies promote and protect the mental health of their employees?
From TuCan Feel, we present five keys to improve the mental health of workers in an organization:
- Encourage open dialogue: the company can encourage open dialogue by providing safe spaces where employees can talk about their problems, needs and conflicts. This will help the organization to provide them with the necessary support and achieve their well-being, thus improving their efficiency and productivity.
- Provide resources for stress management. The company can provide resources for stress management, such as training, time management workshops or meditation spaces. These activities will help employees manage stress and anxiety, improving their well-being and emotional balance, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.
- Provide access to mental health services. It is important that employees have access to mental health services. Some related activities could be coaching or mindfulness sessions, both individually and in teams, promoting kindness, communication and socioemotional management of workers. This improves their well-being and emotional balance, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.
- Promote a healthy work environment. The company can promote a healthy work environment by encouraging collaboration, teamwork and open communication to avoid conflict. In addition, adequate working conditions (lighting, comfort, equipment and necessary tools) favor creativity and innovation. A healthy work environment can help reduce stress and anxiety, improving well-being and increasing productivity.
- Provide social spaces. It is important that employees have time off to disconnect and connect with the team. Strengthening relationships, feeling comfortable in an open space, improves the work environment, increases motivation and builds a philosophy of common values with the entire organization.
In conclusion, employee mental health is becoming an increasingly important issue in the workplace. The promotion of mental health can have a significant impact on the company’s productivity, as well as on the creation of a healthy and balanced work environment. The company can improve the mental health of workers by promoting open dialogue, providing resources for stress management, access to mental health services, promoting a healthy work environment and providing social spaces. In 2023, we expect to see an increased focus on employee mental health in companies around the world.
