Standard wellness programs for employees offer services that support physical health. But what about mental health services? Does your corporate wellness program include measures that care for employees’ minds? The price of neglecting mental health includes productivity loss, absenteeism, and a negative work environment. To mitigate these risks, create a health & wellness employee program that offers health risk assessments, employee assistance programs, and the Givhero wellness platform.
Below, we detail the consequences of overlooking mental health as well as mental health service options.
The Costs of Untreated Mental Health Concerns
Despite great advancements in working conditions and professional mobility, today’s workforce still faces challenges. For instance, 2020 witnessed an unprecedented shift to working from home as well as significant lay-offs. The post-pandemic world remains an uncertain place, which entails further anxiety and frustration.
Mental health involves much more than discomfort or poor moods. Research indicates that negative mental health in employees leads to burnout, lowered productivity, absenteeism, and more. These effects make perfect sense when reasoned out.
If employees put in long hours at their workplaces–in-person or from home–they have less time for self-care and personal responsibilities. In response, they feel stressed, unhappy, or even angry. Moreover, a lack of discussion on mental health creates a stigma against bringing the topic up. Employees struggling with anxiety or depression end up repressing these feelings.
Mental Health Services to Consider Adopting
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Health Risk Assessments (HRAs)
So, what services could support employees and avoid negative outcomes? Companies that want to start incorporating mental health wellness programs can distribute HRAs. These are questionnaires completed by employees to give management an organization-wide picture of health concerns.While not a cure in and of themselves, HRAs provide employees an avenue to speak about their health concerns. Human resources managers can then design wellness programs that include the services their employees need. HRAs can also begin an internal conversation on mental health concerns and potential solutions.
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Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
EAPs offer workplace intervention services for a variety of health and health-adjacent issues. These include conventional counseling options–alcohol/substance abuse, child/elder care, financial/legal trouble–as well as related services: basic financial advice, legal guidance, nurse triage services, and more. EAP offerings may look different at different organizations. -
Peer-to-peer support groups
Peer-to-peer employee groups provide a supportive environment for individuals to discuss concerns among themselves. However, rather than proverbial “water cooler talk,” these conversations can focus on mental health discussions. Research shows that peer counseling programs benefit employees and their companies. -
The Givhero Employee Wellness Platform
Boosting employees’ health may involve several measures: celebrating achievements, creating inclusive challenges, incentivizing healthcare, and more. So, a digital platform that can organize and run these efforts will make implementation much smoother.Our social wellness app leverages users’ intrinsic motivators to inspire engagement and commitment to wellness initiatives. In doing so, it helps lower the incidence of office burnout, frustration, and even injuries. When corporate wellness programs prioritize employees’ mental health, they improve productivity, support their staff’s health, and sustain workplace well-being and morale.
Comprehensive Health & Wellness Programs for Employees
While health & wellness programs for employees offer reliable coverage for physical health, they would do well to incorporate comprehensive mental care. These wellness options support workplace well-being and reduce absenteeism. Moreover, they can be achieved through Givhero, a digital platform that allows employers to organize wellness programs and employees to track progress in those programs. For more information, call us today at (240) 801-5927 or schedule a call online.
