In the current times, people spend most of their waking hours at work. With the increasing hours of work, stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction have also skyrocketed, making mental health one of the biggest present-day concerns. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), poor employee mental health costs the global economy around $1 trillion a year in lost productivity. But, for every $1 put into scaled up treatment for common mental disorders, there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity.
In the year 2019, many companies started taking heed of the problem and instituted programs within their organization to help employees. Employees are encouraged to look after not just their physical but mental health too and are provided the tools and resources needed for it. Companies should focus on employee mental health not just to improve their efficiency but also on the humanitarian grounds too. Let’s take a look at a few benefits of implementing programs to improve the mental health of employees within an organization:
- Increased Engagement
According to a Gallup poll, employee engagement is positively correlated with overall health i.e. mental and physical both. For employees to be productive and motivated, they need to be physically as well as mentally healthy. A survey conducted by American Psychological Association, it was found that 91% of employees whose companies supported programs promoting employee mental health, were more engaged and motivated at work.
- Improved Productivity
Once the employees prioritize their all-round health and are engaged at work, there is an obvious bump in productivity that follows. The increased engagement and productivity have a positive ripple effect on the workplace culture and company bottom line too.
- Reduced Absenteeism
A healthy and engaged workforce leads to reduced absenteeism too. Implementing employee wellness programs to improve the mental health of employees does not only benefit the employee on a personal level but also benefits the organization. All the negative factors which are a hindrance to the growth of a company can be easily eliminated with the running of such programs.
- Positive Office Environment
Once the employees are mentally fit, engaged and motivated, it is obvious that the environment of the organization becomes happy and positive. Healthy people, in turn, make their surroundings full of energy, positivity, and happiness. And, in such an optimistic environment there is a good quality of work done and the best results achieved.
Investing in employee wellness programs benefits not just the employee but the entire organization. Regular evaluations of engagement levels as well as implementing effective rewards and recognition programs also contribute to boosting the happiness quotient at work. So make happier and healthier employees a priority in the new year and watch them transform your organization for the better.