Jennifer Weaver-Breitenbecher | Polaris Counseling & Consulting LLC owner
When first offered, working from home seemed like an ideal situation for many employees. Countless memes were created in its favor. Over time, however, we’ve learned that working from home can actually be having a negative impact on the mental health of individuals.
Over the past few months, I’ve seen a surge in requests from employers in regard to employee mental wellness. Not only is mental health becoming a less-taboo topic, but recent research shows that mentally well employees are more productive workers.
My three tips:
• Check in with your employees and ask, “How are you?” and, “What do you need?”
These are two incredibly simple questions, but they very easily convey concern, validation and support. By engaging in weekly check-ins with your staff, you can head off any potential burnout and ineffectiveness.
• Encourage paid time off or vacation days be used for mental health and self-care.
We all need time off from work. Mental health shouldn’t be any less prioritized than physical health; especially since poor psychological care can result in physical ailments.
While some of your staff are probably already comfortable using time off for mental health purposes, others may need a little nudging to take care of themselves.
• Decrease isolation as much as possible.
When possible [but not in excess], touch base with your staff via video communication. Research tells us that the human brain responds favorably to video communication in the same way it would if you and your staff were in the same room.