COVID-19 has inflicted a serious mental health toll on many U.S. workers.
Those workers are better able to navigate mental health issues when their employers have a plan in place. I believe there are five key strategies that companies could adopt.
Creating clear policies. With the increased stress levels brought on by the pandemic, managers may see more employees experiencing personal crises or disruptive behavior that is affecting their performance.
Psychological distress can lead to disruptive behavior, such as yelling at colleagues. At the other extreme, employees may isolate themselves. Some workers may express suicidal thoughts. Managers may be at a loss for how to address these types of disruptive behavior, which is often unintentional.
A good first step is to craft a clear workplace policy that describes the specific types of disruptive behavior that signal an individual is not capable of performing their job. This policy can discuss the process of temporary release, evaluation and treatment requirements, and conditions for a return to work.
A good first step is to craft a clear … policy.
It should be noted that under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers are required to make reasonable accommodation for mental health disorders unless it results in undue hardship for the company.
Partnering with mental health providers. Many workers suffering because of the pandemic may not be exhibiting clear mental health problems. Rather, they could be experiencing a disruption in their personal lives that is bleeding into their work.
In this case, a key mitigation strategy by a manager or colleague would be to refer that employee to a mental health provider or other supportive resources. It’s useful to have an established partnership with a local provider and for employers to become familiar with available resources.
Over half of civilian workers have access to an employee assistance program, which provides free, confidential counseling to employees. Some larger companies may have their own in-house programs. But even smaller companies can set up partnerships that give workers access to counseling on an ad hoc basis.
Preventing illness with wellness programs. Workplace wellness programs help prevent mental health problems by teaching employees new skills that support resiliency. Programs that promote positive emotions may also improve productivity. To increase participation, it is very important to include workers in decisions about which programs to adopt.
Fighting mental health stigma by changing norms. People experiencing mental illness or mental health struggles often face stigma. They might avoid treatment because they are concerned about losing their job or being viewed differently.
Employers can tackle stigma by thinking and talking about mental health concerns the same way they deal with physical ones and also by increasing mental health literacy within their company.
Another way to do that is to train dedicated employees to assist colleagues in need. Since some workers may feel more comfortable reaching out to a colleague than a mental health provider, these internal advocates can provide a bridge between employees and mental health care.
Companies can also develop programs in which workers can hear people with mental illness describe their own challenges and how they overcame them. Research shows creating these social contacts can reduce stigma.
Nurturing social support through teamwork. Finally, a large body of research demonstrates that social support buffers the impact of stress.
Social connections to the people around you can inspire what psychologists call “collective efficacy,” or a shared belief in a group’s ability to work together and overcome challenges to accomplish goals. Collective efficacy improves group performance and is also a key ingredient in trauma recovery.
Patricia L. Haynes is an associate professor of health promotion sciences at the University of Arizona. Distributed by The Associated Press.
