The mental health stigma in the workplace is costing employers more money and providing them with less productive employees. The negative stigma on mental health is evident in many outlets of our lives, and one great place to start abolishing it is in the workplace.
Why Employers Should Focus On Mental Health
Money
It may seem like focusing on treatment plans and having a compassionate environment is tedious, time-consuming, and expensive, but it would actually save employers money. About 80% of workers who have been treated reported that their productivity and job satisfaction increased. This means taking less sick days, being in the doctor’s office less often, and using their paid time more effectively which results in lower medical cost and smarter spending.
It’s Extremely Common
1 in 5 adults has a mental illness in America. One of the most popular mental illnesses, depression, has shown to cause a decrease in productivity making a good amount of employees unable to function at their highest capacity. Research has discovered that ADHD is also common in the workplace, causing scientists to urge employers to participate in offering accessible mental health treatment options.
It Creates A Healthy Work Environment
If you as an employer were receptive and accepting to the reality of mental health, more employees would come forward with their issues. In the 1 in 5 adults who have a disorder or illness, 56% of them don’t receive treatment. Giving them the opportunity to come forward and letting them gain access to the help they need could put a considerable dent in that statistic. Having this type of atmosphere in your workplace can improve relationships and increase the productivity of your employees.
How Can You Help?
Whether you are a small business owner or in a high seat in a large corporation, being compassionate and understanding toward your employees can go a long way. Many people who have anxiety won’t even tell their employers that they have this disorder because they are afraid it may cost them a chance at a promotion, make them seem unwilling to do their job, or not be taken seriously. Being obvious about how you care about their well-being may help them come forward and get the treatment they need.
Do you work in a place that cares about your mental health? What does your company do that makes you feel safe and has helped you in your process of recovery? Have you worked somewhere that made you feel small and insignificant or fearful of explaining your illness? Tell us your story in the comment section below!
