Five ways to boost mental wellbeing at work

It’s a confusing and challenging time for many business owners and staff. If you’re a business owner or manager, there’s a lot you can do to support your staff to maintain positive mental health and in turn, keep your business profitable. 

Studies say ‘happy employees are more likely to be productive employees’ (Kaplan et al., 2009) and ‘employees who believe their employers care about their wellbeing have been shown to be more engaged at work than others.’ (Rhodes, L. et al., 2002). It makes sense.

So, how do you boost morale and mental well being in your workforce?

Here are five ways you can help build a supportive work environment for your team:

1. Pick up the perks 
   Offer regular health benefits to staff such as monthly massages, gym memberships or counselling sessions. Remember, you’ll need to pay fringe benefit tax on any non-cash benefits to staff unless it meets one of the exemptions such as being provided on site or falling under the $300 per employee/per quarter exemption. If you’d like more information on FBT, give us a call.
2. Staff still working from home? 
   Make sure to check in on their personal situation, not just their KPIs - isolation is still a real issue for many.
3. Spread the word about 1737 
   Let your team know about the free, professional counselling that’s available 24/7 by calling or texting 1737.
4. Lead by example 
   If you’re the boss, remaining calm and demonstrating understanding, empathy and compassion to your staff will work wonders.
5. Write a policy 
   Looking after your staff, no matter what they’re going through, is really important. Put together a mental health and wellbeing policy that outlines how you will support employees who experience mental health challenges, and outline that they will always be treated fairly. For tips on how to put a policy together, read the Mental Health Foundation's Working Well Guide.