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World Mental Health Day is on the 10th of October each year, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of mental health and well-being in our lives.
In the fast-paced world of business, where the demands can be relentless, maintaining the mental health of employees is key to maintaining a healthy workplace and workforce.
A workplace that has discarded care for the mental health of staff can breed a whole array of serious issues – some that could even result in the downfall of your company.
For SMEs, this challenge can be particularly daunting.
This is where Blue Tree HR Solutions can help. With our range of HR service solutions (from Ad Hoc HR, Retained HR and HR support for small businesses) we have everything needed to help you care for your employee’s mental health and ensure continued productivity.
Here’s why taking care of your staff’s mental health is essential to a successful business, and how our HR service solutions can help make this task easier.
What is World Mental Health Day and why is it important
World Mental Health Day is a global reminder that aims to raise awareness about mental health issues and promote open conversations surrounding mental well-being.
One of the most common causes of decreasing mental health in many people’s lives is working in a high-stress workplace. In fact, 1 in 6.8 people in the UK experience mental health problems in the workplace.
For businesses striving for growth and success, the well-being of their employees should always be at the forefront if they wish to achieve this. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to educate people on why mental health is important, and how we can better take care of ourselves, our friends, our staff and those around us.
Here’s how our HR service solutions can help.
What can neglected mental health support result in for SMEs?
SMEs face unique challenges when it comes to managing employee mental health. Limited resources and expertise often result in employees not receiving the appropriate support – which can in turn slowly eat away at the success of the company, without management realising.
The most obvious result of receiving little or no mental health support at work is a negative work environment. A negative work environment can lead to conflicts, reduced morale, and decreased collaboration among team members. This can even affect the reputation of the company.
Those struggling with mental health will often experience a sense of dread when it comes to going to work. This means there is a higher chance that staff will miss work days due to mental health, anxiety and depression. While this situation is terrible for the affected employees, it also has a ripple effect on their colleagues and the company as a whole. It places an additional burden on other team members as they will often pick up the extra workload – which can feel unfair.
Not receiving proper support can also result in increased levels of employee burnout and stress, which can significantly impact productivity and efficiency. Down the line, this will lead to higher employee turnover rates, as overworked and stressed employees seek new job opportunities.
The above issues all contribute towards your company paying out more money than it should be. From hiring and training new employees and spending precious time resolving conflicts to employees not working as effectively due to a negative work environment, or missing days to not working at all, not prioritising employee mental health will cost you more than you can ever imagine.
For those who are struggling to provide the right mental health support, this thought can be terrifying. However, some people can help – like us!
For SMEs who don’t have the resources to provide an in-house HR department, Blue Tree HR Solutions is here to bridge the gap with our bespoke HR service solutions, and help you manage your employee’s well-being!
Ad hoc HR
Our Ad Hoc HR services are designed to provide businesses with flexible and on-demand HR support. Blue Tree HR Solutions recognises that SMEs may not require full-time HR personnel, but they still need assistance with HR-related tasks and employee concerns.
Here’s how our Ad Hoc HR service solutions can help your business provide better mental health support:
HR advice for small businesses: In times of crisis or when employees are facing mental health challenges, having a reliable HR partner to turn to can make a significant difference. Blue Tree HR Solutions offers immediate support and advice to help management identify, address and resolve issues, helping to reduce stress and anxiety among employees.
Conflict resolution: Workplace conflicts can take a toll on all employees’ mental health. Our Ad Hoc HR means our team is on hand to offer support and advice to assist in resolving conflicts and fostering a healthier work environment.
Retained HR
Our Retained HR service solutions mean we can provide expert HR to SMEs who require ongoing support, ensuring HR needs are consistently met.
Here’s how our Retained HR can help you provide support to your employees:
Policy development: Blue Tree HR Solutions can assist in creating and updating documents and contracts that can support mental well-being in the workplace. This could be by amending policies and procedures to make sure they promote a positive workplace culture – such as anti-discrimination policies and accommodations for employees with mental health conditions.
This could also be by updating contracts of employment to implement flexible work arrangements.
Expert HR software: When you choose our Retained HR service solutions, you gain access to BreatheHR. This incredible HR software simplifies employee engagement, progress and tracking, making it a breeze.
With BreatheHR, you can easily connect with your employees daily, and they can connect with you.
It offers a discreet way for employees to request one-to-ones and request extra training if they are feeling overwhelmed. The programme gives management the option of leaving kudos to staff members, thanking them for their hard work, while also having the option to offer advice and suggestions to help make their working day easier.
It also provides a clear timeline of employee sick leave, allowing you to proactively address any patterns of missed workdays. This is something that could otherwise slip under the radar without the help of BreatheHR.
Choose BreatheHR today!
Regular check-ins: Our Retained HR service solutions include regular check-ins with our clients. This means you’ll be able to voice any concerns and problems your SME is having, and we’ll provide expert advice and HR support for small businesses.
HR support for small businesses
Here are some more steps you can take to begin implementing mental health support in your workplace:
Open communication: Promoting open communication between staff and leadership is essential for a positive workplace. When employees feel comfortable expressing themselves openly and truthfully to their superiors, they become more inclined to voice concerns that may be affecting their mental health.
This proactive approach allows businesses to tackle potential issues before they escalate into major problems.
Provide access to resources: Supply staff with available mental health resources, including crisis hotlines, professional counselling services, and community support groups. These resources serve as a lifeline for individuals who may be dealing with various mental health challenges.
By offering guidance and access to these valuable services, management can empower employees to seek help and build a workforce that prioritises mental health.
Reduce workloads: Ensuring that workloads are not only manageable but also well-balanced is key to preventing excessive stress among employees.
By actively monitoring workloads and spreading them out where possible, management can create a positive workforce who can perform at their best without sacrificing their well-being.
Promote a work-life balance: Encouraging employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance by setting boundaries will drastically help employee well-being. By disconnecting from work during non-working hours, employees can properly relax, reset and come back to work refreshed.
Actively discourage working overtime, or taking work calls outside of work hours. Encourage employees to leave work at work!
Of course, Blue Tree HR Solutions will be able to offer advice and HR support for small businesses to help you implement the above strategies into your workplace culture! Contact us today to learn more about our HR support for small businesses or HR service solutions.
Choose Blue Tree HR Solutions for bespoke HR service solutions
With World Mental Health Day on the way, it’s time to prioritise the mental well-being of your employees.
With the help of expert HR service solutions provider Blue Tree HR Solutions, all SMEs can provide the mental health support their staff deserve, and in turn, invest in the future success of their company.
Whether you need Ad Hoc HR, Retained HR, HR support for small businesses or bespoke HR service solutions, our team can help. Get in contact today, or take a look on our website at our range of services!
Happy World Mental Health Day!
For more information on How HR service solutions can help you prioritise mental health in the workplace talk to Blue Tree HR Solutions