Go Back to Focus on Talent
| In a 2023 Financial Post article, Willful cofounder Erin Bury spoke about the challenges of employee mental well-being in the age of remote work and of providing mental health supports as a small business owner. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), approximately half a million Canadians each week are unable to work due to mental health challenges or illnesses. Since employee mental well-being plays a signficant role in employee engagment and workplace morale, it’s important for businesses of all sizes to find ways to provide mental health supports to their staff. |
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Any company can take steps to promote mental well-being among its staff. A key factor in employee mental health is providing a safe and supportive environment that encourages open communication and feedback, especially with respect to workloads and burnout. This ties directly into employers supporting a healthy work-life balance among their team, so that both owners and employees have the ability to rest and recharge, and return to their work with energy and enthusiasm.
Another important factor in employee mental well-being is to promote employee autonomy by allowing (and encouraging!) employees to take ownership of their work, and by engaging them in the decision-making process. Taking pride in one’s work and feeling like a valued member of the team whose voice is heard goes a long way to improving employee engagement and morale, leading to lower turnover rates.
There are many workplace mental health programs available, but their cost can be prohibitive for small businesses. However, there are a number of free supports that you can implement in your workplace and share with your team:
We are lucky to live at a time when mental health is known to be an important component of our whole health, and taking the time to demonstrate to your employees your support of their mental well-being will provide dividends for your organization!
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Go Back to Focus on Talent
