How to Make a Mental Health-Focused HR Strategy with Digital Solutions

HOW TO MAKE A MENTAL HEALTH-FOCUSED HR STRATEGY WITH DIGITAL SOLUTIONS Keys to a healthier work place

REFLECTION ON MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK Mental illness affects over 450 million people worldwide. While improvements in mental health awareness have been made and the stigma lessened, there are still many areas that need addressing. This article will discuss why HR teams need to confront this topic head-on. We'll also cover how to implement some mental health-focused HR strategies using digital solutions. So, read on as we delve into the realms of employee psychology. 1

WHY HR DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE During the pandemic, mental health issues in the workplace skyrocketed. The World Health Organization noted a 25% increase in anxiety and depression worldwide. In addition, it highlighted how gaps in care provisions left many isolated. Businesses that don't make these provisions can also be negatively affected in broader terms. If we look at the research, it highlights some startling trends: Decreased productivity Business culture decline Poor customer-employee relations ...there are many reasons why businesses need to pay attention to mental health in the workplace. Among other things, a lack of employee well-being can signal a poor working environment to potential recruits. It can also contribute to a high turnover rate and increase recruitment expenditures. 2

OTHER THINGS TO NOTE In basic terms, we can understand this as a failure in a business’s employee value proposition or EVP. According to the International Journal of Economics, Business and human behaviour, EVP describes the values employees expect in return for their services. EVP is a way businesses stand out from competitors. It includes benefits, remuneration, and company culture. Essentially, EVP is the vision or dream that employers sell to potential employees. For instance, Indeed revealed that 21% of job seekers accepted their current job offer because their interests and values reflected its mission. Mental health and well-being strategies can be a powerful differentiator for framing your EVP. Moreover, by re-evaluating employees' value proposition, you can begin the first step in a mental health-focused HR strategy. p3n

HR STRATEGIES AND DIGITAL SOLUTIONS In the pandemic, many HR departments were forced to readdress their healthcare programs and how they handled well-being in the workspace. The research examined how job satisfaction shaped mental health during these difficult times. They concluded that by improving job satisfaction, businesses were able to positively impact employee well-being. So, How Can You Increase Satisfaction? The answer, according to the research, is building trust. Trust is the foundation of any business. If an employee feels reluctant to open up to management, it can signal tensions in the workplace. The symptoms of a lack of trust can be lack of communication, poor work-home life boundaries and high levels of uncertainty. To mitigate these issues, especially across diverse teams, management needs to take steps to facilitate trusting and meaningful relationships between their staff: Be honest Be consistent Listen and act on feedback Offer mentorship To promote these goals, there are many digital resources on hand: 4

LEVERAGING DIGITAL SOLUTIONS FOR HR Digital solutions are often one of the most cost-effective and practical instruments departments can use to implement well- being strategies. They are widely available and can be accessed even in working from home scenarios. In addition, they are discrete, secure, and confidential ways to check up on employee mental health and offer support. Some strategies might be: Surveys Talking to employees and taking surveys is an excellent place to start when evaluating job satisfaction. Low levels of job satisfaction can indicate poor mental well-being or issues causing low satisfaction. They are means of data-driven analysis. It can inform your team on what goals, strategies, and failings your business needs to address. They are easily deployed online. This offers privacy and a way for you to track essential data. Scheduled Check-in Meetings This is an excellent method for remote teams. If you can’t meet in the office for a talk, regular check-ins can be a way to quickly find out how your employees are coping. With scheduled meetings, employees feel less pressure to come to you. They know they will have a set time to discuss issues. You can use various online meeting software to schedule and meet with employees regularly. Mental Health Awareness Sessions and Workshops Addressing well-being openly is another crucial step in creating a mental health-focused working environment. It shows management cares about their employee’s needs and feelings. It can be a way to open the floor to suggestions and ideas about improving mental health in your organization. Online Mental Well-being Courses and Services While HR can make a huge difference to employees’ lives, some issues require specialist and professional care. By partnering with online mental health services, employees can get the help they need when they need it most. This is perhaps one of the most beneficial strategies an HR team can employ. It means workers will always have support on hand and can access it without delay. Moreover, these services can provide guidance and training for managers to tackle mental health. 5

WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF HR? HR teams play a crucial role in organizational well-being. With the right tools, they can facilitate a trusting and productive working environment for their employees. To do this, HR teams need to look toward the future and the technology available to meet these ends. Lifekeys is a personalized online therapy service designed to help businesses navigate organizational well-being. We offer secure video consultation for employees, HR well-being management tools, and online resources to help understand mental health. View our digital solutions to find out how Lifekeys can help your HR strategy. pn 6

KEYES TO A HEALTHIER WORKPLACE LIFEKEYS CONTACT US Fjøsangerveien 215 - 5073 Bergen, Norway contact@lifekeyshealth.com www.lifekeyshealth.com