7 strategies to improve employee mental well-being

Burnout is a buzzword these days, and for good reason. Surveys from Deloitte and Mental Health America show that three-quarters of U.S. employees have experienced or are experiencing burnout at their jobs. Not surprising? The surveys also uncovered that employers are struggling with how to improve employee well-being and member engagement. 
 

What is burnout? 

When chronic workplace stress isn’t effectively managed, the result is burnout. Though we tend to think of it as a modern phenomenon, the term “burnout” originated in the 1970s. Defining it has been a point of contention in the medical community for the last 50 years. 

We often think of burnout on an individual basis, but it’s more likely a reflection of workplace culture as a whole—and is preventable.  When the World Health Organization recognized burnout as a health concern, it was a sign that the responsibility for creating a burnout strategy needs to be tasked at the organizational level, rather than the individual employee. 

 What does it look like? 

• Depleted energy 

• Exhaustion 

• Negative feelings or cynicism toward one’s job 

• Reduced professional efficacy 
   

What is the impact on organizations? 

Not only is burnout costly—an estimated $190 billion per year in health-care spending—but the ripple effect is staggering. Organizations site decreased productivity, reduced quality of work, and higher turnover, putting employee retention at high risk. It’s important to note that recovering from burnout can take a few months, to over a year. 

The good news? There are practical measures organizations can take to improve employee health and employee engagement in health and wellness benefits. 

Here are 7 strategies to improve employee health and well-being 

1. Prioritize employee self-care and mental health  
Mindfulness practices can allow your people to cultivate self-awareness and recognize when they need to take time to recharge. Mindfulness initiatives, such as meditation sessions, group sharing activities, or mind-body breaks have been shown to be effective in helping to promote mental health in diverse populations. Leaders can also set an example for their people by prioritizing their own wellness and helping to set self-care goals for their teams.  

2. Support diversity, equity, and inclusion 
Diversity, equity, and inclusion have long been vital in HR initiatives. While you’ve built your organizational strategies to align with the unique cultures, lifestyles, and challenges of your workforce, it’s crucial that your benefits also measure up. When evaluating your organization’s health and wellness incentives for employees, it’s important to consider: 

• Accessibility 
  Is your benefits messaging widely available in multiple ways, such as email, text, social media, or snail mail? 

• Diversity 
  Do an annual review of your marketing assets. Are they accurately representing your population? 

• Values 
  Make sure your organization’s values are clearly defined. Then ask: are your organization’s values reflected in your benefit materials? 

3. Create a more connected culture 
Connectedness creates a fundamental sense of belonging that empowers your people to cultivate their unique strengths and skills. This lays the foundation for your organization to collectively rise to challenges and support each other through difficult times. Bonus tip for increasing workplace wellness program engagement: connection fosters an environment wherein your people feel they have a place, are welcome, and can thrive.  

What steps can organizations take to build connections? 
 

• Use mindful communication 
  Demonstrate your value of different experiences and perspectives. Examine your current policies and revise them if needed to support inclusion. 
   

• Embrace small talk—it’s big 
  Showing genuine interest, appreciation, and respect is key. This can mean greeting each other by name, asking how your people are doing (and fully listening with no interruption), and letting your people know that it’s OK to not always be OK.  
   

• Develop your leaders to be more inclusive, mindful, and aware of their own biases through education and courses.   identifying biases. 

4. Set boundaries for work hours 

Does your organization have an “always-on” culture? Your people may experience workplace stress when there’s an implied expectation that they should always be responsive and available, especially in the remote work environment. Lack of    healthy boundaries can create work-life imbalance, burnout, and presenteeism. Organizations can normalize not sending communications outside of business hours and encourage their population to turn off notifications after hours or while on breaks. Companies can also consider establishing policies to reduce the number of meetings throughout the day or adopt a strategy of non-meeting hour times to reduce interruptions.  

5. Give your people more control over how they do their work 
Research shows having little autonomy over how work gets done is linked with not only poor mental health but also with higher rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.   

The good news? Even small changes to promote autonomy can make a difference in employee health and well-being.  

6. Meet your people where they are 
A personalized approach is key for employee engagement in health and wellness benefits. Organizations can look for solutions that can be customized to fit their people’s unique lifestyles, goals, and cultures. For example, when considering workplace weight-loss programs, organizations can examine the following areas: 

• Lifestyle: 
  Can this solution adapt to individual schedules, time constraints, and personal or cultural preferences?  
   

• Growth: 
  Employee needs may evolve as they engage in the program. Will this benefit adapt and grow with those changing needs? 
   

• Language: 
  Are there barriers to access? For example, does the solution offer different languages within their platform, including online and phone support? Is closed captioning reliable and readily available? 

7. Develop a robust communications strategy 
When it comes to strategies to improve employee health and well-being, being intentional with communicating your benefits is key. How you communicate employer health and wellness benefits is a strong predictor of your population’s adoption of and engagement with them. 

Three steps organizations can take to enhance benefits communications and boost their strategies to improve employee health and well-being: 
 

1. Conduct quarterly employee surveys to understand what your people value most. Utilize these findings to develop a strong communications plan. 
    

2. Establish regular, routine communications (per pay period or month) highlighting a different benefit and how it can be personalized to individual needs. 
    

3. Deliver your information through the right channels. During onboarding, collect feedback on the preferred communications method (and permission) to inform you which resonates most with your people. 

These seven strategies to improve employee health and well-being can help create a benefits ecosystem that provides your people with equal access to opportunities that resonate with them as individuals. When everyone feels included and welcome to contribute and participate, and when your people feel heard and respected, your population is more likely to engage, evolve, and thrive.