Corporate Wellness
Corporate Wellness
Mental health encompasses not just emotional and personal well being, but also social and professional. It influences our ability to focus, think, perceive and behave. It also determines how we make decisions, our interactions with others and our ability to handle stress.
Common stressors experienced at workplace are:
- Lack of support and empathy at workplace
- Prolonged shifts or working over-time
- Workplace harassment or bullying
- Cut throat competition amongst the employees as well as the companies
- Challenges in attaining work life balance
- Poor compensation/benefits
Poor mental health impacts the overall well being of an employee, which further leads to concerns like:
- Decreased productivity or motivation
- Burnouts
- Absenteeism
- Dissatisfied customers
- Higher turnovers
- Changes in sleep patterns and appetite
A vast majority of employees hesitate in reaching out to workplace counselors, due to the stigma attached to mental health, and seldom find time after work to seek the support. Corporate culture and work practices need to consider and support the mental health and emotional needs of employees.
Mental health deserves the same attention as physical health. Stress management workshops, HR and managerial sensitization, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are coming up these days in organizations which require more access to mental health benefits for the employees. Research studies show that employees with mental health benefits are observed to have decreased burnouts, increased job performance, show more resilience and constructively impact the functioning of individuals at the workplace.
A working environment which includes breaks, one on one counseling sessions, psycho-educational workshops for stress management, wellness programs etc. can help in:
- Improving productivity
- Increasing employee morale
- Reduce stress
- Eliminate boredom
- Improve cognitive function
- Prevent burnout, etc.
While this is a significant help to the employees in managing work-place stress and ensuring overall well being, it also benefits the employer as well as the organization.
