Improving Emotional Well-Being in the Workplace

The past few years have brought a lot of stressors into our lives — the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and financial hardships from inflation, just to name a few. However, due to this influx of stress, there has been a big shift toward protecting and improving mental and emotional health. 

Emotional well-being is the ability to produce positive emotions, moods, thoughts, and feelings, and adapt when confronted with adversity and stressful situations. It can help you forge stronger relationships with those around you as well. And with one in five adults currently living with some form of mental illness, it’s safe to say we could all use some support in this area.

As you look to address the health and wellness of your workforce this year, make sure your employee wellness program covers emotional wellness, one of the 6 areas of well-being. 

All 6 areas of well-being are connected — you can’t really improve your mental health without prioritizing emotional well-being. For example, coping with and managing emotions will also help you improve your mental health and decision-making skills.

As we begin the third installment of our wellness series, we're diving deeper into emotional wellness and how you can implement it in your employee wellness program.

Encouraging Emotional Well-Being in the Workplace

Roughly 66% of employees have stated that they want more mental health support from their employers. Companies can respond by giving their staff the emotional safety to be human during hard times, while also empowering them with support and tools, like mindfulness.

Mindfulness involves training the mind to be present, to observe, and to think instead of react to a situation. It can prevent us from getting carried away, and it allows us to acknowledge when our emotions aren’t in check.

Encourage your employees to take breaks to relax and practice mindfulness, whether it be going for a walk, reading a book, meditating, or playing a game. You can also survey your employees about their mental wellness in the workplace to figure out what solutions best suit them.

Providing your employees with support and care is another way to help look after their emotional well-being. You can offer mental health benefits and services — including individual and couples counseling and group therapy. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) provide access to services that allow employees to reduce stress related to childcare, housecleaning, and more.

Look Out for the Warning Signs

You can also watch out for signs of depression. According to the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health, 70% of the workforce suffers from depression — and not all of them are aware of it. And only 15% of employers train managers on how to recognize depression and intervene. Managing and supporting mental health at work can save employers $2,000 annually per employee on costs associated with health and productivity. 

As companies continue navigating the hybrid workforce and look for ways to combat burnout and fatigue, managing and supporting mental health in the workplace has become a top priority. At OnSite Wellness, we can help implement and promote the utilization of your mental health benefits. Reach out today to get started.

Each month, we'll continue to break down these 6 categories of well-being in greater detail — be sure to follow along and don't miss out on how you can invest in wellness to help your employees thrive.

Need some help? Let us guide you. At OnSite Wellness, employee health and wellness is our specialty. We can help you implement all 6 areas of wellness in your program so you can build a happier, healthier workforce.