Our mental well-being —how important is it?

At 3 am on a weekday, I received a call from a close friend of mine. Naturally I was quite worried, and wanted to know if something was seriously wrong.

Myself: “What happened? Is everything alright?”

Friend: “Well, I don’t know.”

Myself: “Are you feeling unwell.”

Friend: “I don’t know. I feel strange.”

Myself: “Strange? What do you mean?”

Friend: “I think my blood pressure is high or something. I feel a bit out of breath.”

Myself: “Can you raise your hands?” I asked, checking for symptoms of a heart attack.

Friend: “Yes, I can.”

Myself: “Maybe take a few deep breaths? Did something go wrong at work? How is your family?”

Friend: (after a brief pause) “Actually, I’m feeling much better now. I think it was just a panic attack.”

Not so long ago, we didn’t think twice about several things. Eating out, travelling around, meeting people, entering crowded spaces—all these were things we took for granted. Not anymore. And that has taken an insidious toll on something about which we never had a second thought.

Our mental health. 

Mental health has gained a lot of prominence during the pandemic and is top of mind for everyone these days. Let us take a moment to understand “mental health” from the right perspective.

Mental health is a state of well-being in which a person can deal with the stresses of everyday life, work effectively, reach their full potential, and help others.

Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness. You can have poor mental health without having a mental illness, and conversely, you can have good mental health while suffering from a mental illness. 

Not only are the employees themselves affected, it has been found that on average, a troubled employee will affect 5–7 others around them. As a result, several billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety alone.

Supporting mental health in the workplace is no longer an option; it is a requirement. Creating wellness solutions to help their employees thrive is the first step.

Every organization needs to look at employee assistance programs to enhance their employees’ health and well-being. This would allow organizations to provide counselling services, workplace training, and consulting.

Happy employees are successful employees.

Let us look at some well-known case studies where employee assistance programs have helped organizations.

What is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?

EAP typically offers confidential counselling, assessments, referrals, and follow-up services to employees who may have personal and professional problems.

It will address all issues that affect employees’ health and well-being.

It should also help the rest of the family to make it all-encompassing and complete.

With EAP, you would have happier employees.

Why EAP?

EAP can provide various advantages for your organization. Some of the key benefits are:

• Improves employee performance
• Reduce risks and costs
• Leads to a more energetic, upbeat, and productive workplace
• Reduces workplace absenteeism and unplanned absences
• Reduces the likelihood of workplace harassment and other safety risks
• Reduces overall healthcare costs and on-the-job accidents/injuries
• Decreases employee turnover

We know that employees have problems in their personal lives and at work, which can lead to stress and hurt the growth of an organization. EAP can help alleviate stress and improve the overall quality of employees’ lives, resulting in a better workplace environment.

How do we go about implementing EAP?

Here is a simple flowchart that you can use to approach your EAP implementation.

Assessments need not always identify problems—they can also be positively used to identify and understand the strengths that employees have.

It is worth noting that many people are not aware of the fact that they need to seek help.

How do you educate people who are not aware that they need help?

One of the main barriers to EAP success is the perception that those who have mental issues will be looked down upon and stigmatized. Hence it is crucial that all employees are sensitized to the topic. Here are three ways to go about it.

A service like an EAP will help your employees flourish in their roles, manage stress, and boost resilience. It would allow each individual to reach their highest potential.

References: 

1. Various sources including CDC, National Library of Medicine, HBR, and WHO.