World mental health day: Looking after your employees

It was world mental health day last month. We can all think of examples where people/employees have struggled with mental health, which is why it’s so important that we continue to take mental health, and world mental health day, seriously.

If you’re in “good” mental health, you will be able to fulfil your potential, cope with life on a daily basis, play a full part at work, and operate comfortably alongside your family, colleagues, and friends.

It’s why we should dedicate as much time as possible to thinking ahead and planning what “good” mental health is – because the better our mental health, the more likely we are to enjoy our life.

As employers, we should also ask; are we doing all we can to help employees feel as comfortable as mentally possible at work?

There’s plenty of little tips and tricks that can be implemented quickly to make some quick improvements. Take the lunchtime period for example; why not make the most of your hour or half hour break by holding a group activity? If there’s a green area near your workplace, you could organise a game of netball, rounders or football, or even plan a walk or gardening session. If you’re spending time during the working week at home, what about a local walk?

During the working day, if staff are starting to feel stressed, why not provide a song list and encourage them to listen to some calming tones. In fact, research suggests that slow, quiet music can help people relax and reduce anxiety.   

Work-life balance is important too, and even though there will be times when staff need to work overtime to meet deadlines, make sure arriving early or leaving last is the exception and not the norm. Longer hours don’t necessarily mean that you’re working “better”.

If it reaches the point where you need to take work home with you, make sure you have a dedicated area that’s set aside from your living space, and/or use the commute to and from your office and home as a way to unwind and relax. Even if you’re working from home more often than the office, ensure you plan regular breaks. 

Cycling, if possible, is a great option if you’re commuting, because it not only provides you with exercise, it challenges you to think about something not work related.

If it reaches the point though where employees start to feel that their workload is spiralling out of control, ensure that a specialist, management or supervisor is on hand to talk with. 

If you can’t resolve the problem of unrealistic goals, organisation problems or deadlines, then the human resources team or trade union representative may be able to help. The message is simple though – don’t suffer in silence.

Our next blog later this month will provide further mental health guidance, and there’s ways you can reward staff in the meantime with ASDA Business gift cards.

Get business gift cards from a brand you know and trust. For over 50 years Asda has been offering the very best value. Our 600+ stores and George.com give customers a chance to shop from thousands of products from spaghetti to baked beans to bedding.

For over a decade we’ve been providing businesses (of all sizes) and organisations, with gift card solutions for their staff, colleagues and customers. So say hello to business gift cards that deliver so much more than a gift.

Whether you want gift cards for staff that will reward, incentivise, and motivate, or business gift cards to build customer loyalty, talk to us. Our dedicated and experienced account team is on hand to help you.