Five Big Questions Your Organization Needs to be Asking About Its Mental Health and Wellness Strategy

As we are about to close the chapter on this year and head right into a new year with new goals and objectives, it’s clear that mental health and wellness have solidified their place as critical components of a successful workplace strategy. The pandemic accelerated this shift, but the need for robust mental health support is here to stay.

To ensure your organization is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of your workforce, consider these five essential questions:

1. Are We Truly Prioritizing Mental Health and Wellness?

It’s not enough to simply offer any old Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and call it a day anymore. While EAPs can be valuable tools, many programs often fall short of driving real adoption of the program by those eligible to use it. To truly prioritize mental health, organizations must create a culture where mental health is openly discussed, stigma is reduced, and support is readily available. It needs to become a part of the very DNA of your organization.

Consider the following:

1. Do we have a clear mental health and wellness strategy?
2. Are mental health resources easily accessible to all employees, such as Covenant Workplace Solutions’ Lifestyle EAP?
3. Do we regularly communicate how to access our EAP and where to find everything you are looking for?
4. Are our leaders consistently setting a positive example by openly discussing either their own challenges or cultivating a positive environment to support those who can use those resources?

2. How Effective is Our Current Mental Health and Wellness Strategy?

To determine the effectiveness of your strategy, it’s crucial to gather data and feedback from some employees. Consider conducting employee surveys, focus groups, or even one-on-one interviews to assess their satisfaction with current mental health and wellness offerings and identify opportunities for improvement.

Consider the following:

1. Are our employees satisfied with the mental health resources we currently provide?
2. Are our mental health programs being used?
3. Are we seeing a positive impact on employee morale, productivity, and retention?
4. Are we tracking key metrics, such as EAP utilization, employee absenteeism rates and turnover over a long enough time horizon, to measure the effectiveness of our programs?

3. How Are We Preparing for Future Challenges to Mental Health in the Workplace?

The world of work is constantly evolving, and new challenges to mental health may arise. To stay ahead of the curve, organizations should proactively identify potential risks and develop strategies to mitigate them.

Consider the following:

1. How will emerging technologies, automation, or other pivotal changes in the way we do things impact employee mental health?
2. How can we support employees who are experiencing job insecurity, fear of job displacement, or the unknowns of potential mergers and acquisitions?
3. How can we address the increasing prevalence of burnout and chronic stress proactively to get in front of more serious issues?
4. Does our EAP deliver on more than just basic mental health counseling (i.e. nutrition and fitness education, working 1:1 with a life coach, legal resources, financial wellness tools and 1:1 coaching, videos/podcasts/books to learn more, etc.)?

4. How Can We Foster a Supportive Workplace Culture?

Strong employee mental health and well-being is an essential, foundational piece to a thriving workplace culture. To create a supportive environment, organizations should prioritize open communication, empathy, and understanding.

Consider the following:

1. Do our leaders create a psychologically safe environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their concerns?
2. Do we have clear policies and procedures in place to prevent and address workplace bullying and harassment?
3. Are we providing training and education on mental health and wellness for all employees, including managers?
4. How do we publicly celebrate the proactive participation in our EAP, while keeping individual utilization confidential and protected information?

5. How Can We Measure the Return on Investment (ROI) of Our Mental Health and Wellness Programs?

While the benefits of mental health and wellness programs are numerous, it’s important to demonstrate their value to key stakeholders. By tracking key metrics, such as employee satisfaction, productivity, retention, and overall company growth, organizations can better quantify the return on their investment.

Consider the following:

1. How can we measure the impact of our mental health programs on employee morale and job satisfaction?
2. Are we currently tracking absenteeism rates and turnover rates to assess the impact of our programs on productivity?
3. How can we demonstrate the cost savings associated with reduced healthcare costs and increased employee productivity?
4. How does our revenue growth correlate with our EAP utilization relative to employee turnover vs. retention?

By asking these five overarching questions and going down each path, your organization can take significant strides toward building a mentally healthy and thriving workplace. Imagine a workplace where most employees are regularly accessing various services of your EAP because they are seeking ways to optimize their life instead of only using it when life hits them hard and has them down.

If you’d like to learn more about how to optimize your organization’s workplace mental health and wellness strategy, reach out to the team at Covenant Workplace Solutions today to schedule that discussion!