What employers can do to protect workers’ mental health

A toxic workplace environment can damage employees’ mental and physical health, according to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Though increasing pay can boost morale, there are other ways to keep staff happy.

The first thing, apart from money, an employee looks for in a workplace are the benefits, and employers are taking notice of that. It is one of the best ways to attract, recruit and retain people. At a time of inflation, layoffs and hiring freezes, workers want psychological safety without fear of public humiliation, or worse, getting fired from the role.

To help employees, managers can offer subscriptions to fitness and wellness centers, allow workers to access mental health apps and seek professional help when necessary. Additional paid time off, child-care assistance and rest weeks for everyone to decompress, are a few ways organizations can keep their staff happy and healthy. Companies can provide sensitivity training to managers to teach them how to express empathy.

Showing employees that apart from their work, their families are also valued goes a long way.