Did you know that 1 in 6.8 people experience mental health problems in the workplace? And that over 200 million workdays ($16.8 billion in employee productivity) are lost each year due to mental health conditions? With such a drastic impact in the workplace, mental health is no longer a workplace issue that can be sidelined. Large companies like Facebook and Google have already started offering mental wellness initiatives. So, it is now important, more than ever, for small to medium sized companies to take an active interest in employee mental health and create a supportive environment for their employees.

Why should you invest in workplace mental health initiatives?

Workplace wellness is important because poor mental health can affect an employee’s day-to-day work life. Poor mental health can affect an employee’s:

• Job performance and productivity;
• Engagement with work and coworkers; and
• Daily functioning.

As such, workplace mental health initiatives are programs that employers need to invest in. And these wellness programs don’t even need to be costly; simple events like a wellness day require minimal investment but can produce effective results. Supporting mental health programs in the workplace lead to overall improved team performance and employee wellbeing.

Here are three main reasons why employers should promote mental wellness in the workplace:

Increased Employee Productivity and Motivation

When mental health is supported in the workplace, employees are able to perform better. Happy employees have improved decision-making, workflow, and engagement, all of which translate to increased productivity and motivation in the workplace. Employees will feel that they are supported, fostering a sense of loyalty to the company and reducing absenteeism.

Higher Team Morale

Mental wellness programs can lead to higher team morale. When teams engage in wellness initiatives together, both outside and inside work, they start having a shared purpose that builds camaraderie. These shared experiences can go a long way in keeping employees engaged with the team, leading to a positive workplace culture.

Decreased Stress

Work-related stress within employees can become debilitating and costly for a company. So, investing in programs that deal with stress management or mindfulness and meditation can help reduce stress throughout the workplace. Essentially, less stress in the workplace leads to satisfied employees, which, ultimately, creates a positive culture.

Bottom Line

Workplace wellness programs can be a valuable asset for employers and employees. With an increasingly competitive job market, how well a company responds to mental health issues is becoming increasingly important to employees, current and new. To learn how you can leverage wellness programs to the fullest, reach out to CorpStrat and see how comprehensive employee benefits can further attract, reward, and retain new and existing employees.

Employee recognition is about acknowledging the hard work of the employees within your company. And it is a crucial element to employee engagement and happiness. Simply put, a solid employee recognition strategy leads to stronger engagement, increased employee morale, and lower employee turnover.

The best recognition tactics make employees feel valued and respected. But, creating an effective recognition strategy from the start is not as easy as it looks. Here are 4 simple tactics you can incorporate today to jumpstart your employee recognition program.

1.    Positive Feedback

Give positive feedback to employees when they produce exceptional work. As simple as this may seem, positive feedback is an effective—and simple—way to recognize your employee’s and/or team’s hard work. Praise motivates people to work harder, so sharing positive feedback on a regular basis, whether through a quick shout-out in the meeting or through email, is a good way to jumpstart your employee recognition tactics.

2.    Employee of the Month

Create an “Employee of the Month” program, one that recognizes the month’s top-performing employee. A formal employee recognition process like this can instill a sense of pride within the employee, encouraging stronger engagement and motivation. But we recommend making the nomination process an inclusive activity, not one that only upper management gets to dictate. Including everyone’s opinion in the process will make them feel valued and respected as employees throughout this process. Looking to go the extra mile? Take it one step further and create a “Wall of Fame,” with pictures of your past “Employees of the Month.”

3.    Wellness Day

Show your support for wellness with an Employee Wellness Day. Creating a culture of wellness at your company is guaranteed to inspire, educate, and engage employees. Self-care activities, such as on-site massages, mindfulness sessions, or fitness classes will give your employees a much-needed break. And this refreshing break will create the understanding within your employees that their hard work and efforts are being recognized and valued.

4.    Catered Lunch

Host an employee appreciation lunch for your employees. From fully catered meals to box lunches, there are endless ways to bring a catered meal to your company. Treating your employees with lunch is a great way to show that you appreciate them for their hard work. If catering a lunch for the entire office is too much, then try providing catered meals department by department, or team by team.

Bonus tip: Recognition and rewards software

Implement a recognition and rewards software to better track and reward your top-performing employees. Employee recognition tools can automate your strategy for a smoother employee recognition program. With hard data, these software platforms give a data-driven insight into which employees go above and beyond in their roles as well as automatically provide recognition and rewards to those who exemplify company culture.

With these simple tactics, your employee recognition program will have a strong foundation. Your employees will feel recognized and, therefore, motivated to work harder for your company. But, if you want to learn how to attract, reward, and retain your employees in the long-term, reach out to CorpStrat today.