The Importance of Mental Health in the Workplace

Mental health and wellbeing are essential elements of the workplace. If you overlook it or fail to provide employees with the correct environment or support, you will see a negative impact on employee productivity, morale and happiness.

Many organisations have turned their attention to improving mental health and wellbeing in the office, particularly since the pandemic as more people have returned to the office. A survey conducted by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) showed that 67% of people working from home said that they felt less connected to their colleagues and 56% said they found it harder to switch off.

While the trend of remote and home-working has become more widely accepted, there is now more pressure on leaders and organisations to ensure that their workplaces are doing everything they can to support their people. The office is still a talisman for socialising, collaborating and being productive so it is important to ensure your workplace enables these activities alongside wellbeing. These are some of the ways in the workplace can be adapted to promote better mental health.

The impact of poor mental health in the workplace

It can be difficult to understand the impact of mental health and wellbeing at work but it is not a new phenomenon. With many companies operating working models which create a more distributed workforce, workplace wellbeing is harder to regulate and control than in the past. This means that the office must be an exemplary environment for employees where they feel comfortable and supported. If mental health is not taken seriously in the office, businesses open themselves up to losing top talent and risk burning out their staff.

The Workplace Health Report 2022 showed that poor mental health was a factor that impacted productivity levels in 20% of employees surveyed. The result of this impact was costly levels of presenteeism. In the same way that losing talent can be an expensive process for businesses, presenteeism and low productivity levels can have severe financial implications on businesses. It is estimated that the cost of a single unhappy employee can cost a business around £16,000 per year. By not addressing mental health in the workplace, business success can be impacted through reduced productivity levels and prolonged impact on staff wellbeing.

There are several ways in which leaders can integrate or improve mental health in the workplace. Whether this is done through the workplace culture, implementing new benefits or redesigning elements of the office, there are steps which can be taken to create a supportive work environment. This will help achieve healthier, happier employees and create a more productive and loyal workplace that people enjoy spending time in.

How can office design affect mental wellbeing?

Wellbeing at work can be supported in many ways that range from increasing biophilic design elements in the office to more organisational changes and processes. The level of depth in which you need to go to may depend on the requirements of your staff but as a foundational level, there are some simple ways to give your workplace a lift.

Biophilic design refers to the human connection to nature which can be replicated in the office through natural light, plants and organic materials. Sometimes referred to as ‘bringing the outside in,’ it has been shown that adding biophilic design to your workplace can boost productivity by up to 20%. This is just one example of how office design can help with wellbeing at work but it is a well-recognised and effective way to boost wellbeing in the office.

The use of colour in the workplace can impact our productivity, focus-levels and wellbeing. Studies show that there is a psychology behind the impact of different colours. Red is well-known for being a colour that creates energy and excitement but can be powerful and overbearing, whereas blue is known for being more calming and relaxing. There are greater complexities to individual colours but it is also important to use the right balance of colours in the office. Vibrant, highly saturated colours can induce stress and monochrome colours can limit creativity.

One of the crucial elements that experts recommend is designing for diversity and choice. The workplace has to offer a variety of spaces to ensure that employee requirements are met. This will enable different generations, personality types and working styles can all work comfortably in the office in conditions that suit them. Companies should be aiming to provide a positive employee experience in the workplace which will help maintain focus and productivity levels. Giving employees autonomy and control of their environment will be the difference between retaining or losing members of staff.

Getting mental health right at work

Employees that suffer with their mental health and wellbeing are more likely to be distracted or unproductive while at work. There may also be knock-on effects to their team or colleagues through a lack of communication or missing deadlines. There is a direct link between mental health and performance but companies are urged to not look solely at employee output and instead ensure that they can offer support to their employees when they need it.

The WHO states that a healthy workplace can be described as one where workers and managers actively contribute to the working environment by promoting and protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of all employees.

Company culture is the unwritten rule that governs a workplace and makes it feel the way it does when you walk in the door. Building an engaged, friendly culture is one that many businesses aspire to. Creating an environment that makes people feel good while at work and confident in the resources they have should they need them is a positive culture to move towards. There should be designated areas in the office that give people space when they need it as well as having individuals in the business, senior management, HR or otherwise, that can be seen as a figurehead for employees to talk to.

Occupational Health and Safety Management Consultant Ehi Iden believes that companies need to “identify mental health as a key workplace issue and make provisions for it within the company’s workplace health and safety policy.”