“What really made the difference for me is seeing the image of a brain that was actually changing. It was changing structurally because the person was under unrelenting stress” says Paula Allen, Global Leader and VP of Research and insights at TELUS Health.
Research from the TELUS Mental Health Barometer shows that mental health in the workplace remains an area of concern globally - with 37 per cent of European workers facing constant stress, and 29 per cent of them indicating a decline in productivity. We see similar figures in Australia, where 41 per cent of workers face constant stress, and 31 per cent report a decline in productivity.
While most people leaders today understand that their workforce needs wellbeing support in order to function effectively at work, the question remains: How can they implement wellbeing strategies that actually work?
Modern complexities require simple support
The workforce today faces complex challenges including information overload, economic uncertainty and social isolation.
In this videocast Paula Allen and Dr. Matthew Chow, TELUS Health’s Chief Mental Health Officer, highlight that employers should focus on implementing support systems that are simple to use, reducing barriers to access care. Consistent communication to employees and managers is also key - they need to know what wellbeing support tools and resources are available to them.
Offering evolved EAP solutions that are data-driven, accessible and proactive can make that task easier and bring an organisation's wellbeing support to the next-level.
The importance of prevention-based approaches
In the post-pandemic world, most business leaders now recognize that business survival is strongly linked to employee wellbeing.
Paula and Matt underscore the importance of moving from a reactive, “sick-care” model for employee wellbeing to prevention-focused approaches that support holistic wellbeing. Employers can do this by ensuring that the wellbeing support provided is personalised, meeting individuals’ needs wherever they are in their care journey - feeling well, struggling or feeling unwell.
Leadership behaviors that can drive results
Leaders play a critical role when it comes to developing and maintaining an inclusive and resilient workforce. Also revealed in the videocast are the significant traits of leaders whose teams had better mental health and higher productivity:
- Empathy - leaders who genuinely care about people as individuals
- Inclusiveness - leaders who create psychological safety
- Team-oriented - leaders who foster collaboration over competition
- Decisive - leaders who reduce uncertainty by making quick decisions
- Purpose-driven - leaders communicate meaning and pride in the work
Paula and Matt also showcase an example of an organisation that made mental health training mandatory for managers, and saw EAP utilisation increase and sick days decrease as a result.
Are you looking for more tips on implementing effective wellbeing strategies?
Hear more from Paula Allen and Dr. Matthew Chow on the videocast.