Emphasizing Psychological Health in the Workplace

How organizations can support employees through healthy psychosocial work environments and how it impacts your employer brand.

Kelsey Trevor
MindBridge

While businesses have the responsibility to provide a safe working environment, they also have the opportunity to endorse employee health and wellness. A strong emphasis on employee wellness has moved into the workplace — most recently, businesses have acknowledged the role that they can play in supporting employee well-being. Workplace wellness initiatives enhance mental, physical and social welfare, while having a direct influence on your psychosocial work environment. As a result, these initiatives can have a positive impact on your employer brand.

“Workplace wellness initiatives enhance mental, physical and social welfare, while having a direct influence on your psychosocial work environment.”

The workplace is a fundamental setting for elevating the importance of health, with the workforce placing increasing value on their well-being as it’s been linked to improvements in productivity, health and overall happiness. At MindBridge, for example, we have comprehensive and adaptable programs in place that focus on the importance of employee wellness, enabling us to curate a caring environment that promotes employee health. By facilitating this positive psychosocial work environment, we ensure employees are engaged and can influence a positive employer brand.

The Importance of Psychosocial Awareness

Psychosocial dangers can threaten the health of our workforce; they can be harmful to the health of your workers, not just mentally, but physically as well. These dangers are linked to the social environments of the workplace, including organizational culture, daily practices and values.

Some patterns of psychosocial dangers in the workplace may include:

• Poor work organization: insignificant role clarity, reduced job design or poor communication;
• Lack of support for work/life balance and, ultimately, workplace flexibility;
• Lack of policies and practices related to harassment, discrimination and intolerance for ethnic or religious diversity;
• Deficiency of support for healthy lifestyles; and
• Shortage of effective performance management, employee consultation, two-way communication and constructive feedback.

When your business’ stakeholders are more obstructive in their approach — by focusing on production or outcomes rather than being supportive — you are more likely to see higher health concerns or absenteeism. Ignoring the impact of the psychosocial undercurrents of an organization on employees can have adverse effects and may destabilize the legitimacy of programs and services that are designed to support the workforce.

Some examples of ways to prevent psychosocial hazards in the workplace and encourage a positive environment include:

• Permitting flexibility in the location and timing of work;
• Rearranging work to reduce workload as needed;
• Training and retraining supervisors in leadership styles, skills and communication;
• Safeguarding workers by raising awareness and providing training;
• Providing supervisory and colleague encouragement;
• Enforcing zero tolerance for workplace harassment and discrimination;
• Allowing work/life balance opportunities;
• Providing confidential resources for support (e.g. Employee and Family Assistance Programs);
• Providing timely, open and honest communication.

A Direct Link to Employee Satisfaction

Workers who feel they have psychosocial sustenance in the workplace typically experience greater job satisfaction and involvement, and overall, have a heightened sense of commitment to the employer. When a workplace shows confidence in its employees, and when we continue to maintain and nurture programs that provide social support, it becomes easier to attract and retain this generation of the workforce. When we ensure that talent is content in the workplace, we’re engendering loyalty to the company, even as we’re helping shape employees’ careers.

“When a workplace shows confidence in its employees, and when we continue to maintain and nurture programs that provide social support, it becomes easier to attract and retain this generation of the workforce.”

With ever-changing workforce trends comes the constant evaluation of programs focused on attracting and retaining talent. Establishing and maintaining programs that promote employee health and wellness can contribute to a robust employer brand, which is now one of the most effective ways to attract and retain top talent. A strong and positive employer brand can really make your organization stand out in the hiring market.

Employee welfare is proving increasingly significant, with employees’ health progressively linked to better performance and productivity. While the responsibility of the employer is to provide a safe working environment, companies should continue to preserve that strong employer brand. By promoting employee wellness and continuing to eliminate psychosocial dangers in the workplace, companies are better positioned to keep the team engaged and motivated.