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Ways to Improve Your Team’s Mental Health

Mental health issues are common, with approximately one in five adults in the U.S. experiencing a form of mental illness each year, such as anxiety and depression. Taking the initiative to assist your staff in taking care of their mental health can greatly benefit the morale and productivity of your workplace and contribute to a positive culture. Support your employees’ wellness with these ways to improve your team’s mental health: 

Establish Mental Health As a Core Value 

Your company culture develops organically based upon making decisions that align with the company’s core values. Establish mental health as a core value by incorporating it into your organizational mission, such as providing mental health training for managers, developing benefits packages and other company policies/procedures that include mental health support for employees, and communicating your commitment to prioritizing mental health on a regular basis in employee messaging.  

Encourage Psychological Safety 

Mental health issues can be triggered or exacerbated by stress in the workplace, particularly regarding expectations. To improve your team’s mental health, encourage a sense of psychological safety at work. Make your expectations clear regarding deadlines and results so they are not putting unnecessary pressure on themselves or worrying about their performances; allow employees to take risks and make mistakes without fear of being reprimanded; and enforce a zero tolerance policy for workplace bullying or harassment.  

Advocate for Taking Breaks 

Burnout from being overworked often is a contributing factor with employees’ mental health issues. Advocate for your employees taking breaks away from work. Encourage them to take a proper lunch break and not just eat at their desks while working, and keep an eye on ensuring your team is utilizing their paid time off so they can recharge.  

Prioritize Team Building  

Your employees spend such a significant amount of their time at the workplace; therefore, the quality of the interactions and connections they have among their colleagues can greatly influence their overall job satisfaction and boost their moods. Prioritize team building activities, such as occasional meals together, acknowledging milestones, and even just allowing time for personal chitchat. This allows your employees to socialize and naturally grow their relationships so their time at work is more enjoyable. Plus, as an added bonus, strong teams tend to be more productive because they can collaborate effectively and are willing to help out one another. 

Attract Top Talent 

Build a team of top talent with IFG. We provide accounting and finance staffing solutions to clients throughout Canada and the U.S. Our team of experts is dedicated to understanding our clients’ needs and assessing prospective candidates to find the best matches. Contact us to learn more about our recruiting services.