Is workplace mental health a corporate responsibility or a social responsibility?
This was the question raised last night at an event run by Campfire Collaborative Spaces. Guest speakers were Ben Jones , Entrepreneur and Founder from the Fulfillment Group, Aaron Stadlin -Robbie, Founder and Host, Talking Mental, Dr Hannah Redity, Clinical Psychologist and CEO, Mind HK and Catherine Hufton, HR Advisor, Linklaters.
With reported mental illness on the rise and many workers working longer hours (the average work week in Hong Kong now 50.1 hours), whose responsibility is it to make sure that employees stay mentally well? While many organisations, are improving working conditions and providing health promotion activities such as gym memberships, many are not.
From a psychologist’s perspective while many companies are beginning to invest in wellbeing it is surprising that many still fail to see the link between performance and wellbeing. If they want to high performing businesses, they need high performing individuals and this means they need to invest in their employees wellbeing.
What is wellbeing?
Wellbeing is all about how people experience their lives. Wellbeing is more than just happiness and life satisfaction, it includes a range of psychological constructs that when experienced positively result in wellbeing. Recent research by leading wellbeing academics Huppert & March (2018) report wellbeing to be a multidimensional construct that includes; clear thinking, competence, emotional stability, engagement, meaning, positive emotions, positive relationships, resilience, self-esteem, vitality, autonomy, empathy, optimism, pro-social behaviour and self-acceptance. Collectively the positive experience of these factors leads to higher wellbeing. Evidence shows that people with high levels of wellbeing learn more effectively, are more productive, more creative, have better relationships, have better health and better life expectancy.
Why is wellbeing important at work?
As an employer, having employees with high wellbeing will increase the bottom line. Where organisations successfully manage wellbeing, the percentage of engaged employees skyrockets from 7% to 55%. Additionally, creativity and innovation increase from 20% to 72%. Therefore, employee wellbeing has a huge impact on the quality of work being conducted.
Wellbeing is also related to employee health, with high wellbeing associated with a lower risk of physical health problems like heart disease, stroke and common colds, as well as better mental functioning like high levels of resilience, clear goals and low feelings of helplessness. With workers in poor physical and mental health taking up to nine times more sick leave and contributing significantly less productive hours (estimated at 94 less effective hours each month) it is increasingly important to prioritise the wellbeing of employees.
Three things people can do to improve their wellbeing
Stop and start talking
If you are not okay, it’s okay. There is always a solution. Speak with your team leader, manager, a friend or a psychologist. There are always times when we need to stop, take stock, reprioritise and put a plan together around the way we need to work and live. Feeling control of our life is one of the three key psychological needs essential to us and our wellbeing.
Get moving
Whether you like it or not, moving improves our mood and our ability to think clearly. Physical activity surges our brain with feel good hormones and has been show to decrease depressive symptoms and improve mental health. If the thought of exercise mortifies you, find a friend and start with a 20 minute walk and talk session, rate your mood before and after. If you think you are too busy, make time.
Make mindfulness a daily practice
While neuro-psychology and cognitive-psychology have immense bodies of research, this research is now being used to ensure technology and social media match the way our brains work and finding moments of pure attention are becoming harder to find. Without quietening our minds and learning how to be focused we lack the ability to think clearly, make rational decisions but also become busy doing with little productivity. Learn how to find even 10-minutes a day to quieten your mind, practice mindfulness meditations and enjoy the results.
It is becoming increasingly important to invest in our wellbeing, if we want to live our best life at home, work and in between. However with the surge in technology and work pressure it’s becoming hard to find out what this really means and how to put a wellbeing plan together. If you want to know more about how you can live your best live, get in touch. Remember self care is not selfish.