Mental Health Awareness Week is held annually to highlight the need for improved mental health. This week is a great opportunity for companies to raise awareness about mental health at work and to take concrete steps to support employees. Mental Health Awareness Week is a great opportunity for individuals to gain a deeper understanding of mental issues, how to help others and develop strategies that will maintain good mental health.
We believe that HR professionals should be at the center of our mission. Mental Health Awareness Week aims to raise awareness about mental health and promote mental wellness. Mental health issues are a leading cause of absenteeism, and yet they often go unnoticed. Prevention, visibility and proactive support are all important components of your HR strategy. How can your company play a part in preventing mental issues?
We can build a community of open and honest conversations, emotional support, and mutual support by promoting Mental Health Awareness Week. This collective effort makes individuals feel understood and supported, which helps them navigate the challenges of life and maintain good mental wellbeing.
Early signs of mental health challenges
Mental health problems rarely appear out of the blue. They are often preceded by subtle changes in work or behaviour patterns. Here are some signs you should be looking out for within your team.
- Patterned absences Regular sick days Mondays and Fridays
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Increased tardiness or early departure
- Performance drop or missing deadlines
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Rejecting team interaction
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Visible signs of stress or fatigue
Unnoticed, they can lead to disengagement, burnout and long-term absence.
5 Ways that HR teams can promote mental health at work
1. Create Space for Conversations
Encourage managers to have regular one-on-one meetings with team members in order to monitor workload and well-being. Normalising mental-health conversations helps to reduce stigma and show employees that help is available.
2. Track Absence Patterns with Compassion
Mental health issues are often reflected in patterns of absence. HR teams are able to spot patterns early with Activ People HR’s absence management tools and provide tailored support.
3. Promoting a Healthy Work/Life Balance
Encourage employees to avoid excessive overtime and take annual leave. Our HR software allows staff to easily book time off, and managers to ensure that team coverage. This helps prevent burnout from occurring before it happens.
4. Mental Health Resources Available for Access
Indicate support services such as EAPs (Employee assistance programmes), mental health first aiders, or external charities. Mental Health Awareness Week provides a good opportunity to showcase what is already available, and ask your employees what they may need.
5. Make better decisions using data
Activ People HR provides you with real-time insights into trends, absences, and engagement across your entire workforce. This data allows you to identify pressure points in your workforce and adapt your wellbeing strategy accordingly.
Supporting Your Wellbeing Strategy
Activ People HR helps employers adopt a proactive approach to employee wellbeing. Our software makes HR easy, human and effective. It does everything from absence tracking, to performance reviews, to policy management. When you support your employees, they are able to do their best work.
How Activ HR Spots Issues Early
You don’t have to wait for a critical problem. Activ People HR allows your HR team and managers to stay ahead of problems by using real-time insights and data.
Track Absence trends – Identify patterns of unplanned absences and initiate early intervention.
Monitor timekeeping Spot consistently late or early finishes.
Manage Workloads Use dashboards to avoid overworking and burnout.
Encourage Leave Use Track holiday balances, and encourage downtime.
Standardise Return-to-Work Conversations– Ensure sensitive and supportive return-to work processes after an absence.
You can help employees by making them feel supported and seen.
Make this Mental Health Awareness Week count! Learn more about Activ PeopleHR and how it can support your team. Book a free demo today.
The first time this post appeared was on HR News.
