Every week we talk to founders about ways to attract talent, and a common question we get is how to support employee mental health. In fact, Gen Z (76%), Millennials (73%), Gen X (75%), Baby Boomer (56%) all want companies to prioritize mental health over other causes (Forbes). When it comes to wellness in the workplace, many companies are introducing simple solutions like health and wellness apps, but during this remote work environment, employees are also seeking a remedy for loneliness, and ways to connect with the people they work with.
There are various ways to create a great work environment in a remote world that supports your employees’ mental health.
Have check-ins with your employees, beyond KPIs. One way is to ask effective 1-1 questions, like those listed from LifeLabs.
Setup virtual water coolers, happy hours, or lunches to help your team bond.
Mandate mental health days. At SingleSprout, we give at least one mental health day per month called, “ReSprout Days.”
Block time for no meetings or mandate company-wide no meeting time.
Leadership and Management should encourage an open dialogue about mental health and wellness resources. At SingleSprout, we are reimbursing for certain wellness expenses and often talk openly about therapy.
Tools: Talkspace, Coa, Big Health, Spring Health, Joon, and Goodly
Allow flexible hours to allow employees to prioritize mental and physical health.
Your employees are the biggest advocate of your brand, and we know the focus on mental health will help you both keep and attract new talent. We’d love to hear more ideas (hello@singlesprout.com).
Truly,
Natan & David
