June is Employee Health & Wellness Month, and whether you’re a CEO or HR manager, understanding the impact of mental health in the workplace is essential. Over the past decade, employee wellness programs have transitioned from voluntary perks to a strategic imperative.
What better way to help employees prioritize mental health than comprehensive health and wellness programs? In this guide, we’ll discuss common challenges employers face in supporting employee mental health and offer ideas for Employee Health & Wellness Month. We’ll also explore why MedPass’s all-in-one wellness solution is an excellent choice for supporting your employees’ overall well-being.
The Importance of Mental Health in the Workplace
Mental health isn’t just another workplace buzzword. Employee mental health has a direct impact on the workplace and job satisfaction. Many studies, including the Return on Wellbeing 2024 report, show that investing in employee health and wellness reduces medical costs, lowers absenteeism, boosts productivity, and improves talent retention.
That’s not all—mental and physical health are interconnected, meaning that when an employee’s mental health is suffering, so is their body. By offering wellness programs, businesses can help lower healthcare costs and insurance claims for chronic diseases. In fact, 91% of companies see a reduction in healthcare costs after implementing wellness programs.
Challenges Employers Face in Supporting Employee Mental Health
Employers often face barriers in supporting employee mental health, including cost, accessibility, and stigma.
Cost
Many business owners find the cost of starting an employee health and wellness program daunting. Small businesses may not have the financial resources to offer comprehensive mental health benefits like counseling services or Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). Larger organizations may also have difficulty justifying the cost of mental health program investments since the ROI isn’t immediately measurable.
Accessibility
Even when a business offers mental health services, employees may be unable to access them easily. Lack of time during the workday, unclear resource navigation, and limited availability of professionals can all prevent using the provided services. Additionally, gig economy workers and those without traditional benefits are often barred from receiving these benefits.
Stigma
Unfortunately, mental health is still stigmatized in the workplace. Some employees struggle in silence, fearing speaking up, being judged, or misunderstood. In a hustle culture where productivity is often prioritized over employee well-being, employees might fear the consequences of admitting their mental health challenges and being seen as weak or less than, even when open conversation is encouraged.
Ideas for Employers to Celebrate Employee Health & Wellness Month (Focusing on Mental Health)
If you’re looking to celebrate Employee Health & Wellness Month this year, we’re going to help you out. Read on for 12 wellness initiatives to make your employees feel heard and supported this June.
Mental Health Support & Awareness
1. Organize Mental Health Workshops
Mental health workshops on stress management, mindfulness, and resilience can be extremely beneficial to employees. Consider inviting mental health professionals to speak on their areas of expertise. Mental health workshops should be interactive and invite employees to ask questions.
2. Promote Open Conversations
Open conversations about mental health help reduce stigma and build awareness. Consider hosting a company-wide discussion about mental health in the workplace and encourage employees to share their experiences voluntarily.
3. Provide Access to Mental Health Resources
Providing access to mental health resources, like MedPass, can help employees find the support they need. MedPass offers telehealth services, unlimited mental health sessions, at-home fitness classes, nutrition advice, and more in the app. Additionally, employers can distribute information on mental health hotlines and local or virtual support groups.
4. Promote Goal-Setting
One simple way to promote well-being during Employee Health & Wellness Month is to encourage employees to set a specific health goal for June. Remind them that goals should be measurable, specific, and achievable. You can also encourage employees to find an accountability partner to check in with throughout the month.
Encouraging a Healthy Work Environment
5. Encourage Work-Life Balance
Another easy way to support employee well-being is to promote a healthy work-life balance. This can mean offering flexible work arrangements and checking in on employees who haven’t used much vacation time yet. Remind employees to use PTO to relax and disconnect every once in a while. There's no shame in taking a mental health day.
6. Encourage Naps and Rest Time
Employers may consider giving workers scheduled breaks for naps or mindfulness exercises to help them relax. You can also create napping rooms for workers who need them. The power of healthy sleep habits shouldn’t be underestimated.
7. Provide Health Information Regularly
Employers should regularly provide accurate health information to keep employees informed. You can email health tips to employees in a brief weekly newsletter, paste them on the noticeboard in the office, or invite experts to give talks on healthy lifestyles and behavioral habits. You can even hold lunch and learn sessions, providing a nutritious lunch for employees alongside educational resources.
8. Signposts
Signage can be a highly effective means of keeping health and wellness in mind. Post relevant signs at strategic points in your workplace to encourage healthy habits. For example, you can post signs at the elevators to encourage workers to take the stairs instead, signs to promote smoke cessation, or quiet signs by the napping rooms.
Promoting Physical Wellness
9. Encourage Walking Meetings
Get your workers up and active as they brainstorm ideas and create solutions for the company. A great way to promote better cardiovascular health is to discourage hosting long meetings around a conference table, and instead, plan walking meetings in a nearby park or around the office. Getting in extra steps throughout the day can boost employee mood, health, and fitness.
10. Encourage Fitness Breaks
Employees who use MedPass can access at-home fitness and ClassPass benefits. Encourage employees to take advantage of these benefits by allowing them time to stretch or complete a local class during the workday. You can even provide on-site physical activity courses with access to an on-site gym or fitness room.
11. Create a Challenge
There’s nothing better than a good old-fashioned health challenge at work. To get workers to stay active and build camaraderie, you can set up a 5K race, walking/step count challenges, cycling events, etc. Mix employees from different departments to create diverse teams to boost participation and enthusiasm. Wellness challenges supporting physical well-being are an excellent way to promote workplace wellness.
12. Change the Menu
Have you thought about what meals your cafeteria offers lately? Re-evaluate the menu in your cafeteria to replace unhealthy foods, such as highly processed foods, sodas, and fruit juices, with fresh fruits and vegetables and lean protein options. You can also organize food wellness programs to educate workers on healthy food choices. If you have remote workers, consider providing a lunch credit to a few restaurants offering healthy lunch options. Keeping healthy snacks around the office can also promote health in a small way.
Practical Tips for Employers During Employee Health & Wellness Month
Creating a supportive work environment is a year-round commitment, not just for Employee Health & Wellness Month in June. While celebrating employees in June is valuable, consistent support is crucial. Employers should actively seek feedback on workload and daily responsibilities, striving to alleviate bottlenecks and obstacles. Anonymous surveys offer a safe space for employees to provide suggestions. This continuous monitoring allows for timely adjustments to foster employee happiness.
To begin, implement these practical tips this Employee Health & Wellness Month!
- Focus on what employees want to see. Ask for employee feedback on events or activities they want to see in June. Use their ideas and suggestions to formulate activities that will yield high participation.
- Encourage open communication about mental health issues. If employees are comfortable, encourage them to share their mental health struggles. Affinity groups are particularly good environments for employees to connect with people with similar life experiences.
- Promote stress management techniques. Stress plays a huge role in mental health in the workplace. By promoting different stress management techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and journaling, you can help reduce burnout.
- Provide information on MedPass. Offer a comprehensive approach to healthcare and mental well-being with an app that offers telehealth, mental health, fitness, nutrition, and more.
A Holistic Approach to Employee Wellness
MedPass takes a unique approach to integrated mental wellness. Our comprehensive, all-in-one solution offers these primary features to promote healthy behaviors:
Mental Health Therapy
MedPass gives users unlimited access to licensed therapists through the app. Our mental health professionals are dedicated to providing empathy-driven, professional support on demand.
Telehealth
Our telehealth services give users access to primary care doctors on demand. Beyond mental health support, our telehealth services offer visits for common ailments, lab test check-ins, medication management, post-surgical care, and certain urgent care needs.
Fitness Programs
Physical activity is closely connected to mental well-being. Users can support their physical and mental health with at-home fitness classes via the app. Our knowledgeable instructors provide guided workouts, stretching sessions, and relaxation techniques. Also, MedPass offers Classpass credits so users can visit local gyms and in-person fitness classes.
*Classpass credits are available exclusively on the Premier (6 credits) and Premier+ (11 credits) plans.
Nutrition Planning
Nutrition is another critical factor in maintaining your mental health. MedPass users can get tailored meal plans and grocery lists designed to meet their needs and preferences. Whether managing diabetes, weight loss, or heart health, our nutrition services have users covered.
AI-Powered Wellness Chat
Our AI-powered wellness chat provides everything from diet tips to mental health advice at the click of a button. Get personalized recommendations around the clock and seamlessly connect with medical professionals.
Rx Savings
The MedPass Rx Discount Card enables members to save up to 90% on their prescriptions at major pharmacies.
MedPass’s Benefits for Employers
Employers can foster a healthier, more productive workplace with MedPass. MedPass plans are affordable and provide comprehensive health and wellness services without hidden costs.
- Enhance your company reputation and employee retention with health benefits your employees will actually use.
- Improve employee productivity and engagement by reducing burnout with support for employee physical and mental health.
- Reduce absenteeism and healthcare costs by giving employees the tools and resources for a healthy lifestyle.
Cultivate a Culture of Employee Well-being
Employee mental health should always be a top priority, but especially during Employee Health & Wellness Month. We hope these strategies for promoting a healthy workforce help your leadership team empower employees to take control of their physical and mental health. MedPass For Employers offers a comprehensive approach to employee health and employer benefits, making it the top choice for small business health insurance.
