Work-related stress routinely shows up as a top source of stress on surveys of American workers, with nearly two-thirds of employees feeling like they are at risk of burnout. The cost of poor employee mental health results in increased absenteeism and presenteeism, increased turnover, and lower productivity. Investing in employee mental health resources is an essential benefit to not only retain talent, but to keep employees engaged, happy and healthy at work.
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health recommends four calls to action for employers to tackle this issue:
- Measure mental health in the workplace
- Shape culture which values mental wellbeing
- Promote mental health support, tools, and information
- Incentivize employee participation in mental health services
The Vitality program offers several point-earning activities related to mental health, including surveys, videos, goals and focus areas. These resources help members prioritize their mental wellbeing and earn points for engaging in their health.
As a company dedicated to improving the lives of our members, we know how important it is to take care of our mental health as part of our overall wellbeing. And that’s why our staff is encouraged to engage with the Vitality program enthusiastically – we use and love the Vitality program just as much as our members do! Additionally, employees have access to counseling scheduling services and three free mental health visits through our employee assistance program (EAP).
One of my favorite ways that Vitality supports mental wellbeing is by scheduling time for staff to prioritize their work-life balance.
- Daily Recharge Hour – All staff calendars are blocked for one-hour for a mid-day recharge. Staff can take a lunch break, get a workout in, run an errand – whatever it is that will help them step away from work and focus on themselves. I personally enjoy this time to have lunch and listen to audiobooks or podcasts.
- No Meeting Fridays – All staff calendars are blocked on Friday afternoons to help our employees catch-up on outstanding tasks from the current week and prepare for the coming week so we can fully recharge on the weekends.
- Summer Hours – From Memorial Day through Labor Day, staff enjoy Friday afternoons off work to enjoy the warmer weather and get an early start to the weekend.
