Supporting Workers’ Mental Health
(NAPSI)—The challenges brought to daily life by the COVID-19 pandemic have spurred many businesses to consider ways they can support employees’ mental health.
For help, businesses can turn to the Mental Health Toolkit developed by the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN). The toolkit outlines strategies based around the “4 A’s of a Mental Health-Friendly Workplace”—awareness, accommodations, assistance, and access.
Awareness involves educating workers about mental health issues and taking action to foster a supportive workplace culture.
Accommodations mean providing employees with mental health conditions with the workplace supports they need to perform their jobs.
Assistance refers to supporting employees with mental health conditions, something many businesses do through employee assistance programs.
Finally, access means assessing healthcare plans to ensure coverage for mental health treatment, which has been shown to benefit not only employees but also a business’ bottom line. According to the American Psychiatric Association, more than 80 percent of employees treated for mental health conditions report improved levels of efficiency and satisfaction at work.
The toolkit also includes examples of mental health initiatives implemented by businesses of varying sizes and industries.
Learn more at www.AskEARN.org/mentalhealth.
