Since 1992, the Stress Management Society has held stress awareness month in April. Stress is often the root cause of many physical health conditions, such as heart disease, insomnia, digestive issues, immune system challenges and more. Mental health issues caused by stress can include anxiety and depression.
Stress and poor mental health are still one of the biggest public health challenges we are faced with; however, we are still far from understanding that mental and physical health should not be separated and in fact they come hand in hand.
So, as an employee benefits specialist, I am looking for ways to help employers ensure they, along with their employees, can manage stress on a day-to-day basis. As an employer you would almost certainly be considering health benefits for physical health issues, but this is not usually the case when mental health is considered. Introducing and promoting the 30-day challenge in your workplace could be a really good first step in helping your employees turn actions into habits and battle the stresses of life. The idea is to choose one positive action to carry out every day to help mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.
There are many resources available that you can utilise from The Stress Management Society - 30 Day Challenge Resources
To create a more long-term strategy to improve mental wellbeing in your workforce, we have a digital platform we can talk you through, which is aimed at being a hub for all things ‘wellbeing’, accessible online for your employees.
Of course, an all-round employee benefits strategy in your organisation needs to include physical, mental and financial wellbeing. For any questions or ideas as to how you can support your employees, please contact us and a specialist consultant will be glad to help.
Content correct at the time of writing (April 2023).
