Are you working in the HR department? When an employee is calling in sick for work, which of the following reasons sound more acceptable: 

• Reason A: I have severe flu and the doctor advised you to rest for a week.
• Reason B: I’m depressed, and this hinders me from working and even functioning like a normal human being. 

Without a doubt, it would be easier to just tell that you have a physical illness than explain how this “invisible impairment” is strong enough to keep you in bed. But the truth is, mental health problems exist. Depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and other mental illnesses exist. And chances are that some employees within your organization are secretly dealing with mental health problems every single day. 

While mental health risks are often brought by personal problems and past traumas, some risk factors are present in the workplace. It’s HR’s role to provide solutions that support employees’ mental health and create a healthier, more positive work culture. 

Here are 7 best HR solutions that can support the employees’ mental health. 

1. Promote mental health awareness in the workplace

Let’s be honest: there’s an undeniable stigma that surrounds mental health. Not everyone is knowledgeable about the delicate subject. Some are clueless about what poor mental health looks like or how to address them. Others aren’t open-minded enough to let go of their perceptions based on religion and intercultural and generational differences. 

It’s the organization’s role to promote and increase awareness about mental health and debunk any misconceptions. 

The HR department may start a dialogue and provide employees with helpful resources about mental health. This works two ways: to make employees learn more about mental health and to help affected employees feel more comfortable talking about the subject. 

2. Reduce work-related stress

While stress is a normal part of any workplace, experiencing chronic stress is a different story. Heavy workloads, long, fixed work hours, and high pressure to perform are just some of the common work-related stressors. 

Mental health risks may also have something to do with the type of work, employee interactions (conflicts with co-workers or management and office politics), organizational and managerial environment, and the support available for employees to perform their work. 

Help reduce stress and increase employee motivation by considering the following strategies: 

• Assign realistic workloads
• Encourage breaks
• Call out negative behaviors in the workplace
• Host regular meetings with managers and employees to foster open and positive communication
• Acknowledge employee achievements and give rewards
• Host occasional time-offs, like company lunch-outs

3. Provide flexible work schedules

One of the major contributors to poor mental health is a stressful, toxic working environment. While the organization can’t do much about the workload, they can, however, do something to promote a healthier work-life balance. 

HR services can suggest perks like flexible work schedules, work-from-home options, and vacation leave credits they can easily use. These small changes can improve their overall well-being and job satisfaction while increasing motivation and productivity, 

4. Call out harassment, bullying, and other toxic behaviors

Any forms of bullying, cliques, and psychological harassment (or mobbing) can cause work-related stress and pose high risks to the mental health of the employees. Promptly address negative behaviors in the office and establish a no-tolerance policy. 

5. Recognize employee achievements

The lack of recognition is another major reason why employees are more likely to get burned out. Whether it’s from the constant harsh feedback or the total lack of acknowledgment, employees are more likely to question their competence and worth. 

Make sure to recognize their achievements, big and small, and provide them with incentives that will help keep stress at bay while boosting their morale. Even simple remarks like “great job” or “impressive output”, expressing your genuine appreciation, can go a long way.

6. Review employee benefits

Does your company’s current health plan offer mental health services? If not, you may consider adding these benefits. HR services can also propose other benefits to support your employees’ wellbeing, like spa treatments, gym memberships, or yoga memberships. 

7. Offer mental health training

The HR services and managers should work together to raise awareness, fight the stigma, and properly recognize and address mental health issues.

The organization may offer mental health training to managers so they can recognize signs of mental illness, extreme work-related stress, workplace fatigue, bullying, and harassment. This way, they’ll be more confident handling employees experiencing mental health problems. 

By raising awareness about mental well-being and illness, and implementing strategies to positively deal with these problems, HR can better support employees and create a welcoming working environment.

Author Bio: Carmina Natividad is a creative writer for HR Dept Australia, a provider of affordable and pragmatic HR services and employment law advice in Australia. Writing about helpful career management solutions for both employees and employers is her cup of tea.