Reasons Why Companies Should Give Mental Health Days
Workplace stress and mental stress will wear you down. On your okay days, you will get a lot of work done, smile because you want to, shout because you can, and you will joke around with your coworkers. But, on your low days, everything gets too heavy on your chest, making it impossible for you to function. On these days, you might take some personal days off work, though you may not tell your boss that all you need is a mental health day; that after months of chasing clients, and pushing the company to one of the best personal injury law firms Vancouver, you just need a day or days to feel, time to say no to to-do lists because your mental health is at stake.
Do you think you can do the latter? Unfortunately, most people are struggling like you, and the worst bit is that the workplace stigma is unbearable. While we’d all like to work in companies with mental health policies like Savvy Shopper, it is hardly the case.
Despite the stigma faced, mental health days are crucial. Here are the reasons why mental health days are important.
- According to the National Institute of Mental Health, it is estimated that 1 in 5 American adults has a mental disorder. And, in 2009, the US spent $147 billion to treat mental disorders. Therefore, mental illnesses should be treated with the seriousness it deserves; it is a disease like every other.
- Secondly, mental illnesses, like other chronic illnesses affect companies through reduced productivity, high healthcare costs, and absenteeism. So, instead of having employees lie about missing work, it is better for the companies to acknowledge mental health days. Besides work, some employees become sick because of stress-inducing bosses.
- Also, work is stressful, and it affects the mental health of employees. According to the General Society Survey conducted in 2016, the number of employees reporting to be always exhausted had increased to 32 percent over the last two decades. Besides decreasing the productivity of employees, exhaustion increases workplace accidents as well as cardiovascular diseases, plus an increased risk of death. In a study reported in the European Heart Journal, individuals working for more than 55 hours per week are at high risk of developing atrial fibrillation. Many Americans suffer with a multitude of chronic illnesses as they approach retirement, many end up needing private home nursing.
It is, therefore essential for all companies to allow their employees, to take a break when they feel heavy not just because it will save them in the long run but also because mental health affects a company’s bottom line. Other than mental health days, companies also need to employ counselors or psychologist to help employees cope better with mental health.
Besides getting help from their companies, employees have a role to play too – cutting back intake of coffee and engaging in calming activities like Yoga and using a vaporizer that are more effective in managing stress.
About the Author
Christopher Porteus Chris Porteous is a veteran in the tech space, founding Framestr and writing about his experiences scaling startups. When he's not working, he's writing about the latest tech products and providing insights on how to utilize technology to improve your life.
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