Creating workspaces to support mental wellbeing

The pandemic bought about a huge change in our lives, our culture and an increase of understanding of the important of emotional health.

As WFH orders end and people make their way back to the office - for some people, for the first time in almost two years - businesses are being urged not to forget the lessons learned since 2020 and to make sure that everyone feels supported in the workplace.

The Reluctant Returner – a survey carried out by Unispace, - has highlighted the need for employers to optimise their workspace to enable an open dialogue with employees in a hybrid world of work.

3,000 office workers, 2,750 employers and global senior leaders were asked how remote working had impacted their mental wellbeing. The respondents were split, with only one in two indicating it had positively affected them. With 32% of UK office workers indicating that they find it easier to communicate with colleagues from home, that does suggest many are struggling to converse as effectively outside of the physical workspace.

The study further revealed that 80% found it easier to have private conversations from home, which was largely driven by the lack of available private space in the office.

Lawrence Mohiuddine, CEO EMEA at Unispace, said that as companies reopen their doors once again, employers need to encourage better personal communication both in and out of the office.

“With more companies looking to return to the office again following the removal of calls to work from home where possible, businesses face a fine balancing act when it comes to the mental wellbeing of staff in the workplace,” he said.

“Having faced such uncertainty and with almost half feeling their mental health had been positively impacted in a work from home environment, encouraging staff to talk openly needs to be a priority to make a return to the office successful.”

“For many businesses, this isn’t easy for a number of reasons. First and foremost, few workplaces are set up in a way that encourages personal conversations between colleagues – whether face to face or virtually between offices.

“And where staff are working remotely, it can be difficult to replicate natural conversation where the technology doesn’t gel with the flow of office and remote set-ups.

”As we look to move on from the impact of Covid-9 with a predominantly hybrid approach, colleagues need to feel comfortable to have personal conversations with peers and managers to safeguard the mental wellbeing of our workforces.”

So what can you do to help people regain their confidence following a collective global trauma?

Reduce the Stigma

For a long time, talking about mental health was a taboo subject, and it still can be for some people. Talk about stress management, self-care and mental health in emails, meetings etc. If people trust that you won’t think they are “crazy” then they are more likely to speak up and receive treatment.

Discuss Mental Health in the Workplace

Openly discuss and bring up issues related to workplace mental health such as stress, depression and anxiety and make it clear that everyone struggles to stay mentally healthy sometimes.

Promote a Healthy Work/Life Balance

Without a healthy work/life balance, productivity is likely to decrease and employees will eventually burn out. Insist employees take regular breaks when they can and understand that not everyone will respond to their emails outside of work hours. Encourage your colleagues to develop a rich and full life outside of work and to spend time with loved ones as this will better them.

Make Wellness a Priority

Make it a priority to help your colleagues develop good workplace mental health habits. You could offer incentives to employees who participate in wellness programs or possibly offer free gym memberships. Exercise, healthy eating, and participation in leisure activities are a few simple ways to build mental strength and improve mental health. Some organisations have wellness days where they organise small treats for their staff, such as massages or nail treatments during the workday.

Raise Awareness of Mental Health Issues

There are national awareness campaigns that your company could use to promote awareness of mental health issues and hold seminars or talks about mental health during these times. Mental Health Awareness Week is in May and World Mental Health Day is in October.