Helping employees with mental health; tips on optimizing your work environment

How to help employees with mental health issues

The combination of lockdowns, unemployment and anxiety over the threat of your vulnerable loved ones or you contracting the Coronavirus with unknown consequences has fueled a significant jump in mental health problems, according to an article in EHS Today magazine.  As an employer, do you know how to deal with these issues when they arise among your workforce?  

In August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that almost 41% of all adults in the United States are struggling with their mental health or substance use.  This is double what had been historically reported pre-pandemic.  Another analysis has reported that 25% of adolescents said they had contemplated suicide.  

Attorney Amy Epstein Gluck says she and her colleagues at the FisherBroyles law firm have seen this particular aspect of their disabilities law practice for employers burgeon in recent months.  She points out that mental health experts have come up with a new term for the aggravating factor: allostatic overload.  This term describes what happens to a brain that has to process stress signals nonstop, which ends up consuming mental resources faster than a person can replenish them.

NIOSH-Working from Home: How to optimize your work environment and stay healthy

Many workers continue to telework during the pandemic, according to a NIOSH Science Blog.  While some may be fortunate to have a designated home office, others are competing for workspace with family members.  

A makeshift desk at the kitchen table or a temporary bedroom office are common. These new work arrangements combined with the additional stressors of working at home may be taking a toll on our health.  

Some tips to optimize your telework environment and help manage stress during these challenging times:

• Start with creating a work-ready environment.  
• Find space in your home where noise, lighting and temperature can be well-controlled. 
• Even if you are home alone, a dedicated workspace will help keep you focused. 
• A properly designed workspace can help prevent workplace musculoskeletal disorders.