This year, employers must focus on improving workplace well-being because while employees are more productive than ever, many are reporting feelings of burnout. In addition, someone at your workplace is likely experiencing feelings of loneliness, depression, seasonal depression, anxiety, and substance use challenges.

The numbers surrounding mental health and substance use in the workplace are staggering. Some recent studies show that up to 200 million workdays are lost to mental health challenges yearly. Yet, despite the numbers, fewer than 10% of employees feel like their workplace is free of mental health stigmas, which is a perception that can discourage those in need from seeking the help they need.

Mental Health America's Mind the Workplace 2022 report showed that positive workplace mental health requires the investment of time and action at all levels of an organization, including executive-level leadership, management, and employees.

You can make an impact and create a healthier employee workforce for your employees with strategies for fostering a happy, healthy work environment. Here are some ideas to try in 2023:

Generate well-being programs that focus on mental and physical strength. This can mean offering wellness experiences like yoga classes, access to virtual fitness and telemedicine apps, or discount spa services.
Train your leadership team in mindful and empathetic practices at work. Using these skills in your interactions creates a ripple effect that benefits the entire organization.
Ask your employees for feedback on how your organization can meet their mental health needs. Create an anonymous survey to find out from employees how you are succeeding in mental health and your areas of opportunity. Then, use the information you gather to make positive organizational changes so your employees feel heard!
Bring Mental Health First Aid to your workplace. This skills-based mental health training gives participants skills for supporting individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge. It also helps them respond when faced with a crisis in a work environment by giving them information on connecting people with appropriate employee and community resources.

Taking these steps shows employees you care about more than their productivity. Make a difference to your staff and lead the way to a healthier workforce.

Contact Bauman Consulting Group and schedule a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for up to 30 individuals. We will come to your place of business in the greater Cincinnati area with two trainers to teach staff the tools they need for Mental Health First Aid at Work. We can also facilitate this training virtually or in a hybrid model to best suit the needs of your business. We are here to help! info@baumanconsultinggroup.com

2022 mind the Workplace Report. Mental Health America. (2022, April 12). Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://www.mhanational.org/research-reports/2022-mind-workplace-report

Avoidance of fear and things we dislike is only human. Our brains have wiring to seek pleasure and avoid pain. However, this avoidance can harm the person you want to be, the goals you want to achieve, and the relationships you want to establish. And there's the ever-present pressure to have it all "figured out."

What stands between you and those things you want? Is it fear, shame, or simply feeling unworthy?

To make new choices and create change in our lives, we must understand the obstacles that get in our way and how to conquer them. It means having courage and vulnerability. Many people will lock in on what they believe is right and stay the course, but it is much more common to feel unsure or try several paths before developing a sense of what is right. Vulnerability is not a sign of weakness; it is the bridge between your fears and what you truly want.

The Daring Way™ workshop through Bauman Consulting Group in Loveland, Ohio, helps you build the bridge. It helps participants recognize they are worthy of love and belonging no matter their path. It teaches us to acknowledge and utilize the power we have within ourselves.

The Daring Way™ is an empirically based training and certification program for helping professionals, based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown.* The work focuses on courage-building, shame resilience, and uncovering the power of vulnerability. The methodology is designed for individuals, couples, families, and groups.

The Daring Way™ workshop is for those who feel like they are not living their lives fully. Maybe they are afraid to present themselves with worries, such as an interview for their dream job, a crucial conversation with their partner, confronting life after a divorce, or a challenging relationship with a family member.

It is hard to show up for the scary things because we are afraid of what will happen if we fail or fall short of expectations. So, we avoid and then avoid some more. Then, as we get closer to the event, we start anticipating our negative self-talk voice: “Who do you think you are? Why do you think you'll be successful? Don't even try; you are sure to mess it up.”

The Daring Way™ gives us a method for working through issues that hold us back from accomplishing hard things, professionally and personally. Contact Bauman Consulting Group today to reserve your spot for one of our upcoming workshops at info@baumanconsultinggroup.com. Mention this article for 20% off the registration fee.

*The Daring Way - Brené Brown. https://brenebrown.com/thedaringway