Employers, Employees, and Mental Health at Work
To promote mental health and well-being in the workplace, employers can:
- offer health insurance with no or low out-of-pocket costs for mental health counseling and medication.
- provide free or subsidized coaching, counseling, or self-management programs.
- distribute information to all employees about mental health and opportunities for treatment.
- create dedicated quiet spaces for relaxation.
- give employees opportunities to participate in decisions about issues that affect job stress.
Employees can also:
- encourage employers to offer mental health and stress management programs, if they are not already in place.
- participate in employer-sponsored programs.
- build real-life, face-to-face social connections at work and share personal experiences when appropriate.
- eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night.
- ask for help when it is needed.
Vocabulary:
promote – (verb) to support, encourage, or help something grow, develop, or become successful, “The school plans to promote healthy eating habits by removing soda machines from the cafeteria.”
well-being – (noun) the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy, “Regular exercise and a good work-life balance are essential for your physical and mental well-being.”
out-of-pocket costs – (noun/plural) expenses that a person must pay directly with their own money, rather than being covered by insurance or another party, “Even though her insurance is good, she still has to pay some out-of-pocket costs for her prescription medication.”
subsidized – (adjective/verb) financially supported or paid for in part by an organization or government to reduce the cost to the consumer, “The university offers subsidized public transit passes to all of its active students.”
distribute – (verb) to hand out, share, or deliver something to a group of people, “Our manager will distribute the new safety guidelines to the team during Monday’s meeting.”
dedicated – (adjective) set aside, designed, or used for one specific purpose, “The office building features a dedicated parking lot just for electric vehicles.”
participate in – (phrasal verb) to take part or be involved in an activity, event, or decision-making process, “We encourage all team members to participate in the weekly brainstorming sessions.”
affect – (verb) to have an influence on, make a difference to, or produce a change in something, “A lack of sleep can seriously affect your ability to focus during the day.”
in place – (idiom) established, set up, or ready to be used, “New security measures are now in place at the airport entrance.”
employer-sponsored – (adjective) funded, organized, or provided by an employer for the benefit of their employees, “She decided to enroll in the employer-sponsored health insurance plan.”
real-life – (adjective) occurring in the actual world rather than being fictional or digital, “It was great to finally meet my online friends in a real-life setting.”
face-to-face – (adjective/adverb) involving close physical proximity; in person rather than online or over the phone, “The managers decided to hold a face-to-face meeting to resolve the urgent issue.”
when appropriate – (expression) at a time, place, or situation that is suitable, correct, or proper, “You should feel free to ask questions during the training session when appropriate.”
well-balanced – (adjective) containing a sensible and healthy mixture of different elements, “Eating a well-balanced diet rich in vegetables and proteins will boost your daily energy.”
ask for help – (expression/idiom) to request assistance, guidance, or support from others when facing a difficult task or situation, “You shouldn’t feel embarrassed to ask for help when you are struggling with a complex project.”