Employees suffering from mental health problems may struggle to complete their daily activities, or be experiencing distressing feelings during their everyday lives. As an employer, you can benefit from supporting these employees and instating a plan that will help them to overcome and fight off the related diseases. Fitness is an excellent way to help improve mental health, and offering a way to access facilities and ongoing programs easily should be a consideration for every business.
When we say mental health, we’re talking about the psychological and emotional wellbeing of someone. A positive mental state of mind is just as important as staying fit. Although the two are separate, they go hand in hand in ensuring we remain healthy throughout life.
Mental health conditions are being given more and more attention, and for a good reason; more cases of adverse mental health are being reported year on year*. Here are some examples of the most common mental health conditions:
Mental health has become a common discussion point within the UK, with reported cases on the rise. However, it may be the case that mental health simply didn’t receive as much attention as it did before. Either way, the effect of mental health is prominent; it can lead to extremely negative consequences to individuals’ lives, much the same as physical conditions. Here are some key figures concerning the state of mental health in the UK:
Mental health problems affect everyday activities, and this can be particularly apparent when a sufferer is trying to complete the tasks of their job. Anyone with mental health issues may carry their symptoms into their line of work. Unlike physical issues that may not flare up during working life, mental illness is a battle that takes place constantly. Below are some specific problems that may cause an issue for an employee if they are actively suffering from mental health:
Aside from the medicine that is available to treat sufferers of mental health, other actions can help to offset the illness. As an employer, you cannot control whether your employees seek help. But, you can offer support services and provide the means that will help them. Here are five ways to help your workforce:
Exercise is a fantastic way to combat the symptoms of mental health. It can be a great way for sufferers to relieve their feelings of anxiety or depression, as well as a great way to stop the onset of mental illness in the first place. Small amounts of exercise have been shown to treat moderate depression, and a simple 15 minute run per day can reduce the likelihood of developing this disease by 26%.
Why does this happen? When we exercise, a lot is going on inside our body and brain. Physical activity helps to increase the blood flow to the brain, supporting healthy growth and releasing endorphins that help us feel good about ourselves. Fitness activities relieve feelings of tension, stress and anxiety, all the while enhancing our sense of wellbeing. In short, exercise combats many of the symptoms directly correlated to mental illnesses.
Sufferers of mental health will often feel exhausted, stressed and overwhelmed, which can make it difficult to begin exercising in the first place. However, physical activity has been shown to boost energy levels, increase motivation and mood, meaning that it’s just a case of getting started. As an employer, you should understand that this may be a hurdle to overcome with your employees. By making fitness accessible for them and inclusive to their working life, you’re able to directly influence your workforce and help to combat mental health problems.
We have experience in designing and installing workplace gyms as well as aftercare support to ensure your staff are engaging in physical activity. Offering on-site fitness is a great way to help your staff begin their fitness journey, and our ongoing management solution is perfect for keeping them engaged and motivated. It’s important that your workforce feel like they’re being guided on fitness activities; it increases the likelihood of continuing their training, and thus will be more beneficial to combat the symptoms of mental health.