Mental illness is a common and often overlooked issue that can affect anyone at any time, including employees. As an employer or manager, it's essential to recognize the signs of mental illness in your employees and provide them with the necessary support and resources as needed to promote good mental health, work-life balance, and more. 

Here are some tips on how to recognize mental illness in employees, how to support them, and help them become healthier workers.

Know the signs: Mental illness can manifest itself in many ways, including changes in behavior, mood, and performance. Some common signs of mental illness in employees include decreased productivity, absenteeism, changes in work quality, irritability, anxiety, and depression. If you notice any of these signs in your employees, it may be time to have a conversation with them about their mental health. If the employee doesn't want to divulge some of their private mental health information to you, don't push the matter; be supportive, kind, and understanding, and educate yourself on how you can better support your employees who may be affected by mental illness. 

Provide support: Once you've discussed mental health concerns with the employee, it's a good idea to provide them with support and resources to help them. This could include referring them to an employee assistance program, offering them time off to seek treatment, or providing them with additional resources such as counseling or therapy, or a good employee health benefits package so they may seek these resources on their own.

Create a supportive work environment:  A supportive work environment is essential for employees with mental illness. This could include offering flexible work arrangements, providing regular check-ins with employees, and encouraging open communication about mental health. A supportive work environment can help employees feel valued, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and productivity.

Encourage self-care:  Self-care is an essential part of mental health, and it's important to encourage employees to take care of themselves both inside and outside of work. This could include promoting healthy eating and exercise habits, encouraging employees to take breaks and practice mindfulness, and providing resources for mental health support. Offer them a gym membership discount, or other services to help them take care of themselves. 

Educate Managers and Supervisors. This could include providing training for managers and supervisors on recognizing the signs of mental illness, promoting work-life balance, and offering wellness programs for employees. Fight the stigma of mental illness. 

Lead by example:  As a leader or manager, it's important to lead by example when it comes to mental health. This means prioritizing your own mental health and modeling healthy behaviors for your employees. It also means being open and transparent about mental health and encouraging others to do the same.

Offer resources: There are many resources available for employees with mental health issues, including mental health hotlines, online support groups, and counseling services. As an employer, it's important to provide employees with information on these resources and encourage them to seek help when needed.

Recognizing mental illness in employees and providing them with support and resources is essential for creating a healthy and productive work environment. By being proactive, encouraging self-care, and leading by example, employers can help their employees become better workers while also promoting positive mental health. Remember, mental health is just as important as physical health, and it's up to all of us to prioritize it in the workplace. To learn more about how to support employees who may have mental health issues or illnesses, click here.