Allowing employees to choose when and where they work can help mitigate mental health challenges .
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seeking support for fear of being seen as weak .
It ’ s important for leaders to be mindful of the language they use to foster mentally safe and supportive working environments .
Workplace flexibility
Evidence-based research about the outcomes of mental health awareness and wellness programs is currently lacking . These programs are wellintended , and experts are optimistic that we will have a better idea of what really works once we have more data . In the meantime , there is something employers can do immediately to prioritize the mental health of their employees : allowing them to choose when and where they work .
Flexibility has been proven to work well in many jobs over the past few years , including in larger organizations like 3M Canada and Desjardins Group , as well as small and medium employers like Auvik Networks and GSoft .
Unfortunately , flexibility can sometimes lead to boardroom debates about how many days in the office employees should work . As a result , what was initially intended as flexibility can inadvertently lead to rigid remote work policies . Workplaces need to be aware of this .
True flexibility , without the need for employees to justify themselves , can help mitigate mental health challenges . By allowing for downtime and encouraging employees to do activities unrelated to their work ,
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