Hello Welcome to this week's #PeaceTuesday, the topic today is "Protecting the Peace of Your Employees by Making the Work Place Safe and Healthy!"
@ILOAfrica @ILOAbuja @MercyCorps_NG @Plan_Nigeria @m_yayanko @farar_tattabara @Precious_Ajunwa @TheEllaGeorge @idealist

#PeaceTuesday #QOTD, “Mental health is an important topic and should be discussed more frequently. It’s not attention-seeking.”~ @brienblatt

#COVID19 pandemic has affected our lives in one way or the other and has also taken a toll on our #mentalwellness.
It has brought so much fear in us, led to increased stress and also contributed to overwhelming anxiety.
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As the pandemic stretches into the second year, people’s mental health continues to take a toll, and if mental health is not prioritized it can affect harmony in the workplace and organizational efficiency that was once there.
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Prior to the pandemic some companies were making efforts to prioritize workspace mental health. To those who were not, the pandemic has made them realize the importance of doing so. #DearEmployee, is your company prioritizing your mental health?
#PeaceTuesday #QOTD

According to an Employer Survey carried out by @unumnews in Sept 2020, 85% of employers were concerned about their employees’ mental health & wellness amid disruption with their children's school schedule given that employees combine #WorkFromHome & #HomeSchooling.
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The important question is how are employers prioritizing the mental wellness of their employees? What are some of the steps that can be put into place to ensure employees transition smoothly into a post-pandemic world?
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We are discussing some of the common practices that are being employed by some employers, our hope is that some of these practices inspire other employers to search for ways to support their employees and promote their mental wellness especially during this time.
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#WorkplaceWellness is any workplace health promotion activity designed to support healthy behavior in the workplace & improve health outcomes.
Employee wellness programs have been utilized by companies to support employees & help in reducing anxiety & stress.
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Our very own @wineamanda15 shared that at her workplace, the employer must provide
1) Health Exercise for Employees (Aerobic/Yoga)
2) Outbound Activity
3) Family Day

When employees are burned out & suffering, it is harder to be effective at their jobs.

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However, it's not just about having wellness programs but it's also about proper management of the wellness programs. To ensure the success of these programs it's important that they are well promoted within the organization, readily available, and run efficiently.
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Modifying practices and policies in the organization is also a form of support.
#MentalHealthDays are becoming a common practice in some organizations.
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For example, @LifeatSAP has implemented a #MentalHealthDay on April 27th, a day off for employees to do something for themselves & their families. We applaud this and would love to see more.
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@PaoniDJ, President of @SAPNorthAmerica
says, “It’s not just another day off, it’s a clear message from the company that it’s okay to relax. Healthier employees mean happier customers, so there is a business benefit in the long run.”

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#Wellness
#MentalHealth

Employee training is another method of supporting mental health at the workplace. Organizations are investing in mental health training for line managers, supervisors, and individual contributors to educate them about common mental health conditions.
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Now more than ever as employees begin to slowly return to the workplace, #mentalhealth training becomes important.

Empower them with training to cope with the changing time, deal with anxiety issues and overcome fears.

#PeaceTuesday #WorkplaceWellness #WorkersSafety

@Starbucks in collaboration with @MHFirstAidUSA is training their employees to identify, understand & respond to signs & symptoms of mental health and substance abuse issues.
Looking after your team is not only the best thing to do at this time but the right thing.
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We ( @galaxy4peace) understand that some of these might be actions might be challenging depending on the company & its available resources.
However, we believe companies can tailor some of these suggestions to fit their reality.
Employees wellbeing is the end goal
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For instance, if a company is unable to provide a mental day off, they can opt for flexible work hours or a half-day.

If they are unable to hire a #mentalhealth trainer, they can send a representative who will conduct a step-down training after being trained.

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We must eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health & open up room for conversations on mental wellness by providing a safe space for these issues to be openly discussed and addressed in our workplace.

How safe is your workplace?

#PeaceTuesday #Safespaces #EmployeeWellness

@DangeRussWilson says, "If we start being honest about our pain, our anger, and our shortcomings instead of pretending they don’t exist, then maybe we’ll leave the world a better place than we found it.”
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#DearEmployers, ensure you prioritize your employee's #mentalhealth as part of your post-COVID-19 plans.
The benefits of taking care of your employees outweigh the cost of doing so.
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Supporting employee's mental wellness will ensure a high level of productivity & efficiency in organizations.
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What other ways can employers support and promote mental health and wellness at the workplace? Your views are welcome, drop them below. Kindly, use the hashtag #PeaceTuesday in your contributing tweet.

A big thank you for joining us on today's #PeaceTuesday conversation!

Will you like to be a guest on any of our #PeaceTuesday chat?

Send us an email at [email protected]

This is @Bashirr_u, signing out on today's #PeaceTuesday conversation.

Stay safe & healthy!