Workplace Mental Health: The Benefits of Rest
By Lindsay Bissett
“It’s very important that we re-learn the art of resting and relaxing. Not only does it help prevent the onset of many illnesses that develop through chronic tension and worrying; it allows us to clear our minds, focus, and find creative solutions to problems.” -Thich Nhat Hanh
What if I told you there was research that proved rested employees are more productive employees?
What if I told you not taking vacation time could be deadly?
A quick google search will uncover a ton of research, papers, and articles all about this topic. The benefits of vacation time is a widely discussed topic. Despite that, employers and employees often still struggle to prioritize it here in North America.
Vacation time can save your life
Forbes gets straight to the point by explaining how vacation time can actually save your life. Is that just a clickbait title? Well, no. A recent study by the World Health Organization found that 745,000 people died in 2016 from heart disease and stroke, due to long hours, and said the trend might worsen due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The research found that working 55 hours or more a week was associated with a 35% higher risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from heart disease than a workweek of 35 to 40 hours.
Working long hours was estimated to be responsible for about a third of all work-related disease, making it the largest occupational disease burden.
All this information can feel a little heavy, ominous really. Are you thinking sure, but that won’t happen to me? Me too.
We would be wise to remember that statistics are people. Each number is a person who also probably thought this would never happen to them.
Now we know that working long hours, and not taking rest/vacation time is detrimental to your health. It is likely that anyone can reflect on a time when they were not 100% healthy. Maybe it was a simple cold, maybe COVID, maybe worse. We can also reflect on those times and recognize, even without peer-reviewed research (although it exists), that we were not our most productive, cooperative, or best selves.
Some health challenges are unavoidable, but as the Mental Health Commission of Canada explains, workplaces can play an essential part in maintaining positive mental health. And if employers do not focus on wellness, they risk having less productive teams and losing their top talent.
Employees are realizing they need to prioritize rest because it is critical to their overall wellness; organizations need to prioritize the same because it is critical to their success.
Sounds simple? Maybe not, but your next steps can be.
Every business is comprised of people. From giants like Amazon, to local favorites like Tacofino, all made up of people. It is critical for businesses (people) to never lose sight of that.
Here are Three Steps to Help Cultivate Rest and Reduce Burnout
Step One
Know your people. Find out what their likes and dislikes are. Discover what motivates them inside and outside of work. Getting to know people – and connecting with them in an authentic way - takes time but is always worth the investment.
Step Two
Ensure people feel comfortable taking their vacation time and sick time. Leaders will be well served to model this behaviour: lead by example. There is no position, from entry level to CEO, where you can be immune to burnout and all the health challenges that come with being overworked. Other ideas include:
o Rewarding employees who, in the first quarter of the year, book all their vacation time that they will be taking throughout the year.
o When an employee gets back from vacation, even a staycation, have them share with the team their favorite simple pleasure or relaxing moment from their time away.
o Arrange a “backup” system. Employees may feel more comfortable going on vacation if they know someone is there to support their work during the absence. It is daunting to return to a full inbox and a bunch of overdue items.
Step Three
The third and final step will assure the first and second steps are a success: prioritize a psychologically safe and healthy workplace. The National Standard, by Mental Health Commission of Canada is a great place to start. This is a set of voluntary guidelines, tools and resources intended to guide organizations in promoting mental health and preventing psychological harm at work.
Adopting the Standard can help organizations with:
Productivity
Financial Performance
Risk Management
Organizational Recruitment
Employee Retention
If you take one thing from this post, I hope it is the reminder that organizations are people. People need rest to thrive, and to prevent them from becoming one of those awful statistics. Now go schedule some vacation time.
About Lindsay Bissett:
By day Lindsay is a Wellness and Disability Management Consultant, with a flair for social media and mental health advocacy. By night she is a mother of two, green smoothie aficionado, podcast listener, and active glamper.
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