Why Emotionally Intelligent Workplaces Are The Key To Employee Mental Wellness

{By: Keshav Mangla}

In today's corporate world, the buzz about mental health concerns itself with off-the-clock fixes such as mindfulness, physical activity, and even holidays. All of the mentioned solutions have their merits, but they only scratch the surface. The actual concern is mental wellness begins in the setting of most people's lives: the workplace. Emotionally intelligent corporate culture not only helps in the organisational wellness but also greatly improves employee mental health and wellness.

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The Link Between Emotional Intelligence And Mental Wellness

Emotional intelligence, the ability to empathise and understand with emotions on a personal and broader scale, is a crucial skill in the modern workplace. Its relevance is often labeled as a “soft skill.” In today’s corporate atmospheres, EI is fundamental to a healthy organisational climate. An emotionally intelligent leader is a successful leader because he/ she can navigate conflict, inspire the workforce, and provide support to employees at critical times.

Emotionally aware peers foster psychological safety, which promotes stress-free communication.

Once emotional intelligence is embedded in the structures and systems of the workplace, mental health becomes a central issue and conversation becomes natural in the workplace.

Why The Workplace Matters For Mental Health

Most workplaces manage to provide for employees in some areas while restricting in others. Multiple workloads, vague recognition, or lack of a proper communication platform at the workplace can lead an employee to burnout and can disengage the individual from the workplace. In contrast to the above statement, when the environment is overseen and managed in a supportive structure, the workplace boosts resilience, workplace creativity and satisfaction among employees.

Given that employees spend 8 to 10 hours at work, the office environment, communication patterns, and the office hierarchy can either safeguard the employee’s mental fitness or place it in danger. This makes attending to mental healthcare a very important focus for the workplace.

Building Emotionally Intelligent Offices

Such environments are not brought forth by a single campaign for employee wellbeing or monthly workshops. Emotionally intelligent workplaces require consistent measures ingrained in the workplace routines.

• Practice Empathy: Workplace leaders must listen to employee’s grievances, and validate their feelings while tending to the provided support. Responsive simple check-ins can go a long way in helping to manage stress.
• Encourage Dialogue Free Of Judgement: Encouraging open and honest conversations is best nurtured in an environment that is free from punishment and judgment. Psychological safety is a form of safety in which workers have a form of protection from verbal and mental harm because they are able to express themselves.
• Timely Recognition And Appreciation: Timely recognition of the simple verbal or written appreciation does a lot to boost workplace morale. Formal acknowledgment does not always has to lage.
• Train For Emotional Skills: Help your staff manage emotional conflicts, give appropriate feedback, and interpret and react to emotional signals from coworkers.
• Support Work-Life Balance: Safeguarding mental capacity and well-being relies on reasonable deadlines, personal time, and flexible working hours.

The Business Case For Emotional Intelligence

It is a proven fact that organisations that prioritise and invest in well being, productivity increases, turnover decreases, and collaboration strengthens. Employees who are happy and mentally well are more innovative and engaged and deeply committed to their work.

Mental wellness and well being is not solely a personal endeavor. Employers wield enormous power in the workplace to determine how safe, supported, and motivated employees feel. 
Emotional Intelligence can and should be embedded into the leadership, communication, and policy frameworks of a company for thriving to happen instead of mere survival.

The change starts here. When mental wellness initiates from work, it triggers a ripple effect that transforms culture and, ultimately, life.

The author, Keshav Mangla, is GM Business Development at Forteasia Realty.