Any good company needs to think about the mental wellness of its employees. Not only will this promote a happier office environment, but it will boost productivity and decrease turnover as well as the risk of burnout. At LinkNow Media, we’ve worked hard to create an office culture that balances productivity and wellness.

So, we thought it would be interesting to share our strategy for improving wellness at work. Here are five ways to improve wellness and foster a happy, fun, and engaged workplace!

1. Encourage Open and Honest Communication Within Your Team

It’s very important for employees to have a great line of communication with their direct manager. Forget the traditional hierarchies and grouchy, distant managers.

An employee’s relationship with their manager matters and it’s all about being able to communicate openly, honestly, and consistently with them.

Make sure to encourage communication with frequent 1-on-1 meetings with team members. One-on-ones are a great way to check in and see how each person is doing in a relaxed context. You can also use these meetings as an opportunity to get a little fresh air on nice days!

2. Implement a Quiet Space in the Office

If you have a loud workplace, it might be a good idea to designate a space dedicated to silence.

That way, when your employees need a break from the action, they have somewhere quiet to retire, meditate, read, and think. Noise-canceling headphones and white noise machines might also be appreciated by your employees who want an easy way to zone out and get their work done.

3. Offer Remote Working Days

As long as they get the work done, your employees should be able to have some flexibility in how they do things. Whether they’re in the office or not, trust your staff to get their work done on a schedule that works for them.

These days, most work can be done from home or an offsite location like a café. Offering remote working days allows your employees to enjoy a change of scenery and a change of pace. This can spark inspiration and create a better work-life balance.

It also sends the message that you trust them to be organized and self-directed, which results in greater well-being and often greater engagement in their work.

4. Give Your Employees the Recognition They Deserve

Your staff should always feel recognized and appreciated when they’re doing a great job. Send out messages of support and encouragement regularly, and make sure to note if someone’s done an outstanding job this past week or month.

When an employee feels seen for the work they’re putting in, they’re more likely to continue being engaged and productive. Never shy away from showing a little appreciation!

5. Encourage Mental Health Days

To show that you value your employees, encourage them to take personal days for themselves to de-stress and unwind. Whether it’s to spend time with their loved ones or to spend a little time on themselves and their hobbies, mental wellness is essential to a healthy workforce and a functional company.

Making room for mental health days allows people to be more productive when they come back to work rather than merely trudging along because they feel they have no other choice.

Take care of your staff, and they’ll take care of you too!