Why it’s Important to Maintain Physical and Mental Well-being

As we’ve recently passed the one-year anniversary of the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important to remind ourselves that the process of recovery is more than what may meet the eye. In addition to the challenging recovery process of our physical health, healthcare systems, and economy, we must recognize the importance of mental health and well-being. 

While for the past year the focus has remained primarily on the physical health of the global population, as we adjust to this “new normal,” it’s critical to emphasize mental health. The past year has challenged us to rapidly adjust to unique and uncommon situations. Whether it be working from home, or not having the ability to interact with family and friends as we’re used to, the COVID pandemic has taken a toll on life as we once knew it. 

We’ve all been in similar boats over the past year. While we can’t compare one another’s pandemic experiences apples to apples, it’s important to be aware that we’ve all had a challenging time over the year. 

This sentiment not only applies to yourself, and your family and friends, but also to your employees and coworkers. Paying close attention to the physical and mental well-being of your employees is more important now than ever before. A Kaiser Family Foundation poll in April 2020 found that 45% of adults claim that anxiety and stress related to COVID-19 have had a negative impact on their mental health. 

Physical Well-Being

While we’ve begun to see improvements in the recent COVID rates, it’s critical to remain aware and cautious of proper protective practices. Ensuring that your employees feel they are in a safe work environment involves both their physical and mental well-being. Feeling as if they are unsafe and that their work environment poses health risks may likely lead to stress about whether to continue putting themselves at risk or to risk leaving their work environment and losing their financial stability. 

Ideally, physical well-being wouldn’t be a deciding factor in an employee choosing to leave their workplace, but it’s not impossible. As companies begin discussions regarding how and when to bring employees back to the office, it’s critical to consider not only the success of the business but also the feelings of your team. 

Right now many businesses are questioning how to approach the COVID vaccine in the workplace. While not all employees may be interested and willing to receive the vaccine, requiring employees to receive the vaccine may improve the physical health of your team over time. 

It’s a challenging decision whether to prioritize the opinions of those who are interested in protecting their physical health by receiving the vaccine, or those that are not willing to take the risk of receiving such a recently developed vaccine. Either way, both viewpoints pose an important challenge in the prioritization of the physical health of team members. 

Another way to encourage employee physical well-being is by ensuring that your business offers affordable health benefits. Health insurance doesn’t have to be as expensive as many people often think. Offering your employees a comprehensive plan to cover them in the event of health needs helps promote respect within your organization in addition to keeping your workforce healthy and available. 

Offering health benefits to your employees also helps promote their investment in preventative care. Only approximately 50% of Americans without health insurance got annual checkups last year. Maintaining good preventative care helps avoid more serious health problems in the future. Early diagnosis and preventative care can eliminate the need for unaffordable necessary care down the line. 

Not only is it important to ensure that employees are offered accessible medical coverage, but ensuring that they take advantage of some amount of coverage is both in their best interest and yours. An unhealthy workplace is not a place where workers want to be and are less likely to execute productive work.