Supporting the mental health of young workers

1. Encourage open communication

2. Support career development

3. Implement a peer support system

4. Promote flexible working

From guiding employees with their career development, encouraging flexible working and having good communication channels, there are many steps businesses can take to create a supportive culture.

Discover our insights below about how employers can take positive action to protect the mental health of their young workforce.

Encourage open communication

Fostering open communication in the workplace is a great way to make young workers feel like their mental health is supported.

For example, regular 1-2-1s with line managers are a good opportunity for identifying signs of stress early, and allows supervisors to create a plan to support the team member.

Businesses could also actively encourage employee feedback about how they can enhance their mental health support offering. Communicating positive changes with the workforce is important, showing that they are both cared about and listened to.

Other simple actions to promote this include putting up posters around the office that detail the resources on offer, such as access to therapists, wellness programs, and peer support networks.

Incorporating health benefits into the workplace, such as international medical insurance cover or employee assistance programmes (EAP), can help your employees stay healthy and productive, and allow them to get back to work promptly if they fall ill.

Take a look at our blog to learn more about the benefits of offering international health insurance to your employees.

Support career development

Providing training for young workers is an effective way to build confidence and equip them with the right skills to succeed in their roles.

Many young workers are often new to work life, which may feel like a daunting prospect. There are many ways employers can help them adapt to working life and reduce stress around this adjustment, including through structured onboarding processes, mentorship programmes and soft skills training.

To support their professional development, businesses can offer things like job-specific training, interactive workshops and networking opportunities. Some employers also opt to fund further education of young workers to develop core skills that enable them to meet their career goals.

Training can be tailored to suit individual employee’s needs, meaning they feel more satisfied and comfortable at work. For businesses, these programmes have the added benefit of keeping employees engaged, which can aid employee retention.

Implement a peer support system

One way that employers can support the mental health of their younger workforce is by introducing a peer support system.

This can reduce stigma around mental health and encourage employees to discuss their concerns in a less formal setting. It also allows colleagues to develop strong work relationships that could boost workplace productivity.

Peer support systems are able to play a vital role in the onboarding process when it comes to integrating newcomers into the organisation. For instance, it provides them with a space where they can ask questions and learn more about the company’s culture.

Not only this, but it can be a beneficial way for young workers to grow professionally. Their peer can offer mentorship, share their experiences at the company, and give advice on how to succeed within the organisation.

Additionally, providing line managers with dedicated mental health support training can reduce cases of absenteeism and build trust with employees. This training could help them to spot early signs of any problems, how to escalate issues faced, and how they can provide personalised support to their team members.

Promote flexible working

Flexible working has seen a huge increase in popularity in recent years, and can assist in attracting top young talent to your workforce.

Policies such as flexi-time, hybrid working and working from anywhere (WFA) can support the wellbeing of employees. For example, they can save them time and stress from commuting that can leave employees feeling exhausted.

These different working styles gives employees the freedom to decide on a schedule that suits their lifestyle needs, and can help improve employee retention as well as build trust with team members.

Adapting to a flexible way of working may reduce feelings of burnout by promoting a healthier work life balance. Also encourage employees to switch off during working hours, so they can spend time with their loved ones and have a chance to relax.

Read our blog to discover more about the working from anywhere trend and why it’s here to stay.