What is a Mental Health Committee and Does Your Company Need One?

Poor mental health in the workplace can be just as detrimental to a company’s bottom line as poor physical health. And while many employers understand the importance of promoting and protecting the mental health of their employees, they are often at a loss as to how to do that.

One solution that is being implemented in some organizations are Mental Health Committees. If you are considering starting such a committee in your business, here is what you need to know.

What is a Mental Health Committee?

A Mental Health Committee is a group of people within an organization (hopefully that includes representatives from both labour and management), that is mandated to provide mental health solutions and resources within that organization. Although its duties may vary depending on the size and nature of the organization, generally this committee can be expected to assess risk, provide resources to workers, promote mental wellness strategies, evaluate the effectiveness of mental health programs, and to make adjustments to mental health policies and programs as needed.

Often, the Mental Health Committee is a subcommittee of the Health and Safety Committee, but it is not necessarily so.

Does your Company Need a Mental Health Committee?

Every workplace regardless of size should have mental health policies in place – along with personnel who are responsible for seeing these policies are carried out. Not only will these help to protect workers, but the company itself will also benefit from improved morale and increased productivity.

Whether or not a company should have an actual Mental Health Committee, however, will on a number of factors including:

Company Size

The larger a company or organization is, the more likely it is that it will benefit from having a Mental Health Committee rather than just an HR person to carry out mental health policies. Particularly in companies with multiple departments, it will be easier to assess risk if the work is done via a committee.

Risk

Mental illness can pose a risk to companies in any industry, but that risk is substantially more in high-stress fields. The more pressure that your employees face on a daily basis, the more consideration you should give to implementing a Mental Health Committee.

Company Resources

Although implementing a Mental Health Committee need not be an expensive undertaking, time and human resources are still required.

How TeksMed Can Help

Regardless of whether implementing a Mental Health Committee is the right choice for your organization, taking steps to protect the mental health of your employees is critical to your company’s success and your bottom line.

At TeksMed, we offer employers a range of mental health solutions, including our QuikCare Thrive program which gives your employees access to preventative strategies, screening and self-management solutions through an accessible, user-friendly app.

For more information on how we can help your business, contact us today.