Importance of Mental Health and Wellness in Facility Services
As we enter Mental Health Awareness Month, UG2 is reminding our employees, customers, and partners that putting people first means recognizing there’s no separating our workplace selves from our out-of-work lives. We understand that every one of us brings our whole self to work, and that having a safe, rewarding and fulfilling career means supporting our team’s emotional wellness as much as we do their physical health.
At UG2, we take seriously the advice from experts at OSHA and the World Health Organization that employers should leverage the workplace as a source of mental health resources and activities. Our foundational values prioritize putting people first, and since our co-workers and colleagues feel very much like family, taking care of one another is simply second nature. In fact, we have long made this a priority through the work of our senior leadership team—in particular through the efforts of UG2 Human Resources Team and other leaders in the organization like UG2’s Vice President of Culture and Community, Lauren Lanzillo.
UG2’s Human Resources and Benefits team provides employees with a range of outside resources for mental health and wellness.We also work to deepen our teams’ understanding of mental wellbeing, and we incorporate awareness efforts and practical tools and strategies into our employees’ everyday work lives.
Our commitments include incorporating wellness practices like mindfulness and gratitude practices; promoting a team environment that emphasizes mutual care and respect and is sensitive to the diverse backgrounds and needs of individuals. Additionally, we strive to create opportunities for team bonding and connection amongst team members through our numerous team programs and events. These events celebrate the value of interpersonal relationships and the immense importance of having a support system at work.
Supporting Wellness in the Workplace 365 Days a Year
Businesses see clear benefits from supporting employees’ wellbeing through activities and awareness campaigns focused on mental health and wellness. The McKinsey Global Institute found that every $1 invested in mental health initiatives yields a return of up to $4 in improved productivity. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) attributes untreated mental health conditions with multi-fold increased rates of missed work. And at UG2, we know that our successful efforts to build community and promote work/life balance are key to our high rate of talent retention.
Just like physical health, mental wellbeing can impact employees’ focus, decision-making, engagement—and, ultimately, their physical safety. This reality informs UG2’s longstanding focus on our employees’ wellbeing and leaves us truly committed to integrating an understanding of mental health and wellness into our program and policy development going forward.