Mental health is something that often gets overlooked, especially in workplace settings. People deal with stress and anxiety at work differently than others, and most people don’t know what others are going through outside of work, either. Combine this with the additional stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a person’s mental health could be declining right before your eyes. And thinking specifically about the title industry, the sharp increase in home sales and refinancing during the pandemic has taken a toll on many title agents. Promoting positive mental health by finding a way to reduce emails, open the lines of communication, and help employees cope with stress can help both in the short-term and long-term.
Promote Open Communication
Most people don’t openly discuss mental health issues they are experiencing. This could be because they don’t want to be viewed as abnormal to others who may not be suffering from something similar. Or they may even think their job is at risk if they reveal the problems they are dealing with. As an employer, it’s important to always have open lines of communication to talk with employees. This could be the office manager, an HR staff member, or even someone outside of your organization. The main thing is to create the most comfortable environment as possible and always keep conversations confidential.
Educate Employees On Coping With Stress
Being a title agent is a stressful job when you think about all of the emails and phone calls you receive on top of the other complicated tasks to complete. A good title company resource like a virtual closing assistant may help reduce emails and phone calls to lower stress levels, but additional action may be needed as well. If people feel like their work environment involves being stuck to their chair for at least eight hours a day without taking any breaks, the stress can become overwhelming to the point where their mental health breaks down. Consider implementing built-in breaks, ordering lunch occasionally, and providing resources to help people who may be struggling with their mental health in silence.
Health Tips For Improving Mental Health
It’s amazing what a short 10-15 minute walk outdoors can do to refresh the brain. Promoting this type of exercise, along with drinking plenty of water, eating healthy snacks, and incorporating more mental breaks throughout the day can go a long way in promoting positive mental health. Being physically healthy isn’t always enough to combat mental health problems alone, but not being physically healthy can worsen them.
Mental health should never be taken for granted and title companies need to take positive steps to promote a comfortable workplace environment. Offering a mental health resource every day or week may be the most valuable title company resource you can offer employees outside of the things that allow them to do their jobs better.
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