CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A new report is raising questions about the benefits of mental health days. A report released from America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) says more companies are offering mental health days, and many people take them when they feel like they need a mental health break.
But, the report cites worksite wellness specialists from Forbes who say the need for mental health support at work needs to go beyond a day off. They actually state that mental health days are not a great way to deal with those who have mental health concerns for a couple of reasons.
Here's just a few:
Mental health days can mask true burnout, which may not get addressed.
They are reactive rather than proactive, meaning you're taking time off rather than dealing with what you might need for support.
Mental health days may make you feel less stressed when you return, but it's often a short-term solution and not a long-term coping mechanism.
Two-thirds of employees in one survey said within days after returning, they were just as stressed out as before they took time off.
You need time off, but it doesn't mean others are better off without you there. If you give people added support, it helps you cope with short-term mental health overload.
What works better is the day plus added help, added training, added employee assistant programs among other things.
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