Role Of HR In Employees' Wellness And Mental Health

Introduction Wellness and psychological health are two crucial areas of concern in any modern organization. Due to rising pressures of the modern corporate life, increased globalization, and impacts of the recent global pandemic, organizations cannot turn a blind eye to mental well-being anymore. Human resource department holds key importance here since HR is responsible for designing and implementing the programs that contribute to physical, psychological, and social health of its employees. This paper will look at the role of HR practices in promoting psychological wellness of employees in organizations. Based on the secondary data, such as textbooks, scientific journals, governmental reports, and case studies of specific organizations, the following HR practices will be discussed: Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), flexible employment options, mental health training, programs aimed at developing a safe and healthy organizational culture, and use of technology for promoting wellness among employees. Findings show that the well-designed programs implemented by the HR department are quite effective and can help to reduce absenteeism, increase employee engagement, and raise productivity of employees. On the other hand, many obstacles may appear such as social stigma associated with mental illness, lack of skilled staff, and budget constraints, which are especially important for SMEs.