It’s no secret that work can be stressful. In fact, 15% of employees are looking for new jobs because they can’t take the stress at work anymore. This is costing employers billions in lost productivity, wages, and benefits! A recent Colonial Life study found that half (50%) of workers lose up to five hours every week due to stress caused by their job. According to Mind Share Partners’ 2021 Mental Health at Work Report, 84% of employees polled reported at least one workplace factor had negatively impacted their mental health in the past year—the most common being emotionally draining work (37%) and challenges with work-life balance (32%). That’s why it’s so important for companies to provide their employees with opportunities to de-stress and recharge. At Horizon Companies, we have implemented several programs geared towards the well-being of our employee’s mental state. These initiatives are just a few examples of how Hill-Johnson & Weinstein puts mental health first.

Mental Health Days
At Hill-Johnson & Weinstein, we believe that it’s important for our employees to take a mental break from work and recharge themselves. That’s why we offer company-paid Mental Health Days. All team members are offered one Mental Health Day per quarter to use for whatever they need. Whether it’s taking a day off to relax at home or going on a weekend getaway, our employees can use their Mental Health Day however they see fit. We believe that this benefit helps our team members stay productive and healthy both mentally and physically.

Additional Paid Time Off for Community Service
In addition to our Mental Health Days, we also offer our employees an additional 40 hours of paid time off per year of employment to participate in community service and charitable activities in their respective areas. We believe that giving back to the community is important and are proud to offer this benefit to our team members. We feel that this benefit helps our team members feel good about what they do both at work and in their personal lives.

Wellness Wednesdays
Lastly, we have Wellness Wednesdays where we provide a weekly email blast to our team focused on various wellness-related subjects. These emails help initiate discussion topics amongst team members that are non-work related. We find that these discussions help our team members get to know each other on a personal level and build relationships that extend beyond the workplace.

Our Property Manager, Kandis Johnson said it best when she stated, “We believe our people are our biggest asset and therefore we have a duty of care for those we hire and employ. Genuine care for our team members expands outside their work duties to all aspects of the person, including their emotional and psychological well-being. By creating a work culture and environment where employees feel safe and supported to discuss these types of subjects, we believe has a direct positive impact on overall employee engagement and performance.”

Mental health is one of the most important, but often overlooked, aspects of employee wellness. That’s why Hill-Johnson & Weinstein is putting the mental health of our employees center stage and we hope other companies join this trend. We feel that these initiatives are a great first step that allows our team members to feel supported both mentally and physically. We know that a healthy mind leads to a productive workforce and we are committed to providing the best possible environment for our employees.