How's your team holding up?
Folks, it’s been a rough couple of years (yeah, I have a gift for understatement). And for every pressure you as a leader have experienced, your employees have probably gone through something similar, with the additional challenge of feeling they have less control over things. And well, we’re all feeling a bit mentally fragile these days, especially people working remotely. So let's talk about mental health!
Mental Health: More than a Remote Concern
It’s nearly impossible to identify all the ways the pandemic changed society. With so many of us working remotely over the last couple of years, and with so much happening to trigger mental health issues, let’s take a look at what has changed and how you can help your people.
If there’s one silver lining to the situation (and that if is doing some heavy lifting), it’s that we’ve started normalizing mental health care, a long-overlooked need for people in general.
As people were cut off from social support at in-person workplaces, it took a huge toll, especially among young workers and underrepresented groups. The Harvard Business Review found that 76% of people had at least one mental health symptom last year, up 20 points from 2019. Substance abuse is on the rise too, with about one-third of people reporting more use of things like alcohol and opioids.
This is all tied in with employment, as people reported emotionally draining work, feeling disconnected, and having their work/life balance upset. The good news is that employers are responding with more investments like additional time off and mental health training. But we need more of a total culture shift than just a few extra perks.
You can’t solve everything in your employees’ personal lives, but you can minimize the degree to which work impacts them.
Familiarize yourself with resources like the Center for Workplace Mental Health. They have a lot of great information on topics from substance abuse to the mental impacts of returning to the office.
Take it easy on virtual happy hour. Alcohol certainly lubricates the social machinery, but when you can’t be sure who struggles with what, you should be careful about what behavior you encourage.
Keep discussions focused on performance. You can’t legally inquire too closely into employee health issues, including mental health and substance abuse, so make sure you frame any talks with your people from the work perspective.
Be open about the company supporting mental health. You can’t ask employees about issues like substance abuse, but you can be sure they know how to use the resources available. Take a top-down approach that helps staff know you are in their corner and putting them first.
There aren’t a whole lot of topics trickier than this, and it’s easy to make missteps that can get you in trouble. Consult an HR professional to help you foster a mental health positive workplace. We can introduce you to one if you don't have one. And don’t be afraid to seek feedback directly from employees on how you can help them succeed. They'll appreciate it.
One other good thing about a workplace supportive of mental health is that it’s a place people want to work. Everyone wins when you make your people the top priority. For even more help, the Bureau is also full of people you can talk to for great ideas and advice. If you’re not a member yet, join us! Together we’re stronger than we are alone.