Supporting Employees’ Mental Health and Wellbeing

According to the Mental Health Foundation one in seven people experience mental health and wellbeing problems at work. A figure that is likely to increase significantly this year due to the seismic impact of Covid-19.

If you’re a leader or manager how you support employees’ mental health and wellbeing with so many working remotely or furloughed will be front of your mind.

That is why we selected it as our topic for our second Engage for Success online forum. Fifty-eight people shared the expert advice by Natasha Wallace, Head of Wellbeing at Clear Review and Founder of Conscious Works. Missed it? You can watch a recording here.

Too little time? Then read on…

What your employee needs from you as their manager

According to Natasha employees would like their managers to:

• check in with them regularly as part of their development, not limited to the performance management timetable.
• listen, to be able to coach them and be curious and non-judgmental. The ability to coach has never been more important.
• open the conversation and provide a safe space for it; to ensure there are no downsides to disclosing feelings or anxieties and respect the high price people put on their psychological safety.
• not assume you as their manager has all the answers. The last thing they need is for you to be over-supportive or try to micro-manage them.
• be flexible and allow them to work when and how they work best within the constraints of the job. Lack of flexibility increases stress, deleterious to mental health.
• be able to identify the signs of when they are struggling. Common signs being someone withdrawing, under-performing or working long hours. Long hours can sometimes be a sign of them avoiding their mental struggle.

What your team needs from you as their manager or leader

• lead by example and demonstrate the values and behaviours you want your people to follow; to not violate these and to be consistent in your approach; to quality assure the messaging coming out of senior leadership so that it’s consistent too.
• highlight the importance of self-care and reflection time, especially for those in ‘hero mode’; to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• talk from experience and share your own wellbeing challenges, if possible, or be able to relate to those with them; recalling Brene Brown’s findings that the best leaders are those with the courage and  emotional intelligence to ‘dare greatly’ and share their vulnerability.
• allow your teams to co-create the solutions themselves and decide how and when they discuss wellbeing or stay in touch.
• foster an environment and culture where feeding back and disclosing feelings is the accepted norm and to create opportunities for this.

How to make wellbeing a business priority

Clear Review have made wellbeing a business priority, some tips to do this are:

• a manifesto defining how they work together.
• bi-weekly ‘Wellbeing Wednesday’ forums preceded by a short pulse survey for people to check-in on how they are.
• special forums to discuss what is going well, what isn’t, and possible remedies.
• a ‘guardians group’ that employees can refer themselves to in order to confidentially discuss issues they don’t feel comfortable sharing with their manager or teammates.

Give mental health the profile and resources it deserves

Some tips to achieve this could include:

• investing in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), through setting up a network such as a ‘guardians group’ can suffice if your budget is tight.
• training in coaching skills for managers, psychological safety, growth mindset, self-care and resilience.
• improving managers’ and leaders’ self-awareness and awareness of others.
• developing an effective performance management framework and encouraging the giving and receiving of feedback.
• the provision of external wellbeing coaches and counsellors.
• signposting to information from charities such as Mind or MHFA or useful apps such as Mood, and Headspace.

Have your say and tweet us @ClearVoiceComms

Helpful? Our Online Forums are giving managers and leaders the insights vital to supporting people to perform and engage during this challenging time. To find out more contact Silke Brittain or register for our next forum below.

At ClearVoice Comms, we are experts in delivering people insight, engagement and culture change strategies that inspire your people and transform your business. We influence change through the power of insight to improve your company’s performance. For more information on how we can help with mental health and wellbeing during this challenging time, call or email us today and let us show you how the power of communication can change your business.