How Leaders Can Best Support Employee Mental Health In 2023
In recent years, leaders have realised the importance of protecting their employees’ mental health and well-being. So, as 2023 approaches, mental health in the workplace remains a significant concern for the leaders trying to retain their employees.
As, the last few years have witnessed an adverse impact on people all over the world, workers worldwide had to adjust to significant changes in their workplace, such as working from home or dealing with pay cuts, due to the onset of the pandemic, while also coping with the personal difficulties posed by the widespread lockdowns.
Leaders will undoubtedly witness employees struggling with anxiety, sadness, burnout, trauma, and PTSD as employees transform various changes in the coming months and years. Thus, economic opportunities, citizenship status, work type, parental and caregiving responsibilities, and a variety of other factors will all impact those people’s mental health experiences. Allowing employees to express their opinions, outline their workplace expectations, and describe what they need to achieve professionally is the first step in providing employees with the support they need.
Here’s a look at what leaders can do to support employees’ mental health:
Support and empower
Providing employees with the means they need to improve their mental health is essential to support them. Leaders can consider providing training and tools that are easily accessible, a team of specialists, and internal and external helplines that employees can call on their own if necessary. They can also be considered readily accessible training materials, educational resources, and diagnostic tools. Additionally, a flexible workplace that encourages employees to give their all is needed. Thus, in order to create such a workplace, it will be crucial to pay attention to the needs of the employees.
Regular post-work gatherings
Employees should be aware that if they are experiencing mental health issues, they can seek help from their coworkers or the management. Moving this line of encouraging conversation to a more casual setting is the best way to accomplish this. Therefore, leaders can plan an out-of-office meeting with their team, which can take place weekly or monthly, at a cafe, a stroll through the park, or a coffee shop. When combined with practical in-office support, this more intimate setting helps to establish a sense of confidence in employees, who will feel free to openly discuss any problems they may be experiencing.
Promote healthy behaviours
Be more than just a voice for mental health. Set a good example for your team so that they can prioritise self-care and set boundaries. Leaders usually neglect their own needs to prioritise their team's success and the completion of the task at hand. Hence, to avoid burnout, tell them you're taking a staycation, going to therapy, or going for a walk in the middle of the day.
Opportunity to be Inclusive and Flexible
Leaders must recognise that the environment, their team's needs, and personal needs will all change over time. Thus, it is essential to check in frequently, especially during transitions. Only by being aware of what is going on, can you contribute to the resolution of any issues. Throughout those interactions, you can reiterate the standards and procedures that promote mental health. In addition, inclusive flexibility requires proactive communication, and norm-setting when people design and maintain the boundaries they require.
Expand the opportunity for exercise
Exercise is a well-known medicinal method for improving mental health and is beneficial when experiencing mental health problems. With hectic personal and professional lives, it can be difficult to motivate employees to fit exercise into their workdays. However, leaders can make simple changes to ensure that their teams get enough exercise. They can start having walking meetings, ditch the boardroom and plan various walks around town for each weekly meeting.
Final takeaway!
Employees who have not established strong, supportive relationships at work are more prone to the adverse consequences of stress on and off the job. However, leaders can assist their employees to relieve stress by making work more interesting, social, and enjoyable. Positive interpersonal interactions at work provide unrivalled support. In the coming year, businesses must adapt and focus on employee well-being.
