Mental Health Month has come and gone again. Come May, the social pages of every company you know are decked with mental health-themed ideas and insights. But do the struggles end just when the calendar turns the page?
Your team has some things going on, too, but let’s step back from the tokenisms this year and understand what matters.
What’s the mental health scene at work?
Some research from the UK has suggested that about 14% of employees are handling mental health issues at some point in time. Moreover, women are twice as likely to face mental health challenges at work than men in full-time employment.
These challenges, also termed psychosocial risks by the WHO, can have many causes that are directly related to the workplace, such as:
- Not having work that matches skill sets ⚒️
- Lack of control at work 👊
- Unsafe working conditions 🍃
- Lack of support from others at work 😞
- Toxic behavior from colleagues or seniors 😢
These are just a few examples of “small” things that can trigger mental health problems for individuals at work, which are not solved by social media posts and DIY activities.
To make it worse, the rapid shifts at work due to the pandemic and a forced return to office for most workers have made the situation even more precarious.
What should a manager do in mental health week?
No, this is not a list of team-building activities you must do. Here’s something else:
Reduce psychosocial risks for your team members:
Microaggressions, playing the victim card, toxic communication patterns, constant conflicts, micromanagement, and so on contribute to the bad mental health of your team’s employees. Be proactive in dealing with these behaviors and create an environment that cherishes instead of endangers them.
Build psychological safety for your team
Constant threats of consequences, a lack of surety about the future, limited information sharing, and over-controlling seniors can evade a sense of safety and security at work. Limit these factors and let your team feel like they belong; you will see performance like never before.
Some of your team members will have mental health issues
Managers and workplaces must accept that that’s a fact before issuing diktats aimed at perfection. Research suggested that around 13% of all absences were accounted for by mental health conditions. As a result, workplaces need to be equipped with the right support mechanisms, which can include:
- Healthcare policies inclusive of mental health conditions
- Considering mental health leaves as sick leaves
- Train managers in active listening and empathy
- Create helpful opportunities for employees to handle stress, anger, and negative emotions
- Ensure that accommodations are provided to people that augment their working capacity
The activities are great, and your team will probably have a great time collaborating on something fun but remember, mental health is beyond the event calendar. It’s a real area that matters to your team much more than metrics and KPIs.
What’s cooking in the Doodle office?
