Providing a Safe Space to encourage employees to take care of their mental health
Anxiety can be unpredictable and sometimes, many do not notice the symptoms and the effects can be debilitating. Ever feel like that task is nagging at you or that there’s this resounding feeling of dread that you cannot seem to shake? Maybe it’s an imminent deadline or something about the way your boss reacted that led you to think : “Did I do something wrong?” before you know it, you find yourself struggling to focus and obsessing over things that are out of your control. The truth is, many people, regardless of title, will likely experience (31% of all adults) some form of anxiety through their lifetime.
This cycle of anxiety may seem inescapable, especially when the things you’re obsessing about are work-related. During such times, many might be tempted to ignore these feelings of anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are the most common and pervasive mental disorders that can go unnoticed, how then can we create a safe space at work to help create a safe space to manage these feelings of distress?
Here are some suggestions to help create a safer space for employees to feel supported at work.
Lead by example
Employees feel pressured to match the hard work of their managers. If management staff goes on a holiday but can still respond to email, employees will feel like they need to do the same. Showing that managers prioritise self-care and set boundaries will encourage and signal to employees to have a healthy relationship with work.
Culture of Connection
Intentional Check-ins that go beyond “How are you?” and asking specific questions about what supports would be helpful. Wait for the full answer. Really listen, and encourage questions and concerns. What’s most important is to make space to hear how your team members are truly doing and to be compassionate.
Flexibility in Work
This comes with trusting employees. Flexibility Improves Communication, Creativity, Productivity, Engagement. The key here is giving employees the option to choose what works for them,
Communication
Over communication can help with managing mental health related stress. By keeping teams informed about any organisational changes or updates, and clarifying any modified work hours can help remove stress. Where possible, set expectations about workloads, prioritising what must get done, and acknowledging what can slide if necessary.
Resources for Mental Health
Destigmatizing mental health issues in the workplace is the first step. The next step is to consider incorporating and making professional mental health related resources easily available and accessible to employees (E.g. EAP offerings or other mental health benefits). Counselling for stress at work aims to identify the causes of an employee’s work-related stress. When conducted in a private and non-judgemental environment, it can help the employee to understand the cause of the stress, and find steps to manage and reduce it.
While talking to a counsellor may not fully eliminate stress, it can drastically reduce or shift the experience of “bad” stress to “good” stress. Employees may find it easier to embrace the benefits of stress, they’re likely to be happier and more engaged with their colleagues, leading to the creation of a more engaged workplace.
