Battling Work Stress Like a Pro Leader

This Month’s Newsletter: Navigating Workplace Stress with Strategic Insight

As we enter Mental Health Awareness Week, it’s essential to address the pressing issue of workplace stress. If you’re feeling fatigued, rest assured you’re not alone. Leaders across various sectors are grappling with significant mental health challenges, exacerbated by a confluence of economic uncertainty, shifting consumer behaviours, and political upheaval. The current government seems to have inherited many of the issues left unresolved by its predecessor, leaving many of us with a sense of frustration and instability.

Why Does This Matter?

This landscape affects your employees profoundly. They are navigating the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades, and the outlook suggests a prolonged period of economic strain. As festive spending shifts from government support to personal budgets, we face a winter that may leave many feeling increasingly anxious and dissatisfied. This is likely to manifest in the workplace, where the pressure of heightened demands combined with reduced financial resources can lead to stress and burnout.

What Can You Do?

As a chief executive or leader, consider proactive measures to support your teams. Facilitating access to essentials, such as food, is crucial. Initiatives like subsidised workplace canteens or direct financial support for employees in crisis can make a tangible difference. Additionally, pursuing accreditation as a Living Wage Foundation employer not only demonstrates corporate responsibility but offers the opportunity to uplift peoples' salaries to a living wage.

The Imperative of Becoming Disability Confident

We are launching inclusion training specifically designed for employers, collaborating with qualified partners to enhance your ability to manage disabilities in the workplace. If your organisation has historically opted for costly severance packages for employees with disabilities, this training could result in significant savings and improve employee satisfaction. One senior director candidly expressed a desire to dismiss an employee frequently taking sick leave for mental health reasons—resulting in a ￡100,000 severance payout. A tailored course of therapeutic coaching would have cost a mere ￡2,500 and potentially reintegrated that employee back into the workforce, demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of investing in mental health support.

Dismissing an employee may seem like the easiest route, but the potential reputational damage and the negative impact on workplace culture are rarely worth the risk. Once you complete the training, you’ll find yourself equipped to foster a genuinely inclusive environment, improving your organisation’s reputation and performance in the process.

Prioritising Mental Health in Your Organisation

We encourage you to consider implementing Mental Health First Aid courses as a foundational resource. Esteemed charities like Mind offer training tailored to local employers, which can be invaluable in equipping your team with the skills to support colleagues. If you require clinical supervision for your mental health first aiders, we have team members available to assist. Furthermore, we’re launching a comprehensive mental health training programme to help leaders manage their own well-being and that of their teams effectively.

Exciting Developments in Coaching

At Successful Coaching, we have been busy expanding our services. We’ve onboarded four new professional coaches—experienced former CEOs and HR Directors with extensive expertise in leadership development. Investing in leadership during challenging times is not merely an expense; it is a strategic imperative that enhances organisational resilience and sustainability. Leaders need support now more than ever to navigate these turbulent waters.

Additionally, we’re pleased to announce the launch of our CEO programme waiting list. If you’re a new chief executive or an emerging leader aiming for that next step, please reach out to Anna at [email protected] to secure your place. The first cohort will be offered at a competitive rate, and our experienced coaches are eager to guide participants through this transformative journey.

Insights from Recent Projects

We recently completed a 14-month project with The RSA on preventing school exclusions. This project has culminated in a report, Lessons from the Frontline, which encapsulates our findings and offers valuable insights for stakeholders invested in educational partnerships for preventing school exclusions at locality levels. The work has involved coaching for local authority leaders, health, and headteachers as well as system leads to foster collaboration.

Enhancing Neurodivergent Coaching Services

We are excited to announce the expansion of our neurodivergent coaching services. Our new ‘done for you’ assessment service for funding applications is available for ￡149. Once approved, this can cover between six to twelve coaching sessions for individuals with long-term health conditions. Our coaching team, composed of specialists in mental health, autism, ADHD, and leadership, continues to grow, reflecting our commitment to supporting diverse needs within the workforce.

Charity Consultants UK Network

Our Charity Consultants UK network has launched as the first paid professional service of its kind, offering professional development and networking opportunities for charity consultants. Charities can now post free consultancy roles to a pool of over 450 consultants, creating a valuable resource for organisations seeking expertise. Membership is just ￡9.99 a month with no minimum commitment- but charities can post opportunities free. Charities and Members can find out more at www.charityconsultantsuk.com

A Notable Achievement in Sri Lanka

We are proud to report that our collaboration with Their Future Today has successfully secured ￡50,000 for a programme manager dedicated to the de-institutionalisation of orphanages in Sri Lanka. This achievement marks a significant step forward in improving charitable representation within the UK’s trust sector, which has historically overlooked Sri Lanka. If you are in a position to support their efforts, please do consider reaching out; every contribution helps children in desperate need.

As we navigate these challenging times, let’s commit to supporting one another and fostering resilience within our organisations.

Until next time, keep striving for excellence. Book in a time to speak to us if any of our team can help! We can work to budgets of all different sizes, so I am sure we can help.

Best regards, Anna Day and the team at Successful Coaching

www.successfulcoaching.co.uk