Boosting Productivity and Well-being: Taking a Page from Ted Lasso's Playbook

These past three years have brought significant changes in our working lives, from the rise of remote work to increased workloads. And that has directly correlated with a surge in stress, anxiety, and depression levels among employees.

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) study, depression and anxiety cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion yearly in lost productivity. In 2020, 56% of employees reported having more stress, 43% reported a decline in their mental health, and 34% reported decreased work productivity. The numbers don’t lie — the pandemic triggered a mental health crisis, affecting both our personal and work lives.

As a business owner, I am responsible for supporting our employees’ well-being and creating a safe and healthy work environment. I also understand that my company’s success depends on my team members' productivity and mental and emotional health. Absenteeism, general lethargy, lack of communication and connection with colleagues — all are symptoms of a mental health crisis. And they hurt our bottom line. To ensure the collective health of my team, I realized that I needed to develop creative ways to make real changes. I owe what happened next to (you guessed it) Ted Lasso.?

In one episode, Lasso recognized that his team’s struggles on the field were not only due to their technical abilities but also to their mental and emotional well-being. He understood that to unlock their full potential, they needed support beyond physical training and tactics. Enter Dr. Sharon Fieldstone, a therapist brought in to address his players’ mental health.

Dr. Fieldstone created a safe and supportive environment for the players to discuss their anxieties, fears, and doubts and help them overcome them. She also taught them techniques to manage stress and improve their focus, translating into better field performance. In hiring Sharon, Coach Lasso showed his commitment to his team’s well-being and recognized the importance of mental health.?

As the episode's final minutes wound down, it hit me: I needed my own Dr. Fieldstone. And so, over the past few months, I’ve worked with my team to create a safe space for managers and employees to share their thoughts and struggles with an on-staff performance coach. This performance coach is available for them during company hours, and the personal work she assigns also takes place on the clock. It’s my way of saying to my team: It’s not just your work that matters — you matter.?

My door is always open for my team, and I recognize that sometimes I’m the person they need to share their concerns and fears with. But other times, they need a professional, someone unbiased and experienced in all things work-related. That’s where our performance coach comes in. Like Lasso, I recognize which aspects of my company require a head coach versus a Dr. Fieldstone, and I’m stepping back or forward as needed. Calling in an expert has ensured that my team shows up to every workday in the World Cup shape — emotionally, socially, and mentally. Lasso would be proud, I think.

And we're hosting a FREE webinar on Tuesday, May 9 at 10 am with our Performance Coach to talk about the basics of engagement - we're going to challenge you to think differently about what it means to truly engage with your employees. We'll discuss how engagement can drive productivity and share different strategies for engaging different types of employees. Bonus: We’ll share real case studies that worked, including ours!?

Click here to register to invest in your people and get better results!