Employee Well-Being

This week there was an interesting article released that likely went past many people without notice.

As we started heading back to work and back to school, the US Surgeon General released an advisory that parenting can drastically impact mental and physical health. The key to this is that it puts the advisory on parenting in the same sphere as previous advisories on opioids and smoking.

Let that sink in for a moment.

Now, you may not agree with the US Surgeon General, but it sheds light on yet another issue about mental well-being that can impact those around us.

Even as a father of four, I have not necessarily felt the stress as acutely as others. I have had a traditional marriage in which my wife has taken on the brunt of raising the kids even while holding a full-time job, as I gallivanted about in two careers with the army and business simultaneously.

But, the news did get me thinking that there may be truth to the finding and that it is another one of those unseen stressors that impact our employees, peers, and managers. It is true that the brunt of parenting often falls on one parent over the other, frequently “mom”, and can, at times, challenge career growth and potential.

Last week, I talked about how the beginning of September feels like the start of a new year. As we start back, is there no time for us to consider all the stressors that those around us face? Indeed, in many cases, those stressors remain unseen, whether it is finances, family, health, etc.

We are in a new age of work. In the past, you were expected to keep your outside work life separated from the workplace, but that was gradually changing and went completely out the window when COVID forced so many to work from home. Even today, in hybrid work environments, the lines between work and outside of work often get blurred.

This week's message is clear - it's time to reassess our perception of others. We must take a moment to look around and consider the challenges our colleagues may be facing, both within and outside of work. It's a call to suspend judgment and prioritize understanding, to truly comprehend the situations of our co-workers, employees, and managers.

This is essential for those in managerial leadership roles. It is a leadership function; as leaders, we need to know our people and promote their welfare. Knowing the stresses your employees are under is key to understanding their capability.

Far too often, we believe that others need to behave in a certain way but fail to "walk a mile in their shoes." We miss finding out what is really impacting and important to others. As we say with PTSD, when someone says they are fine, you need to dig deeper and be certain.

September is the beginning of this new year, an opportune time to understand where your people are and ensure you are looking after their best interests.

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