Exercises to Encourage Employees to talk about their mental health

Before the start of Covid-19 pandemic, nearly half of GenZ and Millennial population reported feeling stressed most of the time, citing family welfare, long- term finances and career prospects as primary causes. A recent survey of 12,000 employees, managers, HR leaders and C-level executives across the globe found that up to 89% reported that their mental health had been negatively impacted by the pandemic.

To be sensitive to this aspect of our life and to recognize the signs of a problem or offer support when you’re in a different location or time zone becomes imperative.

Here are some of the ways we can support and let employees talk about it:-

1. Acknowledging Mental Health:- One of the easiest ways to promote well-being is to allow “mental health days.”Also creating a “mental health policy” goes a long way as having a concrete policy reassures employees that their company is proactively addressing wellbeing and can create the openness required to make the discussions forthcoming.

2. Modeling Healthy Behaviors:- Since everyone has a mental health story, asking top-performing people in the organization to share their stories publicly is a good way to let employees know they’re not alone.

It’s absolutely alright to share that you’re taking a walk in the middle of the day, having a therapy appointment, or prioritizing a stay-cation so that you don’t burn out.

3. Check in Regularly :- Employees mental health may suffer if they feel isolated for long. Going days without communication may make them feel worried about their performance and disengaged. Managers must check in with their remote workers regularly to maintain their presence felt and keep them in loop.

A simple “good morning” or a quick video call to check on their health and wellness should be a regular routine.

4. Wellness Interventions:-. Conducting employee “wellness programs” to educate and provide resources for self care can go a long way in recognizing the importance of well-being. Also bringing in virtual therapist to discuss ways to recognizing symptoms, improving mental health and seeking help can be extremely helpful. Simple things like “building a community” at workplace and offering “peer support” supports mental health of employees.

5. Starting at the top:-

Despite the fact that over 200 million workdays are lost due to mental health conditions each year ($16.8 billion in employee productivity), mental health remains a taboo subject. Managers, HR leaders should make a move to share their experiences in all interactions with teams. Go beyond a simple “How are you?”. Really listen, and encourage questions and concerns without being overbearing.

6. Invest in Trainings:-

Trainings should be a norm for all employees and especially leaders to learn how to navigate mental health at work. Just the basic knowledge of tools they can use during difficult conversations and actions they can take to reduce the stigma in addition to an understanding of mental health conditions.

The good news is that change is possible.