Leading the way to workplace culture: modeling what matters [Part 4]

Leading the way to a culture of mental health takes time and participation from everyone on the team. But your example has tremendous power to help employees see what it means to be a team player. When you can observe yourself clearly, create meaning, protect your limits, and stay focused, you give everyone permission to do it, too.

“We’re all curious about other people’s habits. So, when you see your leaders as a good example, you can be inspired by the work they do, but also how they manage their lives. Setting a great example is a huge part of promoting wellness as part of your company culture.”?

• Shula Melamed, Senior Behavioral Health Coach at Headspace Health

In this final installment of our Mental Health Awareness Month series, we’ll talk about how your journey with mental health can inspire others to join you.

Taking well-being from “me” to “we”

It’s not simple to interrupt business as usual to change your thoughts and behavior — even when it helps you feel your best. But your self-leadership growth process has a strong and direct bearing on how you lead others. Plus, your leadership style is likely reflected in your workplace’s unique culture. So as you improve your personal relationship with well-being, you may also see it spill over into the broader attitude of your teams.

“Modeling is one of the most powerful social contagions. If you think about toxic workplaces where leaders are stressed but not taking care of themselves, everyone else thinks they have to do the same thing. But if leaders are getting work done while prioritizing their mental health, they can send a powerful message about what efficiency looks like. When leaders make time to meditate, take a vacation, or do the things they love, they are being an incredible model of healthy behavior.”?

• Shula Melamed, Senior Behavioral Health Coach at Headspace Health

Leading with your own mental health shows your culture in action: You make work a happier place by taking good care of yourself. You don’t need to burn out to be a good leader. That’s why we’ve spent the last few weeks focusing on how you can meet the demands of work without sacrificing your mental health.

• When you’re self-aware at work, you show others the importance of knowing their strengths, weaknesses, and values.
• When you self-reflect, you set the example for challenging assumptions and taking accountability.
• When you take time for self-care, you teach people how to fuel high performance by putting themselves first.
• And when you’re self-directed, you demonstrate the focus and regulation behind doing your best work every day.

There are countless lessons your team can learn by watching you demonstrate these healthy habits. Even more, sharing your experiences at work can help break the stigma around mental health and encourage employees to adopt your good habits for themselves. Over time, your example can help everyone build their self-leadership skills and make work a happier place to be.?

So what can you do next?

Model your best habits at work. You don’t need to make a special display of meditating or resting but keep taking care of yourself. When your mood and productivity improve, your team will notice.

Start a conversation. Share your experiences with your teams, and encourage them to share too. Sixty-five percent of CEOs report talking about their mental health in the workplace, compared to only 35% back in 20201. These open dialogues – whether they happen in formal meetings, personal one-on-ones, or casual chats — can reveal important opportunities to improve well-being in the workplace.?

Follow through. Once you identify opportunities for change, acting on them shows workers that you care. Give them ownership over the change they want to see by getting the team involved in brainstorming, contributing to policies, or decision-making when possible.

“It’s important for employers to take on the responsibility of employee mental health because they expect people to perform their best. But we are humans who need to feel good. There’s a psychology of what keeps people at work, and it’s not entirely about salary and benefits. It’s about feeling valued and cared for.”

• Dr. Jon Kole, Head of Psychiatry at Headspace Health

Be patient. The shift in workplace culture won’t happen overnight. Keep experimenting. Keep trying. Keep engaging. Progress doesn’t require perfection, but small, consistent steps forward can take you farther than you ever imagined.?

Bring change to work

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re encouraging you to model the change you want to see in the workplace by being open and honest about mental health. This series of articles will help you focus on caring for your personal mental health so you can create the world you want to work in.?

In the meantime, start building more resilience, focus, and self-compassion with short exercises in the Mental Health Matters collection in the Headspace app.

If you’re ready to explore more tools and resources for encouraging a culture of mental health at work, get your copy of a leader’s toolkit for workplace mental health: https://www.headspace.com/model-what-matters.

1. 2022 Workforce Attitudes Toward Mental Health Report . (2022). Headspace Health.