Mindfulness is helping our people. And it can help yours too.

I’m going to share an open secret with you – our lives are full of stress. There’s the bill payments to think about, school fees, and the credit cards. We’re constantly thinking about work, the latest deadline, and that conversation with the boss. There are so many situations that are anxiety-provoking. And this is during our normal routines when we’re not even factoring in what’s happening today with the pandemic and the economy.

This may sound disheartening, but it doesn’t need to be. As economies open up after the lockdowns, many companies have addressed the vital issue of our physical safety. We also need to talk about mental health. Where I work, we take this issue seriously, as everyone should.

Research by the World Health Organization suggests that a negative working environment can impact both employees’ health and organizational performance. Depression and anxiety cost the global economy one trillion dollars a year in lost productivity. And yet, for every dollar put into treatment for mental health, there’s a return of four dollars in improved health and productivity.

One way of addressing mental health and helping our people is by using mindfulness. For a number of years across our region, we’ve sought to use mindfulness to provide a way for employees to destress. This includes weekly mindfulness sessions that are open to all, where they can come and share their feelings safely and without being judged.

Before I share more about what we do in the office and now increasingly online regarding mental health, let me explain what mindfulness is. Mindfulness is about paying attention to our thoughts and feelings in the present moment and accepting them without judging as to whether or not there is a right or wrong way to think in a specific moment or situation.

This technique helps our minds to focus on there here and now, rather than the future or the past, and allows us to become calmer and kinder to ourselves and those around us. The aim of mindfulness is to attune ourselves to our physical sensations, emotions and thoughts, so we’re able to better focus on the present, become less judgmental, and less anxious. Research shows that mindfulness can help calm both the body and the mind, and improve the overall well-being We’ve seen this with employees who have embraced mindfulness meditation.

So, where do you begin when it comes to mindfulness and the wider issue of mental health. At Schneider Electric, we practice a three-step routine, which begins with understanding – this helps encourage self-awareness of a person’s well-being. Recognizing allows us to acknowledge existing biases about mental health. The final step is taking action, by learning new strategies to improve personal and collective mental health, and how to build an inclusive environment.

In the spirit of helping others, I wanted to share a couple of simple steps that you can take with your teams to help them through this time.

Firstly, look out for and check-in with your people. Many of us are working remotely, and we’re missing the social connection. Many of us miss meeting our colleagues and friends, as it helps us feel socially connected and gives us a sense of belonging to the company.

By checking-in with your people, you’ll be able to gauge a sense of how they’re doing. Even though we may not be working in the office, and are physically separate from one another, we can still set up video conference calls, or even a telephone conversation. Be proactive, and reach out to your team.

Second, now you’re checking-in on your people, are you getting a sense of how they’re doing right now? What are they saying, and what are they not saying? How is their energy, their attitude? Read the room, so to speak, and feel how things are. Does this person need support?

Third, listen to them, without distractions and with your full attention. Give your colleagues the opportunity to be honest and open about how they are and how they feel, both mentally and physically.

Fourth, acknowledge your feelings and the feelings of others. We’re all going through so much, both at work and at home. And by recognizing and appreciating these emotions, you’ll empower yourself and others, make yourself and them feel better, and we will all be able to treat each other with more kindness and compassion.

Finally, give yourself and others time to respond. For many people, it’s hard to talk about their emotions. The initial process of mindfulness may feel challenging and frustrating. Let others have the time and space to be able to speak about their thoughts and feelings. Encourage this process through how you engage and respond with them, and you’ll see a change.

I want to end with a final piece of advice for my fellow human resources professionals. You will be under particular stress right now – your teams may be stretched, you’ll be challenged with creating new policies and reshaping organizations. If you are to support others, you must ensure that you are taking the time to take care of yourself. Make time for your own well-being, pause when you can and take a moment for your own mindfulness. When we are healthy, mentally and physically, we become better decision makers. And that’s what we all need to be right now.