Why Speaking About Mental Health as a Leader is Not Brave—but Necessary.

On February 21 I decided to share my own experience with burnout. I did so because I was observing in my friends, colleagues and on social media the same "warning signs" that I was experiencing late in 2020 and early 2021. I am not overly surprised that the original article spread like wildfire throughout both the legal profession and the business world as many seem to be going through the same experience. The Globe and Mail recently featured an article on the subject, referencing the experiences of many, brainstorming causes and offering some possible remedies.

Since my article, I have received messages from hundreds of lawyers, business professionals, self-employed entrepreneurs and employees of all levels. I have had helpful discussions with people at various stages of their journey towards a healthier career. I have also heard from many young people, mostly lawyers, who were on the same dangerous path that led me to my own struggles. My discussions with young lawyers were most helpful in realizing that sharing my experience was not just a "brave" thing to do —as some have said—but a necessary thing for me to do as a leader in my firm and in the profession. Talking about mental health and well-being needs to be normalized.

Younger people or new members of your organization may not yet know how leadership will react to any sign of "weakness" or need for support. In high performing professions, most of us have always exceeded expectations, been the top of our class, received awards for our hard work, and been rewarded with bonuses for exceptional hours. Other than the need for direction regarding new substantive problems we encounter in our work life, we rarely have had the need to ask for help or accommodation. Getting help to maintain boundaries, ensure your well-being and carrying a manageable workload is not "weakness" but a way to ensure the continued success of your career and the organization that you work with.

And it starts with our leaders. Here are some wonderful ideas shared with me by others of how other leaders can (a) help those that they work with feel comfortable with disclosing that they need assistance and (b) help their team maintain a more healthy and productive work life:

• In addition to checking in with people regarding workload, normalize asking people how they are feeling and share your own experience. Those who are struggling may feel the need to maintain their same workload at a time when they should be scaling back. The more that team members hear their leaders talk about mental health, the more people will be comfortable sharing when they are struggling.
• Create an environment where taking real time off is actively encouraged. Ask when was the last time one of your mentees took a vacation. Suggest that they take what is allotted to them. Help them direct email communications on urgent matters to others within the organization so that they can truly disconnect. Do not contact people who are on vacation unless there is a real and pressing crisis that only they can possibly deal with.
• Model healthy behaviours. Take time to reflect on your own health and wellness. If you are implementing any changes, talk about them with your teams. If you have a self-help routine that drives your performance, share it with others. It is normal for your subordinates to model the behaviours demonstrated by leaders. Taking time to improve your own wellness will have a positive impact on those around you.
• Ensure that there is awareness of available resources. Consider having a single location that outlines your organization's mental health resources. Include in that location: the contact information for any Employee Assistance Program, details about any short-term or long-term disability programs and the information required to access those programs, who the employee should contact within the organization to request a leave of absence, and any proactive programs that the organization has to assist with mental health challenges (such as wellness apps, employee support groups, mental health mentors etc.). If an individual is experiencing a mental health crisis, even sorting out how to access the help they will need will seem overwhelming. Make it easy on them.
• Actively manage workload. The World Health Organization recently classified burnout as an occupational phenomenon. A key element of burnout is chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It includes increased mental distance from one's job, feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job, feelings of energy depletion/exhaustion and reduced professional efficacy. Many who I have spoken with indicate that these feelings began for them due to workload issues - both having too much of it as well as having too little meaningful work. Ask whether individuals on your teams have too much work or if they need more work that is meaningful to them. Review available performance data and watch for individuals that routinely work beyond desired levels. Actively share the workload around more equitably. Hire more people when necessary before your team approaches burnout.
• Involve your people in projects to improve the workplace. A common question that I have been asked since I shared my experience is what can organizations do to build a better environment for their people. I replied briefly to one tweet by saying "a) ask people what they need, and b) give it to them." A lot of leaders make assumptions about what might be helpful or are approached by vendors with the next greatest program or application. What people need may actually not cost any money and may just be a daily annoyance that they experience in their workflows. Involving your people in these discussions may lead to some very easy solutions that improve the quality of the work life.
• Evaluate and reduce non-essential meetings. Face-time at meetings that are not essential for advancing work product is a source of much time and frustration. With only so many hours in every day, a workforce needs time to do the work. Take a critical look at your ongoing meetings organized by all aspects of your organization. Can any be combined? Can any be eliminated? Can the attendee list be reduced? Can essential information be communicated in other ways? Can Podcasts or On-Demand videos be created? The less time people spend in meetings, the more time they have to complete their work and the more time they have to themselves for self-care when the workday ends.
• Organize smaller meetings involving active discussion. Where meetings are necessary, consider whether they can be in smaller groups which encourage active participation and the sharing of ideas rather than a setting where a few leaders speak to a large group. Active discussion and the sharing of ideas can assist in alleviating feelings of "negativism and cynicism" that is a key component of burnout. It helps people feel that their opinions are valued and that their attendance at the meeting is for a purpose.
• Consolidate non-essential email communications. For many professionals in many industries the proliferation of email communications is a huge problem. For me, personally, I receive between 150 and 200 emails every single day. Individuals in large organizations receive a large number of internal emails. Ask yourself if any of this information can be consolidated into a weekly email containing essential "must-read" information. Consider whether there is another location to post the information - such as an internal website. Consider whether your team can implement or better use tools like Slack or Jabber to move discussions out of the email inbox. Consider restricting the use of the "reply all" button.
• Actively guard employee personal time. Do not email or call team members outside of their regular work hours unless there is an emergency. Normalize that practice throughout your teams. Make use of Outlooks "delay delivery" feature for that purpose. If you notice an employee contacting you outside their work hours, have a discussion with them about why they feel the need to do so. Actively encourage them to protect their time. I recall my old boss sending me a kind email after I had emailed him a research memorandum late at night on a weekday. He thanked me for the work but encouraged me not to spend time in the evenings working on non-urgent tasks and that the time is better used with my husband. That email has stuck with me all of these years.
• Treat mental health like any other business risk. A burnt out, unhealthy and disengaged workplace is a legitimate business risk. It should be treated just as seriously as other risk areas such as cyber security or physical health concerns. The risks involve include both the quality of the work product as well as loss of profitability. In almost all industries, the most valuable resource is the people performing the work. Active and purposeful steps towards supporting and improving the mental health of your workforce needs to be taken.

I'd like to thank everyone who has been in touch with me after my first article. I will never have the time to reply to everyone but know that I appreciate the support, words of wisdom (some of which I have repeated above) and the time you have spent sharing your stories. Although I have not always replied, I have read and will continue to read every message. There is truly an army of fantastic people out there who have forged brilliant careers out of their own challenges. Together we will build a better workplace and profession for everyone.

Take care of yourselves and others,

Erin Durant