Mental health is having its long-awaited moment in the workplace. More and more people have come to recognize just how significant an impact anxiety, depression, burnout, and other mental health issues can have on a person’s well-being.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought many of these problems at the forefront, in part because it revealed how fragile our mental health is. While the pandemic didn’t necessarily cause these problems, it made problems worse for some and helped open up the dialogue for others.
While more leaders and their employees can now talk about mental health without the stigma, we still have a long way to go in terms of leaders adequately supporting the mental health of their team. Mental health has profound implications for workplace performance and the employee experience, which is why it should be a top priority for all leaders. If the mass exodus of workers over the last 6 months has taught us anything, it is that people are much less tolerant of compromise what is important to them.
Why the mental health of your team is important to you
While you don’t need to be anyone’s therapist, as a leader, you do need a basic understanding of how mental health works and how a person’s job can affect their well-being.
Case in point: “Toxic workplaces,” those defined by bullying, rudeness, and disrespect, have been directly related to symptoms of insomnia, which itself is often associated with clinical depression. With work being such an important part of an employee’s life, being forced to endure countless hours in a toxic environment can be extremely detrimental to their mental and emotional well-being.
Not surprisingly, these issues can also be extremely detrimental to a company’s bottom line. Studies have consistently found that happy workers are more productive. Untreated mental health problems can directly affect their performance at work, and if a person’s mental health problems are directly related to their job, they are likely to quit in an effort to improve their well-being.
If your concern is purely utilitarian, and you feign concern to help ensure performance levels don’t drop, people will take notice. Concern for the mental health of your team must stem from a genuine concern for them as human beings and the pleasure they experience in contributing to your organization. Treat performance results as a result of that kind of leadership. Treating people only as a means to an end is a sure way to damage your mental health and your team’s performance.
Recognize the signs of someone who is struggling
Like Mike Kogan, assistant counselor at Care Counseling Center He explained to me, the first responsibility a leader has is to recognize when someone is struggling. “When mental health problems get worse, you will often see behavioral changes in the affected person,” he explains.
“We all have bad days from time to time, but leaders must account for a seemingly sudden and lasting change in an employee’s behavior or temperament. They may become increasingly withdrawn or irritable, or easily angered. They may display erratic behavior or be less inclined to engage with co-workers. Increased absenteeism is also common as these problems get worse.”
By being able to recognize the signs, Kogan explains, leaders can start a conversation where they can express concern for the employee and see if they need (or are already seeking) help.
You should not feel uncomfortable approaching team members when you notice these changes. Remember, your job is not to diagnose or make sense of the changes. Your job is simply to let people know that you’ve noticed and that you care. You can say something like, “I’ve noticed you’ve been quieter than usual. I’m not trying to pry, and you don’t have to share anything you don’t want to, but I wanted you to know that I noticed this and am concerned. If there’s anything I can do, or if I can be a listening ear, please let me know.”
A leader compassionately listens to the concerns of his team members.
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Work to create a culture of connection and psychological safety
However, employees may not be willing to talk about their mental health if your office hasn’t actively fostered a culture of connection and psychological safety, where they can feel safe to express themselves openly and talk about the challenges they may face.
“People need to feel like they belong, that they matter, and that their organization values them,” says Kogan. Otherwise, work can be an incredibly isolating experience, and that feeling of isolation can make mental health symptoms even worse. Leaders must consistently demonstrate empathy and understanding so employees can feel empowered to raise concerns about workplace stressors.”
Even with an open work culture, employees may be concerned about discussing their mental health issues with their boss, especially if their challenges come in part from the work environment. Providing options like an anonymous tip line or contacting Human Resources can give employees more avenues to address any workplace stressors that are having an impact on their mental health.
And don’t forget that one of the biggest stressors your team may be dealing with is you. You may inadvertently be putting undue pressure on them, making unreasonable requests, or abruptly changing your priorities. To make sure you’re not the problem, make sure people know you value their feedback. Say something like, “I realize we’re under a lot of pressure these days, but the last thing I want is to be a burden to you. If there is anything about how I lead the team – how I give instructions or feedback, too much or too little, how I support them or not, or how I am creating a space for them to thrive – tell me so I can improve.” Offer an anonymous way for them to get your feedback if telling you directly feels too risky for them. (And if it feels too risky, that in itself is feedback.)
You don’t have to sacrifice responsibility to be compassionate
Some leaders are understandably concerned about how to balance compassion for an employee experiencing a mental health issue with responsibility for that individual’s responsibilities. When you know an employee is struggling with their mental health, you don’t have to lower your business standards. However, you may need to do some “renegotiations” in terms of allowing your employee to do his or her job to the best of his or her ability. True, some leaders struggle with this. A client of mine recently confided in me about someone on her team: “He had never claimed that he had anxiety issues before, but now all of a sudden there is an opportunity to take on a big project that asked to be given, and it’s too much to take on. Isn’t it normal to be a bit nervous when taking on a new challenge?” I worked with my client to help her see that people can suddenly recognize her mental health needs, when for years that didn’t seem possible. Instead of assuming it was a “yes or no” question, I encouraged her to go back to him and dig deeper to see if there was any way I could help him take on the project in a way he felt confident, and that it would not trigger undue levels of anxiety. That way, he didn’t have to feel like she was choosing between his career and her sanity.
For example, an employee may need to adjust their schedule or spend more time working remotely to better handle mental health needs. Be clear and direct about expectations and responsibilities, but also empathetic when discussing these and other concerns and how they affect responsibility in the workplace.
As long as the job is up to your standards, you should be open to making the necessary adjustments, especially as flexible work arrangements have been found to benefit mental health. Show them that you care by “checking in” on how they’re doing before you check on their progress.
Balancing mental health needs and the demands of the workplace can be tricky, especially for leaders. But to overcome the stigmas surrounding mental health and create a place where all employees can thrive, leaders must realize their role in the mental health needs of their team.
By creating a compassionate, caring, and safe work culture that still prioritizes accountability, you can foster an environment where everyone can succeed while keeping their mental health intact.
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