How do you support your employees' wellbeing and mental health in a stressful and uncertain environment?

As a leader, you want your employees to feel valued, motivated, and productive. But how do you support their wellbeing and mental health in a stressful and uncertain environment? Whether it's due to the pandemic, organizational changes, or personal challenges, your employees may be struggling with anxiety, burnout, or isolation. Here are some tips to help you build trust and foster a positive and supportive culture in your team.

1 Communicate openly and frequently

Communication is key to building trust and reducing uncertainty. Make sure you communicate clearly and consistently with your employees about the goals, expectations, and challenges of your team and organization. Provide regular feedback and recognition, and encourage your employees to share their ideas, concerns, and feedback with you. Use different channels and formats to reach your employees, such as video calls, emails, newsletters, or surveys. Be honest, transparent, and empathetic in your communication, and avoid sugarcoating or hiding bad news.

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Scott Michael Swan

Visionary & Interplanetary Leader @ Rocket Inc.
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Foster a culture of openness by establishing clear expectations from the outset, prioritizing work-life balance to maintain appropriate professional boundaries, and optimizing internal communication channels to enhance efficiency and prevent employee burnout.

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2 Offer flexibility and autonomy

Flexibility and autonomy can help your employees balance their work and personal lives, especially if they are working remotely or facing difficult circumstances. Give your employees some control over their schedules, deadlines, and work methods, as long as they meet the quality and performance standards. Respect their boundaries and preferences, and avoid micromanaging or overloading them with tasks. Trust your employees to manage their own work, and support them with the resources and guidance they need.

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Karen Stevens BSHA

Manager, Learning Technologies
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In my experience productivity is better served in an environment that the employee feels a sense of ownership for their input and output of work. Micromanaging can stifle creativity but also drive down employee engagement and satisfaction. I have been on both ends of the spectrum and now as a leader I trust my team to do good work and finish task accordingly. I follow up sporadically and meet one on one weekly to get updates on projects. Trusting your team to manage their work environment allows them to be more engaged when their scheduled and to be honest with me when struggling. Our general daily lives have changed and workplaces need to adapt and be an employee advocate creating a positive work culture.

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Scott Michael Swan

Visionary & Interplanetary Leader @ Rocket Inc.
(edited)
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Employees aspire to innovate, create, and deliver outstanding work. Granting them the freedom and autonomy to do so fosters an environment where they can thrive. I recommend a contrasting approach to micromanagement: macro management, which involves adopting a holistic perspective of the organization and empowering employees to perform at their fullest potential is best suited.

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3 Promote wellness and self-care

Wellness and self-care are essential for your employees' mental health and resilience. Encourage your employees to take breaks, exercise, eat well, sleep well, and seek help if they need it. Provide them with access to wellness programs, benefits, or resources, such as counseling, coaching, meditation, or fitness classes. Create a culture of wellness by modeling healthy behaviors yourself, and by celebrating and rewarding your employees' achievements and efforts. Avoid sending or expecting work-related messages or calls outside of work hours, and respect your employees' time off.

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4 Create a sense of belonging and purpose

Belonging and purpose can boost your employees' engagement, motivation, and satisfaction. Help your employees feel connected and valued by creating opportunities for social interaction, collaboration, and recognition. Organize virtual or in-person team-building activities, such as games, quizzes, or coffee chats. Celebrate your employees' birthdays, anniversaries, or milestones. Recognize and appreciate your employees' contributions, skills, and strengths. Remind your employees of the vision, mission, and values of your team and organization, and how their work makes a positive impact.

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5 Support learning and development

Learning and development can help your employees grow, adapt, and thrive in a changing environment. Support your employees' learning and development needs and goals, by providing them with access to training, coaching, mentoring, or feedback. Encourage your employees to learn new skills, take on new challenges, or explore new opportunities. Recognize and reward your employees' learning achievements and efforts. Create a culture of learning by sharing best practices, resources, or insights with your team, and by encouraging your employees to learn from each other.

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Scott Michael Swan

Visionary & Interplanetary Leader @ Rocket Inc.
(edited)
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Achieving professional success hinges on continuous learning throughout one's career, and forward-thinking employers committed to staying competitive prioritize investing in their workforce. To ensure ongoing growth, training and development initiatives should be ongoing and encompass various modalities such as online courses, in-person workshops, peer learning opportunities, and cross-functional collaboration.

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6 Ask for feedback and take action

Feedback is a powerful way to show your employees that you care about their wellbeing and mental health, and that you are willing to improve your leadership practices. Ask for feedback from your employees regularly, either through formal or informal channels, such as surveys, meetings, or conversations. Listen to your employees' feedback with an open mind, and acknowledge their feelings and opinions. Take action on the feedback that you receive, by implementing changes, solving problems, or addressing issues. Communicate the actions that you take, and the results that you achieve, to your employees.

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7 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that donâ€™t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Directory

How do you support your employees' wellbeing and mental health in a stressful and uncertain environment?

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1 Communicate openly and frequently

2 Offer flexibility and autonomy

3 Promote wellness and self-care

4 Create a sense of belonging and purpose

5 Support learning and development

6 Ask for feedback and take action

7 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

Building Trust

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