Mental Health and Communication in the Workplace

Some employers have instilled a company culture that personal life and work life should not bleed into one another, but is that realistic? The pandemic has caused work-life balance to be thrown for a loop as many people now work from home, which can be stressful. Many also worry constantly about the physical health of themselves and loved ones as we navigate the challenges of COVID-19. As a result, reports of mental health issues have skyrocketed in the last year, and many employees have expressed they do not feel supported by their companies.

How Big Is the Problem?

According to Mental Health America, the annual cost in 2000 of untreated depression in terms of productivity and treatment was $51 billion and $26 billion respectively. Imagine how these numbers have risen during the recent pandemic. Workplace stress is just as damaging on a company’s budget as its productivity, as the American Institute of Stress has stated that one million workers call in sick daily due to job stress.

How to Be Part of the Solution

It may be time to take a step back and assess how the mental well-being of your employees has changed during this unprecedented time, so that your company can stand out as one that cares about its team. This not only aids in employee attraction and retention, but ultimately boosts productivity, effective workflows, and a safer work environment—which are all vital for your bottom line.

To aid you in addressing this often overlooked aspect of employee management, below are questions to ask yourself when it comes to how and what you are communicating to employees.

1. Are you encouraging managers to regularly reach out to employees?

• Are your managers aware of vital details in the lives of their subordinates?

• Do they know if they have children or elderly parents they care for?

• Are they aware of recent traumas like divorce, illness, or the death of a loved one?

While it’s important to keep communication lines open, this must be balanced with respect for what is and is not acceptable in the workplace. Managers should be available, but they should not pry. Avoid asking about medical conditions.

But do be supportive, and let people know you are concerned and care about their health and well-being. Simply showing employees that their emotions and problems are valid and that there is an open-door policy when it comes to discussing personal matters can help a work environment feel safe and accommodating to any kind of crisis.

Important Fact: Under ADA Guidelines, employers with 15 or more employees are required to make reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Mental illness is a covered disability.

2. Are you asking the appropriate questions?

When someone shows up to work looking tired, dressing differently, or stops turning on their webcam for meetings, it makes sense to wonder if something in that person’s life has changed. Find ways to reach out to them. Ask people what they need to help their level of engagement, motivation and productivity.

Here are some conversation starters to help you reach out without invading their privacy:

• How are you doing?
• How are you adjusting to the new remote work environment, hybrid model, or work from home situation?
• I’ve noticed over the past # of weeks/days that you have been visibly irritated/ short on patience/ distracted from work/ etc. Is everything ok?
• Normally you are very punctual to work, but you have been late # of times this past week. Is there something going on that is preventing you from getting here on time? How can I help you resolve this issue?
• I’ve noticed that you missed the last two project deadlines you had, and you didn’t communicate that in advance. This behavior is not usual. Please help me understand why your performance has been declining.

Stay Focused on Performance, Not Personal Issues

As you seek to learn more, take care to respect appropriate boundaries. Avoid using words that could be disparaging to others or indicate a disability or condition such as “crazy”, “abnormal”, “mental”, “depressed”, “off your rocker”, “lazy”, etc. Never confront someone about a rumor going around or question them on details about their health.

Keep your questions work-related and address concrete behaviors and events witnessed at work or on the clock. Remember: You can ask about their performance, but’s it up to them to disclose why their performance has changed in the first place.

3. Are you communicating effectively through email, shared documents, and video conferencing?

This has been tricky since employees were first sent home in early 2020. Your employees can’t casually drop by your HR (Human Resources) office on their way to get a second cup of coffee and casually ask for a moment to talk. Sometimes it isn’t easy to discuss personal matters or performance-debilitation virtually. It is not just about how you are communicating, though; it is about what you are communicating.

Allow and even encourage mental health days for your employees. Many workers are afraid to use Paid Time Off, as they don’t want work to pile up, therefore causing them more stress. They may also feel guilty about using PTO, thinking it will count against them come review time. Assure your employees that they do not have to avoid using PTO. Remind them that the work needing to be done will not cause the company to go under if it waits a day or two (and if it will, talk to us about how to help you prevent that situation from occurring!). Mental health comes first.

Recognize and reward your staff for positivity and excellent performance. This can come in the form of words of affirmation within a handwritten card or a gift card to a nice restaurant. Also remind them that not everything has to be positive all the time and that a range of emotions is healthy and even expected.

4. Are you motivating staff by suggesting self-care activities to help raise their morale?

Self-care isn’t just bubble baths and facials. Click here to download a graphic with realistic, healing self-care activities you can suggest to your employees.

5. Are you asking for feedback from your workers?

The final and most important question to ask is: What do your employees have to say? With tools like Survey Monkey and Google Forms, you can ask your people to anonymously answer general mental health related questions and gauge just how your team is doing. Questions you can ask include:

1. On a scale from 1-5, 1 being the lowest, I feel stressed at work.

2. True or False: I have been struggling working from home.

3. Something I wish I had more of is:

a. Time

b. Energy

c. Financial Stability

d. More Job Responsibility

Need help creating or distributing your survey? This is a service we at WYHR can provide to our clients! Schedule a consultation with us to learn more at http://hrraw.com.

Boost Employee Morale with the Help of Our Expert Team

Founder of the modern self-improvement industry, Paul J. Meyer, once said “Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.” Ask the important questions and listen to the answers with the intention of helping those who have entrusted you with their careers, especially at a time in history riddled with such uncertainty.

Looking for help on reaching out to your team and raising staff morale? Call Who’s Your HR? at 539-215-8868 or email us at answerme@hrraw.com. We have 25+ years of Human Resources experience and can offer expert guidance, satisfaction guaranteed.

Want to learn more about this subject? Check out these articles:

Create A Long-Term Remote Work Strategy With These 5 Powerful Tips

5 Common Mental Health Challenges in the Workplace

Empathy Is The Most Important Leadership Skill According To Research

42 Worrying Workplace Stress Statistics