Strategies for Discussing Mental Health in the Workplace

It’s a New Year, but it is more of the same for many workers. The Omicron variant of the ever-changing Coronavirus has forced many of us to work remotely, postpone travel plans, and cancel social gatherings, which has further strained our mental well-being.

We know that worker morale is low.

The mental health strain may be most evident at work, where workers experience burnout and are frustrated by their lack of a healthy work-life balance. 

In one survey from Talkspace, an online mental health company, 50% of employees felt that work has become too stressful. Many reported working longer hours and feeling pressure to work harder because of managing high employee turnover and juggling multiple projects at once. 

And low morale is leading to resignations.

Workers are in a rut, and some are even quitting their jobs to find a better situation with another company or in another profession altogether. 4.5 million workers quit their jobs in November alone. While compensation and benefits are factors, work-life balance, career development, and workplace perks are essential as well. 

In our Employee Retention Guide, we discuss some of the reasons why workers are resigning in record numbers. If you haven’t had the opportunity to read it yet, it may be helpful to learn how to market internally to your employees and provide a positive working environment.

Why are mental health discussions between employers and employees necessary?

As employers and employees alike navigate through the ups and downs of the pandemic and other issues affecting mental well-being in the workplace, we know that solid communication is  essential. 

Many organizations invest in wellness programs that cost billions of dollars, but few understand how their employees feel on a daily basis. This is where managers need to roll up their sleeves and discover what tools and programs can help their employees and coworkers. 

But this is easier said than done.

That’s why we want to share a few simple tips with you that might help facilitate honest mental health discussions with your employees. Hopefully, these tips will allow you to be more effective in developing a framework to enhance their well-being.  

What does well-being in the workplace look like?

Before we list any tips, let’s define what well-being in the workplace looks like so you can apply that definition to your discussions with employees. 

A comprehensive study conducted by Myers-Briggs investigated well-being in the workplace. For over three years, researchers asked more than 10,000 participants about the activities that would contribute to feelings of flourishment while on the job. 

The researchers found that well-being was more than just happiness (although it was undoubtedly a contributing factor). They concluded that positive well-being was dependent on the following factors:

• Positive Emotions: Frequent feelings of happiness, contentment, and pleasure
• Relationships: Mutual feelings of caring, support, and satisfaction
• Engagement: Deep psychological connection and absorption in an activity or cause
• Meaning: Having a sense of purpose and direction
• Accomplishment: Pursuing success or mastery for its own sake
• Negative Emotions: Low levels of anxiety, pessimism, and depression

How to get started discussing mental health. 

According to a Harvard Business Review study with Qualtrics and SAP,almost 40% of employees surveyed said they have never been asked how they were doing by their manager or co-workers. About the same number of respondents said that the pandemic and other factors worsened their mental health. 

From those two statistics, we can gather that facilitating an in-person or virtual environment, especially if it encourages a connection amongst coworkers, can go a long way in improving employee morale.

Now, let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room. 

It could be awkward to ask employees to share how they feel if it’s new to them and the manager. 

Here are several ways managers can make mental health discussions easier to help their employees have a better sense of well-being while on the job: 

Make check-ins a regular meeting on the calendar. 

Now that so many people are working at least part of the week remotely, it’s easy for their feelings or issues to go unnoticed. 

Regular one-on-ones provide the appropriate setting for employees to share how they’re feeling. It’s their time to discuss their career goals, what they may be struggling with, or anything else affecting their overall well-being. 

You can make mental health part of the agenda or just take a few meetings during the meeting to ask them how they’re doing. If you sense they are uncomfortable, the next tip may be helpful. 

Embrace the vulnerability. 

Experts suggest acknowledging the awkwardness up front to break the ice. You could explain how you care about them and want to make sure they are alright, or share your mental challenges to make them more comfortable sharing theirs. 

And it doesn’t have to be a free-form discussion, especially for the first time. Creating questions in advance or framing the conversation in a way that encourages them to assess their feelings on a 1-10 scale could be helpful. 

If an employee doesn’t feel comfortable sharing, that’s fine. It’s just important that they know that they have someone to speak to if they want. 

Offer flexible solutions based on their answers.

Listening is essential, but your employees will want to know that you heard them. Together, you can problem-solve any issues they may be having proactively. 

This may mean working towards a solution for the individual employee (maybe they need to leave early on Wednesdays to pick up their child from school) or revising policies to reflect common issues your employees may be dealing with, especially if it’s during a transition point where a lot of changes are happening all at once. Be as generous and compassionate as you are realistically able to ensure your employees feel valued. 

If your employees start to see changes around the workplace based on their feedback in meetings, they may be more willing to share and speak up when they experience negativity in the workplace or feel complacent.

Understand that you can always ask for help too.

You might be in a leadership role, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have all the answers. During an employee discussion, they may have questions about specific policies or resources available to them.

You can always say you’ll get back to them after checking in with HR or your leadership team if you’re unsure. It’s better to come back to them later with a viable solution than to guess or make promises you can’t keep. 

This will help you build trust and better understand your wellness resources and policies while determining if they align with your employees’ well-being. If not, an extensive discussion with your leadership team about building a wellness culture should be scheduled. 

A Final Message about Well-Being in the Workplace.

We encourage you to review the Myers-Briggs definition of positive well-being in the workplace. If an employee receives positive reinforcement, has strong relationships with co-workers, is engaged with their work, and believes in their career path, they will likely have a stronger sense of well-being in the workplace. 

Through your mentorship and communication with employees, you can help build a vital and mentally healthy workplace that is viable in any work environment or external situation. 

For more resources on mental health check out our eGuide on Facilitating Positive Mental Health in the Workplace.