Life has changed dramatically over the last year with the Coronavirus pandemic. Many people have felt isolated working at home and stressed with having to juggle home and work responsibilities all at the same time.
With the lifting of all lockdown restrictions looming, your team may feel anxious about returning to “life as normal”.
So, how can you support your team?
Ensure you have a plan
First and foremost, ensure your team members know they can speak to you in confidence at any time.
Then you could think about developing a mental health plan for your business to help promote wellbeing within your team. This could include sharing some wellbeing tips, tackling the causes of work-related stress and offering training for your team on stress management.
Encourage an open culture
Communication is key.
By creating a culture that encourages open dialogue, team members should feel safe to discuss their worries or mental health without stigma or fear of being judged. Your team are most likely juggling a range of different issues such as childcare, financial worries, feelings of loneliness or even anxiousness at returning to the workplace after such a long time.
Spot signs of declining mental health early
Train your team to spot signs of wavering mental health. Signs of distress can include regular absenteeism, changes in behaviour or signs of irritable or irrational behaviour. The earlier you and your team spot these signs, the earlier you can support your colleague.
Offer your support
As mentioned above, ensure your team members know that they always have the option to have a confidential conversation about their mental health and wellbeing with you or a member of your management team. It may just be that they need someone to listen to their concerns. However, in some cases, it may be appropriate to work with your team member to agree a course of action to manage stress and get them back on track. Remember: all team members are unique and may have a wide range of concerns. There is no “one-size fits all” and your support should be guided by each team member individually.
GreenStones have had the pleasure of working with Sanjay Shah, Emotional Intelligence Coach, for a number of years.
At the beginning of the first Coronavirus lockdown Sanjay took the time to discuss Emotional Intelligence with us and you can view the recording of that discussion here.
Finally, GreenStones aspire to inspire, challenge and support Peterborough business owners to be the best they want to be. The team are always on hand and happy help you. Simply call 01733 371180.