Thursday 4th February 2021 is Time to Talk Day sponsored by Time to Change which is led by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness.
The economic impact of Covid 19, lockdown, social isolation and working from home have meant increased stress for employees and managers. It is important to recognise how this impacts your team with an holistic approach to the health and welfare.
At 10Eighty we believe managers need to cultivate a compassionate mindset so as to be able to develop strategies to support colleagues displaying symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. This predicated on non-judgemental listening alongside coaching questions that allow you to provide support that is sustainable and realistic.
Top tips for talking about mental health
Time to Talk Day aims to get the nation talking about mental health because a small conversation about mental health has the power to make a big difference.
Around 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem this year yet the shame and silence can be as bad as the mental health problem itself. Your attitude to mental health could change someone’s life, these are tips from the campaign website:
- Ask questions and listen – show you want to know how someone is doing
- Don’t try to fix it – often just listening is enough
- You don’t have to be an expert – just being there means a lot
- Keep it simple – chat over a cuppa, send a text, go for a walk
We know that talking about mental health can be daunting but in the current climate it is important to check in with family, friends and colleagues to support them where you can; being there for someone can make all the difference.
Listen, don’t judge
If someone on your team is struggling don’t let them down because you are too embarrassed to raise the issue. Listening and not judging is the most significant thing you can do. Show an interest in their wellbeing and how it affects them, but be aware that it can be hard to have conversations about your mental health at work, so be patient.
There may be adjustments that can be made to make to provide support but just asking ‘how are you today?’ is a starting point.
If you are concerned about a colleague, remember that we all respond to pressure in different ways, they might not want to talk about it, and that’s okay. If you have a good relationship and it feels appropriate, you might investigate what changes they (or the employer) could make to manage their stress; when asking someone how they’re doing, you might want to do this away from other people.
Make time to talk
Health and wellbeing are important and we can all share coping skills and learn how to help each other.
10Eighty’s Mental Health Training for Managers programme is designed to equip managers with the requisite skills to be effective and feel confident to have what can be deemed as a potentially difficult conversation.
If you would like to learn more about how you can support your employees with our help, get in touch T: 0207 9528 699 or E: info@10eighty.co.uk
