As we enter this new year, our working world continues to face elevated levels of uncertainty, including around the unofficial recession that seems to want to make itself official. Whether it’s the impact of second-hand trauma from a steady stream of unsettling news reports or unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances coming up in their personal lives, many employees are facing anxiety and are already on the brink of burnout.
As a leader, it’s essential to recognize how deeply certain stressors can affect employees’ mental health and wellbeing, but thankfully there are ways in which you can offer support and comfort during times of need.
We talked with Sharon Hart, Executive Coach at Talking Talent, about how leaders can support their employees when times get tough. She offers the following 5 tips to help with providing both tangible assistance and empathetic support throughout the year:
- Tip 1: Dial-up communication: One-to-one and group check-ins are more important than ever. If you are not curious and working to find out about what employees are thinking and feeling, there is no way to know how to help.
- Tip 2: Understand and meet employees’ individual requests. Listen to what employees need regarding their schedules or other work agreements and co-create a plan that is a win/win.
- Tip 3: Express specific appreciation regularly. Make a goal of 3 positive acknowledgements per week for your team (as a minimum starting point). It is likely that you will feel morale and productivity rise.
- Tip 4: Be vulnerable. Leaders that are relatable have higher retention and more reported satisfaction from their team members. Share to your comfort level and be honest. Sharing a personal experience or perspective while maintaining hope and being solution-oriented is a great way to connect with others.
- Tip 5: Keep it in perspective, this is a season. “This too shall pass” is an old Persian proverb that reminds us that nothing much in life is permanent. Encourage employees to reflect on and gain clarity about what is most important to them and recalibrate for the future.
