As managers, we would like to think our employees could come and speak to us about any problems they’re facing—however, this is not always the case.
There may be times when your employees are struggling, but don’t ask you for help.
It may not always be a reflection of you as a manager. Sometimes people don’t like to open up to anyone and may feel embarrassed asking for help—even if they do need it.
It’s an issue that’s been exacerbated by the pandemic, with 60% of people feeling that their mental health has worsened over the past year.
Part of being a good manager is knowing how to encourage your employees to feel comfortable talking to you about their mental health when they need to.
Here are 5 things you can do if you feel your employees won’t talk to you about their mental health problems.
- Lead by example
As managers, it can often be our job to instil a positive culture into our company and lead by example.
Make sure that you take care of yourself and prioritise your mental health. If your employees see you doing this they feel more comfortable doing the same.
- Organise regular mental health check-ins
Employees may not feel comfortable requesting a meeting with you to discuss their mental health, so reach out to them instead.
You can organise regular mental health check-ins to give them an opportunity to discuss any issues with you and figure out a solution together.
- Offer flexibility in the workplace
Simple things like offering flexible hours, remote working or longer lunch breaks can work wonders for people who feel stressed or burned out in their job.
Adopting flexible working practices can take the pressure off of your employees, and also help them to adopt a healthier work-life balance.
- Communicate more than you may think you need to
Make sure to keep your employees informed about changes or updates in the business, and also communicate your expectations and deadlines with them more to help reduce the pressure.
Even if you think you’re a good communicator, your employees may sometimes think differently—it’s better to communicate too much than not enough.
- Bring in people to help
You could consider bringing in counsellors or mental health experts to talk to your team if you feel like they won’t open up to you. Your team may feel more comfortable talking to an external person who doesn’t know the business.
