Managers often overlook their own needs

The mental health of employees has a huge impact on the success of a company – from corporate culture to productivity to sick days and turnover. Basically, the simple saying applies: if the employees are doing well, the company is doing well. On the other hand, studies show that burnout and stress are increasing worldwide. Many companies therefore do not seem to be doing enough to protect the mental health of their employees.

The good news: HR managers and especially managers have it in their hands. They can significantly influence the well-being and health of their employees. A study by Forbes found that 69 percent of respondents said their superiors have the greatest influence on their mental health. Relationship partners are given the same influence, while doctors or therapists who provide care have less influence (51 percent and 41 percent respectively).

Managers should use the large area of ​​influence on the mental health of people in the company and create an environment that promotes mental well-being in companies. Instead of an unspoken burden, mental health can become a driving, positive factor in the team. There are some strategies that actually make a difference:

1. Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others

Mental health is heavily stigma-ridden. Unlike physical ailments, we often see mental health problems as “weak,” “avoidable,” or, in the worst case, even “crazy.” These are extremely destructive stereotypes that have nothing to do with how our bodies actually work. But the stigma is persistent and particularly affects people who are expected to be ambitious, successful, and determined. In other words, leaders.

For many managers, admitting that they are overwhelmed or that they have weaknesses is still associated with fear – fear of losing the status or respect of the team. The widespread belief that people in leadership roles have everything under control and can handle stress better is detrimental to everyone involved in the long run. At the end of the day, managers are, above all, one thing: people. And people have needs, strengths and weaknesses and must look after their mental well-being. All too often, people in leadership positions overlook their own needs while trying to look after those of their team or company. But only when team leaders feel strong and healthy themselves are they able to build a strong team and help others in the team. What applies on an airplane also applies in the world of work: only those who put on an oxygen mask themselves first can be there for others.

2. Mirror, mirror on the wall…

Addressing mental health and not neglecting your own well-being not only makes collaboration easier and more productive, but also makes an important contribution to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. Especially in the workplace, where mental health problems are often still a taboo subject, talking about your own challenges takes courage – and can make such a difference.

But words must be followed by actions. Only when leaders model healthy behaviors can they ultimately credibly work on the company culture. Lip service like “I support mental health!” is a good start, but saying, “Hey team, I’m going to finish work early today to go to my regular therapy appointment” will have a much greater impact.

If you prioritize your own self-care and respect your own boundaries – for example, only answering emails outside of work hours in absolute emergencies, taking walks during the day or regularly blocking lunch breaks – it is also credible that the well-being of employees is a high priority in this company.

3. Superpower Corporate Culture

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of approaches to creating a positive corporate culture. But they all basically boil down to the same thing: everyone in a company should feel like they can speak up and be heard.

This means that if someone has a problem, it can be addressed. If someone has a problem with a person in the team, it can be solved constructively. If someone has personal difficulties, exactly the help that is needed is provided. In an open and healthy corporate culture, people come first, then the product.

And here we are back to the managers: a good corporate culture stands and falls with them. Working on a positive working environment must therefore happen on two levels: On a personal level, managers should ask themselves: what culture do we live by, what can we do better? On a holistic, company-wide level, it must first be made clear which values ​​the company wants to live by and how these can be integrated into daily processes. Based on this, measures should be launched and existing initiatives optimized. A large part of the mental health of employees depends on two factors: flexibility and inclusion.

Individual employees need individual support. Some members of remote teams may suffer from a lack of social contact. In this case, it is up to the team leader to integrate regular social interactions into the daily work routine. On the other hand, parents value flexible working hours and the opportunity to work from home.

Flexibility means that everyone in the company receives the support they individually need, while inclusion means that everyone in the company has a right to this support. It is worth taking a critical look at your own diversity, equality and inclusion policies to ensure that the culture is actually inclusive and representative. The question: “Are there certain people or groups that we are neglecting?” should be answered openly and self-critically.

4. Communication, dialogue, network

To ensure that everyone can really protect their mental health, the company should also support all of these measures and collaboration should not be a foreign word. Examples of this would be:

• Internal employee feedback: The best way to find out what employees need is to ask them! Regular feedback sessions help to understand what individual teams need and bring blind spots to light.
• Communication between managers: They always say it’s lonely at the top. But it doesn’t have to be! Regular communication between managers can help inspire each other and pass on experience, tips and tricks.
• The power of the peer group: Whether it’s HR, leadership or founding a company – there’s a group of like-minded people who support each other. It’s almost guaranteed that someone has already experienced your problem and can offer advice and support.
• External resources: As mentioned above, the burden should not fall solely on leaders. There are now a variety of resources: workshops, self-led resilience courses, consulting services and online access to consultants and experts that can be integrated into a company’s mental health efforts.

That sounds like a lot of work. But it’s work that’s rewarding and worthwhile. It’s in the hands of companies and their managers to shape the working world of tomorrow – a working world that hopefully has people and their needs at its center.

Further articles on the topic:

This article first appeared in the printed edition of Treue. You can order the magazine here.