When many people struggled with uncertainty around their job’s future during the repeated lockdowns, they started saying ‘yes’ to more work, and perhaps to more hours too. This pushed many to burn out quicker.
Having regular meetings with employees can help to establish their workload and priorities, alleviate any pressure they may be feeling, and empower them to say ‘no’ when they don’t have the capacity for extra work.
As business leaders, it can be a powerful thing to remind an employee that they’re only human, ask them to check how they are throughout the day, and pay attention to what they need – this might be the chance for them to reach out for help.
Also, having Employee Assistance Programmes in place will mean you don’t need to be a mental health expert, and that your employees will have the support to deal with stressors both at home and at the office, available whenever they need it.
For organisations that want to retain their employees and build a culture which values mental wellbeing, positively impacting the workplace can be as easy as leaders reminding their team members to regularly take stock and check in with themselves, letting them know that support is available if needed, and simply taking the time to ask how they are.