Uncertainty and stress

According to an article by David DiSalvo in Psychology Today¹, uncertainty can increase stress and anxiety levels. Reporting on the results of research measuring this connection, he wrote, “…the volunteers’ level of uncertainly correlated in lockstep with their level of stress.”

Our brains like to plan for the future and use past experiences to help, but we can’t formulate a response when the present and future are unlike anything we have known before. A variety of circumstances contribute to the current apprehensiveness, including these: COVID-19, civil unrest, job insecurity, concerns about the economy, and a volatile political landscape in the U.S. as we move toward an election.

Workplace mental health

While most of the events listed above are not directly related to places of employment, they are part of the employees’ world, affecting their mental health and often work performance. Excessive stress symptoms are common and easy to recognize, including loss of focus, fatigue, anxiety, depression, burnout, guilt, and decreased productivity. Employees bring these problems to work. Do they receive the help they need to deal with them?

A few stats

In a Forbes² article, Mark Murphy shares some survey statistics:

• Over 50% of the participants were uncomfortable talking with managers about their mental health concerns.
• For many, the possibility of a job or promotion loss affected their unwillingness to bring up the issue.
• 35% felt comfortable sharing their concerns with coworkers.

A global survey reported in the Harvard Business Review³ added these:

• The mental health of almost 42% of the participants has declined since the beginning of the pandemic.
• Nearly 46% of all workers survived said their company had not proactively shared information about available mental health resources.
• Almost 40% of respondents said no one in their workplace had asked if they were doing OK.

What to do

In “8 Ways managers Can Support Employees’ Mental Health³,” Kelly Greenwood and Natasha Krol share actions managers and upper-level leaders can take to support their employees’ mental health. I have listed them below with a summary.

• Be vulnerable.
  • When managers share their struggles and coping strategies, they help normalize mental health challenges. Managers’ openness and approachability encourage others to feel more comfortable discussing theirs.
• Model healthy behaviors.
  • Taking breaks and walks, accessing help when needed, and getting enough rest, for example, show self-care. But especially when many people are working remotely, healthy behaviors are not always visible. Managers can share their ways of nurturing well-being. The old axiom applies: Actions speak louder than words.
• Build a culture of connection through check-ins.
  • Check-ins are opportunities to ask how employees are doing. Go beyond a general “Are you OK?” and include specific questions like “What types of support would be helpful?” Check-ins should be regular. And don’t forget: active listening is essential to effective communication.
• Offer flexibility and be inclusive.
  • Needs will change as situations change. This fluidity is another reason for regular check-ins. You won’t know what is needed if you don’t ask. Customize the response according to particular situations.
• Communicate more than you think you need to.
  • You may have shared information about available mental health resources and other services, but share them again. Everyone might not have received the message, or some will have forgotten. Have organizational policies or priorities changed? Make sure you keep employees informed.
• Invest in training
  • Provide preventative and proactive workplace mental-health practices training for leaders and managers.
• Modify policies and practices
  • When responding to unfolding events, be as generous as possible with your polices. These may include flexible hours or changes in paid and unpaid leave. Performance reviews can be more about listening and providing feedback than about strict evaluations.
• Measure
  • Regular, simple surveys increase awareness of employee stressors and needs. The information gained can inform organizational approaches and programs.

What’s next?

While many of us would like to “get back to normal,” the reality is, we won’t be anytime soon. And when the coronavirus is under better control, and we can resume some more familiar routines, they won’t be the same. COVID-19 has changed the world and redefined “normal.”

Some people will return to their offices and physical places of work; some will continue working remotely. Interactions will be different. Casual conversations in break rooms or kitchenettes likely will require vigilant social distancing and masks. Wherever they work in the months ahead, employees will continue to deal with multiple stressors that affect mental health.

No matter the scenario, communication is the key. All the steps recommended in the article cited above are about effective communication. That’s not new for managers, but maintaining meaningful, supportive connections is critical.

Be genuine, open, and flexible. Engage employees. Help them realize that they are valuable team members and that their mental health and safety are primary concerns.

How we can help

If you’re interested in ways to automate employee feedback and performance reviews or tracking of emails and organization communications, we might be able to help. Products like Sage HRMS HR Actions^®, Multi-rater Feedback for Sage HRMS HR Actions, and Sage HRMS Alerts and Workflow streamline business processes. Take a look at these products, peruse our website, or give us a call. We’d be happy to talk with you to see if we could help you move toward your goals.

Sources:

1. Why We Hate Not Knowing for Sure
2. More Than Half Of Employees Are Afraid To Discuss Their Mental Health With Their Boss, New Data Shows
3. 8 Ways Managers Can Support Employees’ Mental Health