Sparking Joy at Work: Employee Mental Health and Well-being
In dark times, joy is an act of resistance. We’ve explored a few ways that we all can take small actions to spark joy at work, through creating connections and helping others. Now, I want to turn to another aspect that supports creating joy in our professional lives: prioritizing employee mental health and well-being.
As we collectively grapple with political upheaval that has had a direct and disastrous impact on many people in our communities and companies, it might seem trite to write about something like joy. But it’s precisely because of the environment we find ourselves in that joy is ever more important. This is especially at work, where we spend the majority of our time, but often feel like we can’t be our whole selves.
What can we do? Many simple things. It’s often true that smaller acts have a big impact, especially when the problems we face feel so insurmountable.
Review Your Mental Health Benefits
Most companies these days offer some kind of mental health benefits package. But, when was the last time you did a thorough check-up of what you offer to your people? The time is now to take stock of what you’re doing to show your employees you’re committed to their well-being and make any changes you need to.
When reviewing your benefits, ask yourself–and your people–some questions:
Does what we offer address the current and emerging needs of our people?
Are our mental health benefits inclusive at different stages in life, of all genders, and in various caregiving situations?
Do you have offerings that help support employees through burnout or other work-related mental health issues?
Where are there specific gaps, and how can we move to close them?
These simple questions will reveal a lot about the current state of affairs and help you create a plan to strengthen your offerings where needed.
While benefits packages might feel like a transactional part of the employee experience, they can be much more. They can show your commitment to equity and creating an inclusive workplace. And when people feel like their experiences are validated through the policies and programs you offer, the more likely they are to feel a sense of joy.
Check In with Your People–And Yourself
There is immense power in asking, “How are you, really?” and listening deeply to the response. Even under normal circumstances, people often deal with struggles we know nothing about, and they carry them to the workplace. Now, when chaos and disorder rule the day, these struggles are almost certainly even more profound, complex, and difficult to manage alone.
Checking in lets your people know that they are not alone. It provides an opportunity to create a glimmer when things feel dire. And accumulating these glimmers through small acts of connection and kindness leads to joy. It also contributes to feelings of psychological safety and an increased sense of employee trust, which are hallmarks of successful and high-performing workplace cultures.
You also need to remember that you’re a vital part of the equation. Checking in with yourself on a daily basis should be a non-negotiable part of your routine. As leaders, we have additional responsibilities we need to uphold, as we are stewards of our cultures and guides for our people. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so making sure your energy levels and mental health are cared for will help you show up in the best way possible, consistently.
Take a Stand Publicly
Showing your support for your employees and their mental health publicly can take many different forms. It can be a way for you to bolster your employer brand and show that you’re a place that honors and respects everyone who works for you. By sharing your efforts in this area with the broader labor market, you can also use it as an opportunity to inspire others to follow suit. You can be the change you want to see and help spotlight the importance of caring for mental health at a time when many people still feel isolated and alone.
You can also go deeper. Taking a stand to show you continue to take actions for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) is now seen as a political act–but it is simply the human and just thing to do. With so many companies backing down in this area, it has an inevitable catastrophic impact for the majority of their employees. But, you have the opportunity to do what is right. You can share that you support DEIB now and always, thereby making it clear to your employees that you see them and care about them. This, in turn, will relieve the mental burden on employees of wondering where you stay. As they say–clarity is kindness and kindness creates joy.
Looking for support in creating a workplace environment where joy is part of the DNA? Get in touch with me.