that makes them feel safe . At the bare minimum , a manager can help facilitate a healthy environment just by talking .
proper channels for help .
“ We need to make the counseling process less taboo ,” says Huffman . “ You don ’ t have to be crazy to talk to somebody .”
DO : Talk About Mental Health
The stigma Huffman references means that mental health may still be awkward to discuss . The Harvard Business Review recently shared advice for combatting that potential discomfort : “ Leaders at all levels need to put mental health ‘ on the table ’— to talk about it , invite others to talk about it , and work actively to develop resources and plans for their employees . This is how to reduce mental health stigma while increasing the likelihood that your colleagues feel happier , more confident and more productive .”
Scott Duncan , who is the president of Spa Gregorie ’ s , said he noticed that the anxiety level among his staff was high , so he started having meetings about it and creating a dialogue .
“ I had a moment where I personally was feeling like I was losing my damn mind ,” Duncan says .“ We ’ re all trying , but what happens if it doesn ’ t work ? I started realizing my team around me was starting to collapse , too . We pulled people together and said , If you want to sit down and talk and vent , cry or whatever you want to do , let ’ s do it .”
Duncan got a positive response from these interactions and recommends every manager monitor the mental health of their staff in a way
DO : Be Creative in Delivering Information
Helping employees retain information about mental health , especially when they may not feel that it applies to them , can be a challenge . They may hear about free resources during their orientation when they are first hired , but those first few days are often a blur , as an employee is mostly trying to adjust to a new workplace .
That ’ s why managers would be wise to find different ways to deliver that message . One option is to create a one-pager with all of the available mental health resources so that an employee knows where to find everything . For a few minutes during a weekly staff meeting , a manager can highlight one of the available benefits to the staff so they are encouraged to continuously try different resources .
For a more emotional appeal , using storytelling can be a way to creatively communicate the positive impact from these resources .
“ Then it humanizes it ,” says Schad . “ It provides a story and people remember it more , versus just ‘ Here ’ s the details , here ’ s where to go .’ I would remember a lot more if someone told me about their intimate experience with the EAP and how it changed their mentality about it . You are going to connect to that . So , that ’ s a strategy that someone could use to just to get the information out there in a different kind of way .”
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021 ■ PULSE 19