Is This the Key to Improving Mental Health in the Workplace?

Quick question: has work ever made you question your mental health? Odds are, the answer is a resounding yes; and that doesn’t make you the only one.

Across the globe, a growing number of companies are reporting rising levels of burnout and mental health issues in the workplace, despite taking intentional steps to provide mental health resources and support. While these offerings are incredibly important when it comes to supporting employee wellbeing, they don’t always address the root of the issue– and in some cases, the issue lies with lackluster management.

This study detailing the impact of leadership styles on employee mental health reveals one key point: that investing in positive management tactics is just as important as minimizing the bad. A leadership style found to have one of the greatest impacts is that of transformational leadership– an approach founded on “[inspiring] others by painting a vision, encouraging team members to engage in creative thinking and tailoring their approach to the individual needs of each employee.” 

Yes, finding ways to mitigate work-related stress and eliminate toxic behaviors in managers are top priorities in improving collective mental health, but so is developing a work culture that integrates consistent coaching and recognition. 

So, what does transformational leadership look like in action, and how can managers go about adopting this approach themselves? 

3 management tips you can start doing now to improve mental health in the workplace

• Make time for consistent coaching conversations 

  In her 2018 Tedx Talk, executive coach Saba Imru Mathieu shares that leaders who serve as coaches for their employees are essentially committing to conversations that involve strategic inquiry. Employing an “ask rather than tell” approach, skilled coaches play a key role in helping employees find important answers themselves, as opposed to prescribing them. Using this method, not only are workplace leaders able to demonstrate faith in their employees’ abilities, but they’re able to facilitate formative learning opportunities in a comfortable, conversational setting.

  Unsure how to be the best coach for your employees? Leadology’s unique learning journeys include workshops specifically on building skills for coaching employees. You can learn more about how to do this during a Manager Success Roadmap strategy call, currently being offered for free! Find out more here.
   

• Advocate for your employees’ fundamental needs

  It is widely believed that employees have three fundamental needs in the workplace: autonomy, a sense of agency or ownership over responsibilities; competence, the knowledge of how to do something and that this knowledge is valued by their coworkers; and relatedness, the sense of connection among one’s team. Current research tells us that these needs largely go unaddressed, though managers have the capacity to fulfill many aspects of them. That said, employ a coaching approach to bring awareness to these needs and ask what you can do to ensure they are met.

  To better understand the role of manager where coaching is concerned, read more here. 

• Don’t judge incoming generations
  As senior-level leaders, it can be difficult to navigate workplace relationships with incoming generations, particularly when playing into stereotypes or perceived disconnects. However, it’s up to leaders as coaches to break these generational barriers by shining a spotlight on junior-level employees as they grow their skills to ultimately identify their talents and core competencies. Did you know that workplace stressors cause a 50% increase in the chances of developing a diagnosable illness? As coaches, workplace leaders have the ability to mitigate this stressor and instead make a positive contribution to their younger employees’ experiences in lasting ways. 

Be intentional about mental health in the workplace

It’s our job as managers to be aware of our own impact on the mental health of their employees, particularly in regard to our unique leadership styles. With intentional approaches, we contribute to healthier organizational cultures, which over time, reel in better employees and leaders.

Ready to evaluate the impact of your own approach within your organization? Book a free 30-minute strategy call to talk through some actionable ways to advocate for your employees’ wellbeing through intentional leadership! 

Carrie & Team Leadology