It's Important to Prioritize Mental Health
I read the other day that 60% of global employees named their job as the biggest factor influencing their mental health.
And that got me thinking about the days I would ‘tough it out’ at the office, even though I was running on emotional fumes. The pressure to ‘show up’ and be a ‘team player/leader’ simmered in my psyche. The other executives would never say anything directly about those taking a sick day, but the unwritten code implied that it is a sign of weakness.
How times have changed.
Managers and Executives have as great an impact on employees’ mental health as their partners and even more of an impact than their doctors or therapists. Employees don’t feel comfortable talking about their mental health - especially in more technical or male-dominated industries.
Not only is this dangerous, but it’s also a red flag within a company regarding training, support and team morale. We teach managers how to identify the signs of burnout, especially employees in stress-prone positions.
There also has to be a communicated, visible and believable culture of support when anyone needs time to recharge or deal with something personal. Companies who encourage open dialogue (with HR and psychologists) understand the benefits of approaching work-life as a continuum which removes the pressure on the teams to be inauthentic when times are tough.
Put the phone down. Turn off the notifications. Hide some chocolate eggs, give thanks to those who love and support you and know that work will be there when you get back. A less-stressed version of you helps everyone in the long run.
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