Are you running a team?
Are you frustrated with your teammates going through the motions and noticing unmotivated tendencies while the workload piles up?
Managers, by definition, spend over half of the week focused on assisting employees remove roadblocks. Internal obstacles are easy compared to the personalities, styles and issues that arise from external influences. As year-end approaches, the biggest managerial challenge will be overriding the fact that over one-third of Americans show signs of anxiety or depression. October is a month of awareness and action for mental health, a great time to focus on how you, as a team lead, can impact a team dynamic when someone is struggling to feel good inside and out.
In the working world, we’ve all noticed when our workplace suffers when associates have distress. Several years ago, I led a workshop for managers of a pain relief center. The clients, in pain, would come in angry and often yelling at the staff. These managers were dealing with upset clients, patients unable to get proper care, and the fallout of employees working with upset clients daily. Together, we focus-dove into their own mental well-being as managers at the top of a stress pyramid. Assessing where you are most stressed, and noticing where you can decompress, is a great way to mind the gap of anxiety and productivity.
Science prevails in and out of the workplace. Mental health support can shift team dynamics and productivity with a few simple support structures. Studies from Workhuman found that 91 percent of employees in companies where executives support wellness initiatives feel more motivated at work. Like most initiatives, a little can go a long way.
Where is the gap in your team’s engagement?
Employee Engagement levers are primarily salary and benefits, the ability for their work to impact shareholder value or customer satisfaction or ability to grow over time at the firm.
Rather than leverage tactics of yesteryear, consider adding practical, supportive wellness and mental health activities to your managerial toolkit.
Manager Wellness Toolkit Options
Wellness Workshops: Create a series tailored to employees' needs. Focus on practical tips for stress management, mindfulness, movement and holistic wellness. Consistently offering Mindful Mondays or Wellness Wednesdays will help anchor the week to build connections and set a positive tone.
1:1 Coaching for leaders: Offer individual coaching for managers to help them build emotional intelligence, create a positive work culture and support their teams effectively. As a manager, ask for a personal internal or external coach.
Integrate movement into each week with movement breaks: Encourage group stretch sessions or breathwork breaks during meetings. These moments can enhance community, as colleagues engage together in stress-releasing practices. Walking meetings or ending the meeting early are great ways to calm the nervous system for non-urgent updates.
Create a shared purpose annually, quarterly and monthly. Clarify Wellness Goals so the team aligns their personal wellness goals with the company’s mission. The values of the company and the employee should find a common thread. This shared impact is revamping your culture through Wellness Practices. Foster a culture where wellness is valued by integrating wellness discussions in regular team check-ins or offering reflection prompts about work-life balance, boundaries and stress management.
End the year strong with workshops focused on "Your Wellness at Year-End." Help employees reflect on their values, set boundaries and plan for the coming year with well-being at the forefront.
Your personal support of your colleagues will be a wellness imprint for a lifetime. My catalog of offerings can be found at lynnmull.com.
