Workplace wellbeing in times of adversity
Workplace wellbeing in times of adversity
As COVID plays havoc on upcoming plans, emotions, workloads and mental health, staying engaged and positive is more important than ever
As a leader and colleague, how can you show genuine care for yourself, your team and those you engage with in your day-to-day work?
1. Show genuine empathy
It is one thing to refer your colleagues or staff to a workplace mental health support unit, it is another to make sure they are not placed in situations that put undue stress on their mental health. What personal responsibility are you enacting as a leader? Offer your colleagues patience and empathy. Better yet, demonstrate a willingness to see things from their perspective. How would you feel in their shoes?
2. Check in with team members
Every member of your team deserves to be heard. What are your team members struggling with? How can you make them feel heard, seen and supported in their work?
It is important to acknowledge and understand the mood of your team, removing judgement. If you notice someone is not in a good mood, make sure at least one person is asking them ‘Are you Okay?’
3. Patience with mistakes
When times get tough, it is not time to get tough on each other. Mistakes happen, how you deal with them is the real mark of a leader.
4. Positive self-talk (to yourself, and for the wider team)
It is never a great time to engage in office gossip, but at times of stress bad behaviour has a way of creeping in. Make an effort to recognise the work of your peers and remember that a negative comment has a far bigger impact than a positive comment.
How are you positively contributing to the workplace experience of those around you? Make sure you to talk to yourself and those around you with the highest respect. You are your own best friend, and you never know what those around you are going through.
5. Create forums for your team to interact positively with each other
When you are under-the-pump with a team working in remote locations, how can you create shared experiences that bring your team together? Make time for celebrating achievements, implement a system of reward and recognition, and don’t forget that remote learning is a great way to bring your team together.
5. Create forums for your team to interact positively with each other
When you are under-the-pump with a team working in remote locations, how can you create shared experiences that bring your team together? Make time for celebrating achievements, implement a system of reward and recognition, and don’t forget that remote learning is a great way to bring your team together.
6. Frame meetings in terms of achievements
It is common in the Agile project management methodology to have daily team stand-ups at the beginning of each day, with three questions each team member should answer. The first question that is always asked in a daily stand-up is ‘What did you achieve yesterday?’* Each team member begins their day by recounting the success they had the day before. It positively primes that individual for the day ahead, is an easy opportunity for the team to say ‘good work’ and lets the team know where work is up to. It is also a great example of framing a meeting in terms of achievements.
*The other two questions that get asked of each team member in a daily stand-up are:
What work are you aiming to complete today? What roadblocks are in your way for completing your work?