Encourage open communication with employees about stress and mental health. Use active listening and observe signs of poor mental health to offer support, promoting a healthy, productive environment.

Just as you might be feeling the pressures of our current uncertain economic climate, your employees are likely to be distracted at work by constant news coverage, the unaffordable cost of living, and the unpredictability of what lies ahead for Canadians.

That’s why we encourage you, as an effective leader, to open lines of communication so that you can be in a better position to identify and address the mental health concerns of your employees.

How to talk to employees about stress and mental health issues

Talk About Health Holistically

  • Integrate mental health into health discussions.

  • Share your own experiences.

  • Build psychological safety.

Don't Try to Fix People

  • Avoid trying to "fix" someone's problems.

  • View your employees as capable individuals.

  • Be a bridge to resources.

Practice Active Listening

  • Set a clear intention to help.

  • Suspend judgments.

  • Listen for underlying themes.

  • Pay attention to non-verbal cues.

  • If distracted, offer to continue the conversation at a better time.

Signs an employee may need support

In order to offer an employee, who might be suffering from stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, or substance use, the help they need to lead happier and healthier lives both at work and at home, you first need to identify when an employee likely needs support. Here are signs that an employee might be experiencing poor mental health:

1.     Uncharacteristically uncommitted

  • Tardiness

  • Absences

  • Leaving early

  • Missing meetings

  • Missing deadlines

2.       Bouts of irritability or anger

3.       Withdrawn from the rest of the staff

4.       Expression of indifference or apathy

5.       Inability to concentrate

If an employee is exhibiting any of these behaviours, you might want to consider suggesting that they take a look at their EFAP benefits by visiting homeweb.ca or calling 1-800-663-1142 to speak with a counsellor who specializes in their unique mental health concern.

This can be an understandably uncomfortable or awkward topic to broach, so here are a few opening sentences that might facilitate a productive conversation:

  • “Hey, I was just looking at all of our employee assistance benefits! Did you know we have all of this stuff for free?”

  • “I’ve been finding it hard to concentrate with everything that’s been going on in the world lately. How about you?”

  • “HR just wanted me to make sure everyone on the team has access to their EFAP homeweb account. Do you have your login credentials?”

  • “Have you logged into homeweb lately? I was just reading an interesting article about financial coaching…you should check it out!”

  • “Did you know about our free iCBT program through homeweb.ca? If you’re interested, feel free to take a long lunch break today to check it out. Pretty fascinating information.”

Hopefully, by approaching an employee about their mental health in a non-judgemental, accepting, and subtle manner, they will feel psychologically safe to seek support.

Once your employees feel supported, they will be able to help you and their coworkers rise above the stress of uncertainty to function as healthy and productive members of your organization.

If you would like more information on how to be an effective manager while respecting the mental health of your employees, please log in to homeweb.ca today to access support, or call us to talk to a qualified counsellor.