The U.S. is in the midst of an unprecedented mental health crisis. According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation study, 40% of adults surveyed reported anxiety and depression symptoms during the pandemic.
Those numbers are trending downward, but they still total 32%. With the RV industry slowing down, some employees and executives may be feeling additional work-related pressures.
Many companies today want to ensure they are equipped with effective, empathetic ways to support employees in crisis.
Though a person’s mental health state is a delicate, important concern, there is some good news.
The same standards your HR team uses to promote a healthy, happy and productive workplace can support employees who experience mental health emergencies. Here, I will offer three ways to empower better employee mental health.
Learn to Recognize the Signs
It is no surprise promoting positive mental health in the workplace is difficult. Most employees do not arrive at work and simply announce they are in crisis. Even when outreach is meant as an empathic effort to help, asking employees about their personal health details is inappropriate.
When employers learn to recognize possible distress signs, they can help promote a healthier environment for everyone.
Worried about knowing what to look for? Don’t stress. The process is relatively straightforward.
The same steps you use to monitor employee performance can help you recognize employees experiencing, for example, acute anxiety. Watch for employees who:
- Fail to complete core tasks.
- Withdraw from social situations.
- Exhibit mood swings or erratic behavior.
- Take increasing time away from work, whether by PTO or absenteeism.
- Appear confused.
- Display evidence of intoxication.
What do you do when you notice one or more of these signs? Your first instinct may be to call out the issue, and that is understandable. For people with anxiety disorders, calling out the issue might actually heighten the problem you are trying to solve.
Before addressing the symptom (e.g., late work), consider the reasons behind an employee’s declining performance. Then, let them know you will support them to do their best work.
Encourage Employees to Ask for Help
No matter how strong your relationships are, a best practice is to keep the workplace professional. Rather than asking employees uninvited questions about their personal health. You can offer them opportunities to request the help they need.
To make the conversation easier for everyone, lead with empathy. Remember, patience is key. The reasons an employee might not initially mention their mental health may mean they are slow to open up when you offer them the chance to ask for help. Employees with an anxiety disorder, for example, can experience extreme panic, distress and intense fear.
When the meeting begins, use direct, non-accusatory language. For example, if the employee has been missing deadlines and taking an increasing number of sick days, you might say, “I’ve noticed you’ve had trouble meeting your deadlines and that you are requesting more time away from work. Is there anything the company can do to better support you?”
An employee may not be able to articulate the accommodations they need (especially if they are unaware accommodations are available). However, they will likely appreciate the opportunity to discuss their situation and how you can support them.
The third step? Know the reasonable accommodations you can provide employees to help them complete their work and feel more comfortable in the workplace.
Provide Reasonable Accommodations
Different employees need different accommodations to do their best work. Determining whether an accommodation is reasonable for an individual employee requires understanding their circumstances.
One great place to learn is the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) database, SOAR, a searchable online accommodation resource.
SOAR helps people discover the various accommodations available to employees in work and educational settings.
Let’s continue our example of an employee diagnosed with an anxiety disorder to explore how the accommodation process can work.
Say you reached out and the employee was relieved to be able to talk with you. The employee recognized the issue, but their anxiety compounded, so they worried you would not understand. Worse, they worried you would think they were just making an excuse.
You reviewed the JAN accommodations for anxiety disorders to prepare for the conversation. Together, you and the employee discussed the limitations the employee is experiencing and decided, because they found it difficult to concentrate in the office’s high-volume environment, the best path forward was for the employee to schedule agreed-upon days to work remotely, because their core job duties could be completed remotely.
Again, the reasonable accommodation list varies from person to person and job to job. Staying current with what you as a manager can offer helps, but ensure you turn to human resources professionals to assist you as you support your employees. Whether you contract an outside firm or have an in-house HR team, the HR staff is there to help you.
Accommodations Benefit Everyone
At each day’s end, every employee is responsible for asking for support. The employer is responsible for accommodating those needs as reasonably as possible.
Companies that create a space in which employees feel comfortable seeking help will support a healthier working environment, healthier employees and a healthier bottom line.
Brianna Martin is the HR consultant manager at workplace compliance and safety company KPA. She helps clients who need to train employees, tackle compliance issues and effectively manage HR processes across the employee life cycle. Among her tasks are helping with HR process automation.
