The overall level of employee wellbeing and engagement is declining, according to HR. Employees are arriving at work agitated, depressed, and apprehensive due to a variety of circumstances, including the pandemic, economic instability, and the cost-of-living crises.
Because workplace well-being is inextricably linked to productivity, morale, and culture, a lack of resources and assistance may impact these factors.
Despite the fact that many organizations are taking steps to promote employees’ mental health, found that one group is being neglected just when they are most in need of it: managers.
When employees are experiencing job stress or personal stress that permeates their work, managers and supervisors are frequently their first point of contact. A startling 86% of workers claimed to have experienced at least one mental health issue in the previous year in addition to daily stress, yet only one-third indicated they had received the necessary help and care during that time.
Yet, managers’ mental health may suffer too if employee mental health declines. Sixty-four percent of managers and supervisors said that over the past year, their mental health had a negative impact on their ability to do their duties.
Nearly half of managers say they are unsure if they have the tools and training necessary to assist team members with their mental health. Many managers feel underprepared. A staff mental health training program would benefit their boss, according to 58% of employees, who appear to share that opinion.
Managers now feel underwhelmed and unprepared as a result of everything that has happened. In fact, compared to non-supervisors (22%), more supervisors (30%) reported actively looking for a new job in the upcoming year.
The report also found that:
- 73% of benefits leaders said their organizations had increased training and resources since the onset of COVID-19 to help supervisors support their employees’ mental health, but only 52% of supervisors agree, and
- Over a quarter (27%) of managers ranked “work-related managerial stress” as one of the top three factors impacting their mental health.
Here are three ways that HR can support the mental health of managers’.
- Benefits. Getting the proper care you require to assist in coping in healthy ways is a crucial component of mental health support. Although offering an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a terrific start, it’s also crucial to make sure that your benefits give those with complicated or ongoing concerns access to more in-depth mental health therapy.
- Transparency. Although managers’ mental health is deteriorating, they can be reluctant to discuss their issues for fear that it would impair their capacity to lead and manage a team. Encourage a culture of openness and honesty about mental health in the workplace so that staff members and supervisors can receive the assistance they require before a serious mental health crisis develops.
- Training. There are crucial components of training and resources needed to support the mental health of employees and managers, as evidenced by the disconnect between benefits leaders and managers on mental health resources. To assist both their own and their employees’ mental health, managers should be given resources and undergo annual training.
Conclusion:
HR should support managers’ mental health without question. The entire team may be impacted by the way supervisors conduct themselves at work. The morale of the entire team may be affected by a boss who feels overworked and undersupported, which can result in trends of disengagement like silent resignation.
