5 minute read
HUMAN RESOURCES
IN AN UNCERTAIN ENVIRONMENT
What can organizations do to help their employees?
Given the continued uncertainty surrounding COVID and its impact on returning to the office vs. working remotely, employers will need to address a lengthy list of issues to ensure a safe and welcoming work environment. Most of the issues will likely be visible, tangible problems that require relatively simple solutions. After all, our society has become so accustomed to masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing that at this point everyone generally knows how to foster a safe working environment, at least as far as those concepts are concerned. But what about mental health? That problem, obviously, is neither visible nor tangible. And the solution is anything but simple. However, there are certain steps that employers can take to help their team members minimize stress at the workplace (and in their lives generally). Being in the search and staffing business, we learn a lot about individuals’ career concerns and, specifically, their anxieties about returning to the workplace. We also have seen the steps that organizations are taking to address those concerns. Here are some suggestions, tips and best practices for your consideration. And please remember that you (and I, for that matter) are most likely not a mental health expert. But we can be conscious, empathetic and aware of what to look for — and how to mitigate the mental health burden that many of our employees carry each and every day. With that in mind, here are some steps your organization should be taking:
1. Understand mental health and how it impacts your employees.
For any organization, the first step in addressing mental health is understanding what mental health means and how prevalent mental health issues are. Mental health encompasses psychological, emotional and social well-being. It is tied directly to people’s stress levels, decision-making, relationships and health. From a company’s vantage point, mental health issues
By Carver Smith, CPA
could be anywhere you look. Your CEO is just as likely as your intern to struggle with mental health issues. Particularly in our uncertain world, companies need to realize that most people have had their lives turned upside-down over the past year, resulting in significant life changes, health issues, economic struggles and professional pressure. All of these can be components to mental health struggles, and it isn’t hard to see why. Part of understanding issues with mental health is knowing what to look for. Do you have employees who often call in sick or take a lot of time off? Do they appear irritable, frustrated, moody or anxious? Sometimes a lack of productivity or a withdrawal from social situations can indicate a larger mental health issue. Of course, mental health issues often lie beneath the surface, so they can be tough to recognize. Knowing the warning signs and understanding how to handle mental health with care and empathy is half the battle.
2. Offer mental health coverage.
Employers are beginning to realize that investing in their employees’ mental health can deliver benefits that far outweigh the costs. With more than 40 million Americans receiving mental health treatment or counseling each year, employers can display a level of care and empathy by offering mental health benefits as part of their standard health care package. One day, mental health benefits may be as standard as vision and dental offerings. Ultimately, having a larger and more supportive outlet for dealing with mental health issues will benefit people (and their employers) in the short term and the long run.
One of the most important services that a company can offer its employees is an EAP, or an Employee Assistance Program. An EAP helps team members with any personal problems that may impact their work life, job performance or overall well-being. EAPs offer third-party, confidential, expert issue resolution and a level of comfort in a cost-effective manner to assist employees with everything from stress and depression to grief, trauma, substance abuse and work-related issues — and they are as popular now as they’ve ever been for good reason.
3. Communicate, communicate, communicate!
When there is a lack of communication in virtually any situation, people tell themselves stories to fill the silence. Often those stories are negative thoughts based on past experiences and biases. These are the tricks that our brains play on us. So to avoid these situations, you can help protect the mental health of your employees by communicating regularly and giving consistent feedback. In essence, this lets your employees focus on facts, so to speak, instead of letting them go down a rabbit hole of negative thoughts and self-doubt. Corporate communication has been particularly important since the beginning of the pandemic, as many companies have undergone layoffs, furloughs, salary deferrals and other cost-cutting measures to help stay afloat during a challenging economic time. For many employees, the natural reaction to these rumors and realizations has been to worry about their own job security. (And, in some cases, those fears have come to fruition.) But by communicating candidly with team members and managing expectations in a fair manner, you can help keep your employees’ focus on the tasks at hand while continuing to build trust.
4. Recognize the need for new flexibility.
Flexibility at work is important, perhaps now more than ever. In the search business, we constantly hear that most people want to work from home at least some of the time. After an exhausting year, forcing employees back to the office full time likely will have a negative impact on their mental health, if not their loyalty. So ask yourself, can you compromise in the interest of flexibility? Can you still achieve your desired results and the desired company culture by using a flexible work schedule? In an ideal world, people would separate their personal and family issues from their work life. But this obviously is not an ideal world, and employers need to understand that well-being is a complicated issue that does not simply get pushed aside from 9 to 5 every day. Much like other major events throughout history, the pandemic has changed many things permanently. But the impact on expectations, demands and ultimately mental health is still evolving. Being aware and proactive and knowing where your abilities begin and end on this important topic is vital. If you establish an environment of trust and ask your employees what factors comprise their wellbeing, they will tell you what is most important to them. And the organization should listen closely — because ultimately their well-being is your well-being.
Carver Smith, CPA, is a partner with Baker Tilly US LLP and leads the firm’s staffing, recruiting and executive search business, Baker Tilly Search & Staffing, in Milwaukee. Contact him at 414-777-5322 or carver.smith@bakertilly.com.
