Sometimes, we fail to sense the pressure and stress our managers experience. For all the ‘cogs’ in the organisation to be working well, it’s fundamental to take care of our managers. As demanding as our workplaces are, we’re all human and have many challenges and pressures, and arguably, our managers have more than most (especially line managers and middle management). They’re delaing with upward, downward and sometimes ‘sideways’ pressure along with their own deliverables and lives like the rest of us.
According to recent Gallup statistics, managers are more likely to experience disengagement, burnout, and a lack of support from their organisations. In this article, we shed light on the struggles faced by managers and emphasise the importance of kindness towards them.
The Role of Managers
Managers play a crucial role in organisations, overseeing teams, and ensuring goals are met. However, their responsibilities often come with immense pressure. They are responsible for balancing the needs of their team members, reporting up the chain, being accountable for the safety of their team, including leading mentally healthy teams, ensuring positive workplace mental health, meeting targets, and handling various organisational demands. This juggling act can leave them feeling overwhelmed and stretched thin.
Disengagement and Burnout
Sadly, the latest Gallup stats reveal that managers are more likely to experience disengagement at work. This disengagement can stem from the immense workload, conflicting priorities, poor workplace mental health, and the pressure to achieve results. The constant demands placed on managers can lead to burnout, a state of physical and emotional exhaustion, resulting in decreased productivity and morale.
The Quest for a New Job
Given the challenges they face, it’s not surprising that many managers find themselves contemplating a change. Due to not being cared for in the workplace, often managers are more likely to actively search for new job opportunities. Feeling undervalued or unsupported can push them towards seeking alternative work environments where their contributions are recognised and appreciated.
Lack of Organisational Support
One of the key factors contributing to the hardships faced by managers is the perception that their organisations do not prioritise their wellbeing, nor their workplace mental health. This can manifest due to:
- Lack of resources
- Inadequate training
- Insufficient recognition of their efforts
When managers feel their organisations don’t care about workplace mental health, especially their wellbeing, it can negatively impact their motivation to lead mentally healthy teams and job satisfaction.
The Importance of Kindness
Recognising the challenges faced by managers is the first step towards creating a more supportive work environment. Here are a few ways we can show kindness and support to our managers:
1) Open Communication
Encourage open and honest dialogue between managers, their peers and their teams. This allows for the sharing of concerns, ideas, and feedback, fostering a sense of collaboration and support. If not sure how to start this process, try our mental health courses online for workplace mental health training.
2) Recognition and Appreciation
Regularly acknowledge the efforts and achievements of managers. Simple acts of recognition can go a long way in building their psychological safety in the workplace, boosting morale and reinforcing their value within the organisation.
3) Work-Life Balance
Promote work-life balance by encouraging managers to take breaks, utilise vacation time, and prioritise self-care. This helps prevent burnout and ensures they have the necessary support to excel in their roles.
4) Training and Development
Provide managers with ongoing training and development opportunities such as mental health training for managers, workplace mental health training for their teams (that they can share the link to) and psychological safety training. These not only enhance their skills and knowledge but also demonstrates the organisation’s investment in their overall growth and success. We should also mention mental health first aid training. This is something that can be rolled out to staff who are interested, but can be particualarly helpful for managers, as by learning about the signs to help others, we’re also helping managers spot the signs in themself. In short, building an improved and positive workplace mental health approach.
With all that being said, being kind to managers is the secret ingredient, especially acknowledging the daily challenges they face. By recognising their struggles and offering support, organisations can create a more positive and productive work environment.
Let’s appreciate the invaluable contributions of managers and work together to foster a culture of kindness and understanding. Let’s prioritise their wellbeing through giving them the best mental health training for managers. By starting with managers, we see it flow through to how they then treat others.
Together this 2024, let’s prioritise workplace mental health and build a team that truly cares for each other’s wellbeing.
You may be interested in our WeCARE Manager training to build mentally healthy teams: https://wecare365.com.au/wecare-manager/
You may be interested in our WeCARE Psychological Safety training to build psychologically safe teams, or also known as ‘ High Performing Teams’: https://wecare365.com.au/wecare-psychological-safety/
You may also be interested in our WeCARE for All program. It includes all our current resources, including support for remote staff, with 92% of graduates feeling more confident to support a teammate (or loved one) in distress: https://wecare365.com.au/wecare/
About WeCARE365
We create simple skill-building programs that help managers lead mentally healthy teams. We believe that the #1 priority for every leader and team is to be more caring and mentally healthy and to enjoy growing together. In the very best teams, people care about each other, have each other’s backs, and enjoy each other’s company. We know the best learning solutions are those that ‘everybody gets’, which are easy to roll out, promote, and provide ongoing practical support. If you would like to see a demo, please book here.