In a recent survey we conducted, “We are too busy” was rated as the #1 reason which stopped workplaces from building a mentally healthy culture. This is somewhat ironic – as employees now nominate mental health as the #1 societal issue (Atlassian/PWC) they care about.
There should always be time for employees’ #1 issue. There is no excuse.
If we are planning to improve workplace mental health these are critical things to consider:
- Is your executive leadership on board? If not, why?
- Who is your sponsor? We recommend a divisional leader who is passionate about the issue – outside of HR
- Articulate how this program aligns to your vision and values (it is not something extra)
What next?
Gallup research tells us that what a manager says and does contribute 70% towards the engagement and well-being of the team.
Training managers about how to build mentally healthy teams is the key to improving team mental health.
With this background, it can be tempting to look for a quick short course. However, the science of learning tells us that we will forget 75% of what we learn after 6 days unless it is reinforced with spaced learning.
We need simple scalable courses for managers – backed up with a tool kit of help sheets that can be easily found when needed – and regular nudges to turn knowledge into action.
That is why the WeCARE365 team has developed WeCARE Manager. We encourage you to check it out at the link below.
Would you like to book a demo?
Email: graeme@wecare365.com.au
Graeme Cowan is a mental health author and speaker. He is also a Board Director of R U OK?, and host of The Caring CEO podcast which is sponsored by WeCARE365 – simple and scalable learning programs to prevent mental health issues and build a culture of care.