As Mental Health Awareness Month unfolds this May, the world is coming together in a timely, far-reaching dialogue on well-being. A work environment that supports mental positivity is vital for a team's overall welfare and crucial for a company's creative output and consistent growth. Initiating support begins with the ability to identify when a member of the team might be facing difficulties. Figuring out the way to step in and offer help that lands as genuine and encouraging is where the challenge often lies. To make this a consistent reality, it can help to focus on a few key approaches.
How to Respond When an Employee Withdraws from Team Interaction
A recent Cigna Healthcare study finds that 60 percent of adults report feeling lonely. This has a significant impact in the workplace, where employees experiencing loneliness miss nearly five additional days of work per year. As a result, this costs employers an estimated $154 billion annually in lost productivity.
When a team member who used to be actively engaged starts to quiet down or step back from group chats or meetings, that can be a clear sign that something's up. From what I've seen, such behavior often points to stress, a feeling of disconnection, or other mental health challenges. (Alternatively, it can also be a sign that your employee is considering leaving for another company.) Either way, regular one-on-one touch-base conversations can show the person you care about them and that you’re available to talk things through.
To be effective, these conversations shouldn't just be about work tasks. Take these as an opportunity to genuinely connect and understand someone's actual well-being, beyond the surface. It's also helpful to train managers on how to notice those subtle signs of someone pulling away, perhaps not contributing ideas like they used to do, or skipping informal team get-togethers. Managers are often the first to spot isolation, whether the employee works across the hall or logs in from another ZIP code. Foster a workplace culture where people feel safe to talk openly. I believe that when people feel safe being real, they're more likely to ask for help when they need it.
Handling Dips in Work Performance with Understanding and Flexibility
A dip in a team member's work performance frequently serves as an early sign that they may be facing difficulties. Instead of just reacting to the numbers, a more insightful leadership approach involves understanding the person's situation and being open to flexible solutions. When I see a person’s performance start to slip, my immediate thought turns to how we can proactively support them. If an excessive workload is the issue, we can look at rebalancing assignments or assisting with prioritization strategies. Where possible, offering flexible working conditions can also grant employees the necessary space to address personal issues that are impacting their professional contributions. It's also crucial to ensure that everyone is informed about and feels comfortable leveraging confidential resources like employee assistance programs.
Noticing When Someone Doesn’t Seem Like Themself
Sometimes, you can intuitively tell when someone isn’t quite their usual self. Big changes in how they “show up”, a departure from their usual routine, or appearing either really tired or unusually hyped-up can be signs of deeper issues, including mental health challenges. As leaders, we need to make sure our people managers are always ready to talk about these things when they notice them. It could be having a private chat and just saying you've noticed a change and you care, without guessing why. It's important not to assume you know what's going on. The conversation should be open and provide a safe space for the employee to share if they want to. And as always, in these talks, leaders should reroute the team back to the confidential mental health assistance programs the company offers.
Acting to Prevent Burnout
Increased absenteeism and a pattern of disengagement are major signs that an employee might be headed for burnout. Burnout is serious exhaustion from long-term stress, and it's much better to take steps to prevent it before it settles in. As leaders, our job is to model sustainable, healthy behavior – avoiding constantly burning the midnight oil, encouraging people to use their vacation time and take mental health days when they need them, and taking our own earned time off to show it's not only okay but encouraged. It is also important to regularly look at your team members’ workloads to make sure they’re fair, realistic, and manageable. That helps avoid the constant overload that leads to burnout.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, let's go beyond just talking. Let's start doing things to make our workplaces mentally healthier. Actively supporting our team members helps us make a meaningful difference in their lives and creates a truly people-centric workplace.
