Bad Managers Cause Poor Mental Health

Bad Managers Cause Poor Mental Health

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 1 minute

Think about it, someone in management who has never learned how to communicate will have a team unaware of what is happening. Leaders who follow the examples of those above them, who’ve created a misogynistic culture, will continue with the same practices. When things don’t go smoothly, managers getting berated from above will berate the people below them. And on and on it goes. 

If we want a healthier, open, and inclusive workplace, we need to train the people in charge of setting the tone and the culture. All the lunchtime yoga and meditation in the world can’t overcome that shortcoming. 

It’s All About Flexibility

It’s All About Flexibility

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 3 minutes

Later it occurred to me that mental health should be handled the same way in the workplace. No two people are the same or have the same mental health issues. What I could accomplish work-wise during the time I was medicated and seeing a therapist might not be the same as someone else in therapy.  One person might need some time away from work during a crisis, while someone else might need work to be the thing that keeps them living with some day-to-day structure. There will not be one solution that fits everyone. In any of these situations, it will be essential to allow employees to find what works for them and their work. Providing some flexibility will go a long way toward keeping an employee engaged instead of making them feel unsupported and looking to go elsewhere. It might also go a long way toward helping them heal as well, to know they have a consistent source of income that is not at risk.

Linked – 49% of workers fear being open about mental health status at work

Linked – 49% of workers fear being open about mental health status at work

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 1 minute

There has been a lot of progress, but I fear management has made that progress and ticked the item on the checklist as “done” without really making sure they’ve hit the mark. Yes, they rolled out a mental health benefit or two, but have they done the work to train managers? Have they understood how employees feel about that relationship and whether they trust their immediate manager? That is where an employee needs to feel safe talking about mental health. If that safety doesn’t exist, all the extra benefits in the world will not help.

Linked – How many workers are looking for workplace mental health support?

Linked – How many workers are looking for workplace mental health support?

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 1 minute

These are significant numbers for business leaders to consider.

“The vast majority of workers—eight in 10—are seeking workplaces that offer mental health support, according to a survey of employees from the American Psychological Association. The organization’s 2022 Work and Well-being Survey was conducted online by the Harris Poll among more than 2,000 working adults between April 22 and May 2. The survey also found that 71% believe their employer is more concerned about the mental health of employees now than before the pandemic, while 39% of employees have stated that their workplace environment has had a negative impact on their mental health.”