MITIGATE mental health issues and create stronger teams, business leaders attending an online forum have been told.
Regular exercise – even a mere ten-minute walk – can make a difference to leaders and staff in equal measure. Inject an element of fun into the working day, one mental health expert said.
Milton Keynes Business Leaders Partnership has devoted a second of its regular online discussion forums to the subject of mental health, this time focusing on ‘Mental Health in Lockdown’.
Panellists Jon Manning, chief executive of Arthur Ellis: Mental Health Support, mental health keynote speaker Daryl Woodhouse and Gary Lincoln, group director TXM Group and an executive coach, reflected on their own mental health journeys and highlighted the myriad of issues which both employers and employees may currently be facing.
Mr Woodhouse said: “Good mental health practices contributes to fuelling a better head space. It enables the innovation to flow into the workplace and positively impacts how we operate as leaders. It can create transformational results.”
The panellists stressed to business leaders that they too looked after themselves, putting them in a good place to inspire employees.
With mental health issues leading to many difficulties in the workplace, ranging from poor performance and productivity to low morale and retention rates, Mr Lincoln stressed the importance of understanding the drivers of each individual’s particular mental health challenges.
Mr Manning outlined highlighted how business leaders can improve the emotional intelligence of their organisation, with recovery tools built around five key principles, moving, helping others, focusing, learning new skills and, communication.
“There are many different ways to implement the principles within an organisation,” he added. “Each is worth 20%, however communication is key. We see a lot of texting services coming through but it is important that people can see each other, even if that is through video calls.
“93% of communication is non-verbal. Employees need to see that their employer is emotionally available to them.”
Managers should not merely signpost employees. They need to know how to work the key principles into their daily routines, delegates were told.
Mr Lincoln said: “Business leaders need to nurture their employees and inject an element of fun into the day. I know one team who perform the New Zealand Haka over Zoom together. Remember that people who are happy are 12% more productive.”
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