Encourage your staff to ask: Are you OK?
04 May 2020
5
min read
Connecting with your staff, and encouraging them to connect with each other, may be more difficult during the coronavirus health emergency. But keeping up these connections plays a significant role in the wellbeing of your workplace.
Just as important as looking after your employee’s physical health during the COVID-19 outbreak is looking after their mental health.
Working from home for long periods of time may possibly impact mental health so it was important to support your mental health during COVID-19, according to Dr Jill Newby, Associate Professor of Psychology at UNSW and the Black Dog Institute.1
Dr Newby said working from home made it more difficult for your staff to have everyday or spontaneous encounters with colleagues. As a result, it was important to be proactive in organising meetings and social connections to maintain positive relationships between staff members.
Connect for your wellbeing
Staying connected with others helped to reduce stress levels, helped you feel less isolated, and helped you stay productive, Dr Newby said.
R U OK? CEO Katherine Newton told QSuper staying connected at work with simple conversations could even help save a life.
“We all spend so much time at work that we are often the best placed person to spot changes in someone’s behaviour, see when things are slightly out of the norm,” Ms Newton said.
You may think you’re not an expert, but we all can help. It doesn’t always have to be a crisis or a mental illness, it may be noticing something small. We all can help a person manage a load.”
It was important to remember that getting through a day’s work may not be the only thing the person next to us was going through, she said.
Connect to help others
Currently 3 million Australians are living with anxiety or depression.2
Research released by R U OK? also found:
- Nearly two-thirds of Australians (63%) were not confident they knew the signs that someone might be struggling with life.
- Of those surveyed, 41% hadn’t asked someone if they were OK because they weren’t sure they knew the signs.
- Almost 1 in 2 people (49%) believed they’d be more confident starting a conversation if they knew the signs to determine whether someone was OK or struggling.
Ms Newton said employers and staff could create a culture where people felt confident asking if someone was OK.
“We hope to empower people to trust their gut instinct and ask the question as soon as they spot the signs that someone might be struggling with life.”
Trust the signs for mental health
R U OK? outlines three signs to be aware of when checking in with your colleagues:
What is your colleague saying?
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Do they seem to sound:
- Confused or irrational
- Moody
- Unable to switch off
- Concerned about the future
- Concerned they’re a burden
- Lonely or lacking self-esteem
- Concerned they’re trapped or in pain
How is your colleague behaving?
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Do they seem to be:
- Experiencing mood swings
- Becoming withdrawn
- Changing their online behaviour
- Losing interest in what they used to love
- Unable to concentrate
- Less interested in their appearance and personal hygiene
- Behaving recklessly
- Changing their sleep patterns
What’s going on in their life?
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Are they experiencing:
- Relationship issues
- Major health issues
- Work pressure or constant stress
- Financial difficulty
- Loss of someone or something they care about
What you can do
Simple steps to ask if a colleague is OK:
- Approach the conversation in a casual and informal manner and tone.
- Be sure you are having the conversation privately and free from interruptions.
- Start the conversation with questions such as ‘I just want to check in with you and see how you are travelling? I have noticed a change in you in the last couple of weeks in that you don’t seem to be quite yourself. R U OK?’
- Be a listener and listen without interruption or judgement.
- It’s not your role to fix the problem. However, guide the person towards a solution or further assistance such as a manager, trusted family member, GP or counsellor.
- After the conversation, check back in. Keep up that connection, an open ear can be life changing.
Source: RU OK?, Let’s talk about mental health.
Some conversations need professional help.
Never hesitate to reach out.
1 Newby, J, Blackdog Institute, 25 March 2020, Working from home: A checklist to support your mental health during Coronavirus accessed 20 April 2020 at www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
2 Beyond Blue, accessed 1 September 2019 at https://www.beyondblue.org.au