Equitable Mental Health in the Workplace
This workshop on equitable mental health offered as part of our Future of Work learning program provides leaders with introductory tools to better support team mental wellness and begin supporting their team through an equitable mental health lens.
Equitable mental health in the workplace helps to foster an inclusive culture where employee wellbeing is prioritized. Leaders are encouraged to adopt a range of practices that can support their team’s mental wellness, while recognizing diverse needs and ensuring accessibility for both in-person and remote team members.
Impact of racism on mental health
The stress caused by experiences of racism become traumatic after attempts to cope with this stress are unsuccessful.
Racial trauma can lead to:
- Feeling disconnected and lonely
- Isolation
- Not enjoying activities
- Loss of interest and social withdrawal
- Second guessing oneself and surroundings
- Decreased trust in others
- Decreased hope in the future, workplace, justice and government
- Increased “survival mode”
- Worry, fear and panic
- Existential questioning, e.g. “How can the world be so cruel?”
- Increased risk of depression and anxiety
- Emotional exhaustion and burnout
Understanding mental wellbeing needs
Availability, capacity and burnout
Availability
The free time that is not being used for anything.
Capacity
The time that is left over, out of what is already being used.
Burnout
Not having any time left, therefore going over your capacity.
Individuals who experience burnout often take on tasks over their capacity, and may have limited access to emotional wellbeing resources and emotional support at the time that resources and support are most needed. This can leave many feeling overwhelmed, overextended and overworked, frustrated and burnt out.
Commit to a “mental wellness check”, which is checking in with yourself during each workday. Gauge how you are doing so you can be aware when something needs to be addressed.
- Example: Today I am feeling: great, good, so-so, exhausted, burnt out
Do the same for team members who you sense may be struggling with managing their availability and/or capacity. Be intentional about checking in with team members who are working remotely and stay attentive to any cues or subtle changes that reflect their wellbeing. Avoid the “out of sight, out of mind” trap and engage in mindful communication with remote team members.
Workplace safety
Do you make physical, emotional and psychological safety a priority for your team?
- Create a work environment free of barriers and objects that could lead to physical harm. For employees working from home, leaders should be discussing the importance of ergonomic set ups and review together the guidelines to establish safe and healthy working conditions. Remember, employees must not receive visitors, hold in-person meetings, or otherwise conduct in-person duties with other individuals at a flexible work location.
- People need to have at least one space in life where they can truly express their feelings and be themselves. We want to foster a community where people can bring their whole selves to work.
- Members of equity deserving groups have expressed that the opportunity to work from home has reduced incidents of microaggressions in the workplace. It’s critical for leaders to consider whether employees are avoiding coming into campus because of previous negative experiences with colleagues or clients.
- Ensure team members will not be punished and/or humiliated for openly expressing their feelings, ideas, questions, mistakes or concerns. Psychological safety is a shared belief by employees or by members of a team that they will not be rejected.
- In hybrid or virtual meetings, it’s important to make sure everyone has an opportunity to express their opinions and that participants in person are not prioritised over those joining virtually. Challenges with technology such as a lag in timing, or simply forgetting to call on those online can create an environment where it’s difficult to speak up or object.
4 tips for workspace psychological safety
Make psychological safety an explicit priority
Facilitate space for sharing new ideas
Create norms on how mistakes and conflicts are handled
Embrace productive conflict
Workplace communication
Workplace communication is the transfer of information from person to person within a workplace and has an impact on our mental health and our professional and personal relationships. Workplace communication skills are about:
- Building relationships
- Communicating with words verbally, non verbally with body language, and in written communication
What can you do to foster safe workplace communication?
1. Know the facts. Educate yourself (external link) about mental health.
2. Be aware of your attitudes, behaviours and judgments towards mental health.
3. Be thoughtful about what types of conversations you have in person compared to virtually. In some cases, in person conversations may be more appropriate. On the other hand, some may appreciate being at home already after a difficult conversation. Do your best to consider the psychological safety of the situation and the method of communication.
4. Be conscious of the potential for the blurring of boundaries with hybrid work. Be sure to set expectations on how we communicate across various forms like email, chat and collaboration tools. Be mindful of when and how you’re communicating and ensure you’re well informed about employees’ right to disconnect.
5. Choose your words carefully. The way we speak can affect the attitudes of others.
6. Educate others, and share mental health facts to challenge myths, stereotypes and stigmas.
7. What you see from a person is only a part of the larger picture. Ask “what happened to you” instead of “what’s wrong with you”.
8. Treat everyone with dignity and respect; offer support and encouragement.
9. Identify inclusive services, on and off campus, like the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) or counselling, where all individuals feel seen, heard, validated and safe. Review these resources to support wellbeing.