Well-being
Assuring the mental & emotional well-being of our people
We found that sudden disconnection from normal environments and uncertainty about the future is producing mental and emotional stress. Effective leaders are being empathetic, vulnerable and responsive.
What's working well?
Conscious Care
Proactively discovering what others are experiencing. What are their lives like? What challenges do they have that I do not? What do they need? How would they like to contribute?
Humor
Sharing the things that make us laugh while we go through this crazy time. Laughing together helps.
"Boundaries are blurred more than ever between work time and personal time. I continue to espouse that ‘always home does not equal always on.’"
Vulnerability
Leaders telling the truth about their own fear, worries & difficult experiences. Acknowledging anxiety, creating a safe space for people to share experiences and challenges. Commending brave honesty.
Responsiveness
When people open up, following up with immediate action.
"People seem to be naturally allowing more room for each other and these unique circumstances. Calls have a lot of checking in with what is really happening. A lot of leeway is being given for people as they juggle what’s happening at home (e.g. you can turn off your video, dealing with other family members and kids, etc..)"
"How do we keep a sense that we are all in this together when you have a wide range of employee categories, from office workers staying at home, to physical workers that have no choice but to show up on the job or provide services to customers?"
Virtual Community
Bringing people together to commiserate, meet challenges, have fun & support one another.
Learning
We are noticing that people who are learning & growing or helping others to learn & grow tend to be more optimistic and hopeful.
"We started a 'Smarter Together' channel on slack. In my daily emails, I may throw out a topic like who is binge-watching what show….this is how I got sucked into Tiger King…good Lord! We also do contests, like your craziest WFH picture or our current contest is the best outdoor work pic. Next week will be a focus on gratitude and will do a contest around that! The smarter-together channel is our social network for memes, quotes, tips, pictures, jokes, etc. It is so fun to see the interaction between sites and departments that do not normally interact."
"How are you replenishing your own energy and keeping your own anxiety at bay so you have something to give?"
If you have insights, challenges or ideas you would like to bring to this community, we would love to hear from you.