The World Health Organization estimates that in a company of 1,000 employees, 200-300 workers will suffer from a serious mental health problem in any given year, one worker will die by suicide every ten years, and for every employee who dies by suicide, another 10-20 will make a suicide attempt.

When we look more closely at the US, it can be seen that of the high-income countries monitored annually by the Commonwealth Fund, the US has the highest suicide rate – with workplace suicides having risen by 39% since the turn of the millennium. And the UK is not far behind when it comes to cause for concern, as it is estimated that 10% of suicides each year could be work related.

In the tragic event that an employee does commit suicide, the employer has a vital role in supporting workers in the aftermath of this tragedy – a role which must be handled with a sense of care and compassion in order to properly manage the aftereffects of such a delicate situation. These are some of the things employers need to do:

• Acknowledge the Incident – it’s important for employers to speak about what has happened and provide employees with the space to process it. The loss should be acknowledged without speculation or blame, and condolences should be offered to the family, colleagues, and friends, as well as a clear assurance that the company is there to offer support to those affected.  
• Supporting and Signposting – in the immediate aftermath of the incident, it’s imperative that employers are making employees aware of the support that’s on offer internally (usually through an Employee Assistance Program) as well as offering to signpost grief counselling services to those who need it. Peer support should also be encouraged during this time, as the team will be feeling a mix of emotions, some more intensely than others, and having the support of your peers to lean on is vital.
• Allow Time for Grieving – some employees will be more affected than others by the loss of an employee through suicide, either due to how close they were with the deceased or if suicide is a particularly triggering topic for them based on past trauma. It can be a good idea for employers to provide a certain level of flexible leave for those who need time to process. In addition, employers can designate a safe, quiet space in the workplace where employees can go if they need a moment away from their work environment.
• Memorials and/or Tributes – if it’s appropriate and in line with the wishes of the family, it can be good to consider organizing a memorial service or providing a space for employees to share memories and support each other. Employers can also consider allowing employees to express their grief through tributes such as a memory board, a charitable donation, or planting a tree in memory of the employee.
• Ongoing Mental Health Monitoring – managers need to be regularly checking in with their teams to see how they are coping and reminding them of support available. It’s equally as important that managers are also given ongoing support and training so that they can handle these delicate situations to the best of their abilities.

In the aftermath of an employee suicide many employers will likely want to review and improve their workplace practices around suicide prevention – especially if the suicide was in any way work-related.

This will involve re-evaluating the workplace culture by reviewing policies and practices to ensure they support employee wellbeing and mental health, as well as reaffirming how important open and honest communication is and that all employees can always make time to talk privately to their leaders and direct reports.

It can be a good idea to conduct an incident review to get a better understanding of any work-related behaviors that might have been observed at work. HR should use these findings to prevent future tragedies by using the data to strengthen polices, procedures, and support systems.

Lastly, consider introducing mental health initiatives such as stress management programs and anti-bullying policies, as well as reviewing your current EAP provider to ensure they are offering a wide range of support for diverse issues.

If you would like to discuss this in more detail, please get in touch with me at karen.cerrato@orgshakers.com

Burnout is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an ‘occupational phenomenon’. Whilst it is not a medical condition, it has been classified as a syndrome, meaning a collection of symptoms or signs associated with a specific health-related cause.

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress or overwork. It can lead to a lack of motivation, decreased productivity, and overall feelings of cynicism and detachment. Burnout often occurs when individuals feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands effectively. It can impact various aspects of a person’s life, including work performance, relationships, and overall well-being. Recognizing burnout early and taking steps to address it is important to prevent further negative consequences on health and productivity.

However, many people tend to confuse burnout with depression, but the reality is that the two are very different. Whilst there is some overlap in symptoms – such as fatigue and low mood – the two differ exponentially. The most obvious difference is that whilst burnout is considered a syndrome, depression is classified as a mental health condition and often requires a professional diagnosis and psychological/medical treatment.

This is because depression can be caused by various factors, including biological dispositions (such as genetic dispositions or hormonal imbalances) or environmental factors. Burnout, however, is primarily related to stress induced by work, and typically results from prolonged exposure to job demands paired with a lack of resources and/or support.

While burnout and depression can coexist or exacerbate each other, they are separate conditions that may necessitate different approaches to management and treatment. If you suspect that you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of either burnout or depression, always seek the right support. This can mean reaching out to your manager, going through your HR team, or potentially reaching out to your EAP provider.

As burnout is something that is likened closely to the workplace and working conditions, it is more likely for managers and employees to recognize signs of burnout amongst their colleagues. Here are a few signs you might spot when someone is on the verge of burning out:

• Increased Irritability – if you notice team members becoming easily frustrated, agitated, or showing signs of impatience, it could be a sign of burnout.
• Decreased Motivation – a lack of enthusiasm or engagement in tasks, projects, people, or meetings.
• Physical Symptoms – persistent headaches, fatigue, digestive issues, or sleep disturbances.
• Cynicism and Negative Attitude – a shift towards a more negative outlook, pessimism, or sustained criticism.
• Decreased Productivity – missed deadlines, unfinished tasks, or a decline in the quality of work.

Once an employee has been identified as suffering from burnout, it is then important to consider implementing some of the following practices:

• Encourage Work-Life Balance – be an advocate for setting boundaries between work and personal life. Encourage team members to take breaks and to take their holiday to remind them that you want them operating at their best and therefore need to ensure they are taking care of their well-being.
• Provide Support – foster a culture of open communication and support within the team. Encourage team members to share their concerns and struggles, and offer assistance where needed.
• Promote Self-Care – encourage team members to engage in activities that promote self-care, such as exercise, mindfulness, hobbies etc. Diet and water intake could also be explored, and promoted in the office through having water coolers and healthy snacks available.
• Delegate Tasks – ensure workload is distributed evenly and appropriately among team members. By delegating tasks effectively, this will help to prevent overwhelming individuals.
• Seek Feedback – regularly check in with team members to gather feedback on workload and use this feedback to make necessary adjustments.

By recognizing the signs and implementing preventive measures, you can promote a healthy work environment for your teams that allows them to work at their optimum. To discuss how we can help implement these preventative strategies, and offer training around burnout prevention, please get in touch with me at therese@orgshakers.com

Supporting an employee through grief is always difficult; we all grieve differently. But it can feel particularly daunting to support the aching grief of a recently bereaved parent.

It’s important for employers to consider that a parent’s journey with their bereavement doesn’t always begin post-mortem. For parents who lose their children to illness, this process would have started long before. And in some ways, this part can be even harder to manage, as a parent will still be juggling work alongside this traumatic process.

During this period, flexibility is of the utmost importance. Employers who can offer as much flexibility as possible to a parent going through that process will allow them to have the time they need to prepare for what will inevitably be an intensely emotional time. It wouldn’t be surprising to see performance slip in these employees, but employers should acknowledge that this is temporary and heavily influenced by the nature of the circumstances.

Once a parent has lost a child, there are a few things employers can do to help them:

• Support Programs – employers should ensure that they make recently bereaved parents aware of the support programs that are available to them. While 79% of employers provide an Employee Assistance Program, only 27% of employees realise this exists as an option. It is therefore important to highlight the counselling and support services they offer, as this could be instrumental in helping a parent going through such a loss.
• Send a Token of Support – sending a small token, even just a card, can go a long way. As an employer, it’s important to focus on the human aspect of your employees when they go through a loss like this – and what they need more than anything is to know that you are there, you are supportive, and you are happy to give them the time they need to process. Receiving a card or flowers shows that you care and, in doing so, will help to alleviate any feelings of guilt the employee might have about being away from work.
• Keep Connected – a sense of connection with work and colleagues can be valuable when someone may feel very disconnected from everything else. That’s why it’s important that managers regularly check in with the employee whilst they are grieving. Fostering this bond can help managers discover any hardships that employees may be going through and need support with. In doing so, managers will help the employee feel valued as a worker, in the process building loyalty and trust.

It all comes down to emphasizing the ‘human’ in human resources. When an employee goes through something as unimaginable as the loss of a child, what they need more than anything is to be seen as more than just an employee, but a three-dimensional person. By doing this, employers will be better able to offer the support the employee may need during this time, aiding in their eventual assimilation back into working life when the time comes.

To discuss how we can help strengthen your bereavement support strategies, please get in touch with me directly at karen.cerrato@orgshakers.com

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is caused by experiencing very stressful, frightening or distressing events. Most of us will experience at least one trauma in our lifetime that could lead to PTSD, although not all experiences with trauma lead to this disorder.

While often associated with military veterans, PTSD affects a wide range of individuals, including survivors of accidents, natural disasters, assaults, and other life-altering events. It is estimated that around 6% of the US population suffer from PTSD, and around 4% of the UK population. It is therefore very likely that employers will have team members who struggle with the disorder, and considering its delicate nature, it is important for them to know the best ways of supporting the mental health of these employees:

• Provide Access to Resources – it’s always important to ensure that your company has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that can offer services such as confidential counselling and crisis intervention. It’s also important to review health insurance policies to determine whether they include therapy and medication for PTSD treatment.
• Offer Specialized Training – offer training and workshops that help managers and supervisors recognize signs of PTSD and understand the best ways to support an affected employee. It is also important to train leaders to have the necessary soft skills in order to communicate empathetically and compassionately around the topic of mental health.
• Flexible Working – offering employees with PTSD the ability to work flexibly can really help in the management of their symptoms, as well as enable them to attend therapy sessions without feeling pressured by time constraints. Employers can even consider certain job modifications to reduce stressors, such as reassigning certain tasks or adjusting performance expectations.
• Crisis Management Plan – have a clear plan in place for employees to reach out for help during a mental health crisis. This should include contact information for EAPs, mental health hotlines, and on-site mental health professionals if available.
• Foster an Open Culture – create a culture where employees feel comfortable discussing their mental health. This can be done by actively educating employees around mental health disorders such as PTSD through regular workshops and seminars. This will help challenge the taboos around mental health at work and equip employees with the skills to be able to identify when a fellow peer may be struggling.

Supporting employees with PTSD requires a multi-faceted approach. With each person’s experience with PTSD varying significantly, there is no one-size-fits-all way of supporting someone. So, educating managers and employees, training them on how to communicate and actively listen, and making employees aware of the resources available to them can all lend to optimizing the productivity of those that suffer with a mental health disorder and allow them to thrive in their working environment.

If you would like to discuss how we can help strengthen your mental health support strategies, please get in touch with us.

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental health disorder that affects approximately 24 million people worldwide. There is an array of preconceptions around this disorder, particularly due to the nature in which it is presented in entertainment media, but a lot of these preconceived notions do not accurately reflect the experience of someone who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

It is therefore important for employers and HR to understand the reality of schizophrenia, and how with the right support and reasonable adjustments, those with this disorder can be capable, productive, and dedicated workers.

Schizophrenia is a disorder that is primarily marked by psychosis, which refers to a set of symptoms characterized by a loss of touch with reality due to a disruption in the way that the brain processes information. This can manifest thought hallucinations, delusions, reduced motivation, motor impairment, cognitive impairment, and difficulty with relationships. There is no definitive cause for the disorder, although it has been found that those with family members who suffer from schizophrenia have a higher chance of being diagnosed.

Despite schizophrenia being widely heard of, it is actually one of the more uncommon disorders – it is much more likely for a person to have a panic disorder, bipolar, or depression. Due to portrayals in popular culture, some employers may be hesitant to hire individuals affected, but the reality of this disorder is very different, so let’s challenge some of these notions:

• Violent Tendencies – multiple studies have shown that most people with this condition don’t exhibit violent behavior. In fact, one study found that 19 out of 20 people with schizophrenia had no incidence of violence over a two-year period.
• Episodes – schizophrenic episodes are unique to the individual and vary significantly from person to person. They will not always include delusions or hallucinations, but it’s important to be aware of the different ways that symptoms can manifest during an episode.
• Treatment – while medication can be essential for managing the disorder, it isn’t the only method of treatment. People with schizophrenia benefit from multiple support strategies, such as social support, engaging in meaningful work/activities, and having a routine – these can all help reduce the impact of the condition and improve wellbeing.
• Work – even though schizophrenia can be a disabling condition, it doesn’t mean that individuals affected by it can’t work, they just need to have the right support and accommodations in place. As mentioned above, meaningful work can be a crucial part of stabilizing symptoms.

It is estimated that about 10-15% of people with schizophrenia are in the workforce, but 70% would actively like to be working. The aforementioned misconceptions, and the lack of proper support and adjustments, can act as barriers for those with this disorder to find a job. If employers are able to offer reasonable adjustments – opportunities to work remotely, regular breaks, quiet workspaces, flexibility – this can lend towards the successful onboarding of an employee with schizophrenia. Along with this, there are a few essentials that employers and HR leaders need to know:

• Hiring – schizophrenia is protected under the Equality Act in the UK and the Americans with Disabilities Act in the US, so just like with any potential candidate, hiring managers will need to assess whether their qualifications, experience, and attitude are right for the job and will be able to do the job with the right accommodations. Individuals with schizophrenia can sometimes have difficulty engaging in teamwork, goal setting, and focusing, and these factors tend to act as barriers for those with the disorder from getting and maintaining a job. But having the right accommodations can help overcome this. For example, when someone with schizophrenia has an episode, they will not be functional, but to help remedy this in the future, employers can work with their treatment providers to help determine and mitigate potential triggers of an episode in the workplace.
• Talking About Schizophrenia – hiring someone with schizophrenia must remain confidential unless the employee opts to share their diagnosis with others. If they do, it can be useful to provide additional training/education about the condition to avoid the risk of employees believing the many misconceptions discussed above. This training could include highlighting the accommodations in place to help ensure workflow isn’t disrupted, and how to recognize a schizophrenic episode and what to do in that situation.
• Mental Health Support – many employers now offer mental health support as part of their benefit packages, most notable in the form on an employee assistance program. These can be a great way of ensuring that an employee with schizophrenia has access to therapy, and can help employers identify triggers for episodes which they can then work towards mitigating.

If you would like to discuss how we can help support and train you in the onboarding and inclusion of employees with schizophrenia, or any other mental health disorders, please get in touch with us.

Every year, 12 billion working days are lost worldwide to depression and anxiety, costing the global economy $1 trillion, predominantly due to the debilitating effects they have on productivity.

As we continue to see employers make strides towards creating psychologically safe workplace cultures, a key component for supporting the immediate needs of employee wellbeing is an employee assistance program (EAP). EAPs are outsourced mental wellbeing services that are designed to support employees who are facing personal or professional issues, and will tend to offer services such as counselling, a 24/7 support line, work-life balance support, legal and financial advice, referral services, and manager training.

With the importance of mental wellbeing continuing to rise, what should HR consider when selecting an EAP for their organization?

Firstly, it’s essential to assess the scope of services offered by the EAP, which should be as broad as possible to include more complex support such as substance abuse assistance and crisis intervention services. By offering diverse services, employees are more likely to find the support they need, enhancing their overall wellbeing and, in turn, reducing absenteeism.

In addition, HR needs to consider the accessibility of the service. Employees should be able to easily access the support they need when needed, whether through phone consultations, online resources, or in-person counselling sessions. Having this user-friendly platform and streamlined referral process will encourage employees to utilize the program and seek assistance without hesitation.

The privacy and confidentiality policies of the EAP provider should also be considered. It’s important that employees feel comfortable seeking help without fear of their personal information being disclosed to employers or team members, as this will help to build trust with the program and ensure that it is properly utilized.

Another consideration would be the cultural competence of the provider. A diverse workforce requires culturally sensitive support services that are inclusive and respectful of different backgrounds and beliefs. Partnering with an EAP provider that understands and respects these cultural nuances ensures that all employees are receiving appropriate and effective assistance tailored to their unique needs.

Lastly, HR needs to be cost-effective when choosing an EAP. While investing in employee wellbeing yields long-term benefits (such as improved productivity and engagement), it’s essential to evaluate the return on investment of different program options.

Once a program has been selected, don’t hesitate to gauge employee satisfaction with it. Ask those employees who have used the services and get a sense of whether it is making a difference for them – and identify areas where it could be improved. An EAP should evolve and adapt to meet the changing needs of the workforce, and having consistent feedback helps to ensure it remains a valuable investment.

If you would like to discuss how we can support your company with choosing the best EAP – or any other wellbeing support you may need – please get in touch with us.

Health and safety in the workplace has always been paramount, but in recent years the agenda of health and safety has evolved. This is because in the post-COVID era, many employers have realized that psychological safety plays an important role in optimizing team and organization performance. This sentiment is echoed by the workforce; an overwhelming 89% of employees believe that psychological safety in the workplace is essential.  

The term psychological safety was coined by Amy C. Edmondson, professor for leadership and management at the Harvard Business Review. She defines this as “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking”. In other words, employees feel free to brainstorm out loud, voice half-finished thoughts, and openly challenge the status quo.

What tends to get misconstrued, however, is the idea that a psychologically safe work environment is one where everyone is always nice and agreeable. While psychological safety encourages openness and the freedom to express any and all ideas without fear of judgment, it does not diminish the importance of debate and disagreement. Instead, it is about creating an environment where everyone knows that disagreements can be worked through and resolved together.

Knowing what you are trying to achieve from creating psychological safety is extremely helpful when it comes to strategically mapping out the path to get there. The above definition can serve as a starting point; specific considerations may be taken into account based on a company’s unique culture.

So, when building psychological safety, where is the best place to start?

First, a leader must have a realistic and accurate understanding of their personal impact on the workforce. For almost 70% of people, their manager has more impact on their mental health than their therapist or doctor, so it is important for a manager to be able to acknowledge and accept the role they play – and the influence they have – in creating a healthy working environment.

Next, define the desired outcome from creating psychological safety. From there, pinpoint the behavioral and organizational culture changes that need to be made to achieve the desired outcome. Several key components of psychological safety involve skills such as active listening, compassion, recognition, and inclusion. But it is also about feeling safe to be wrong, to take risks without fear of retaliation, and to work through healthy challenges rather than defending against accusation.

Creating this environment takes time. Those employers who are willing to make the effort to delve beneath the surface level needs of psychological safety are the ones who can unlock its greater benefits: increased productivity, higher engagement, fewer absences, more effective collaboration, and a stronger commitment to the organization.

Psychological safety cannot be built overnight, and mapping the path to achieve it requires intentional and thoughtful action – as well as the right support. This is where OrgShakers can help, from coaching your leaders to identify their impact on the team to pinpointing exactly what cultural strategies will best align with the needs of your company to ensure employees feel psychologically safe at work.

If you would like to discuss our services in more detail, please get in touch with me at amanda@orgshakers.com

The US Surgeon General recently declared an ‘epidemic of loneliness and isolation’ in the US. Meanwhile, in the UK, a new study discovered that a third of workers have a high mental health risk which is being driven by workplace loneliness.

The above statistic is very telling of the fact that a person’s work life plays a huge part in helping to alleviate feelings of loneliness. After all, we spend a vast majority of our time at work, so it’s no wonder that the relationships we form there would have influence over our health and wellbeing.

So, what can employers do to help foster social connection in the workplace?

Firstly, striking a balance between in-person and remote working. Hybrid work has proven to be favorable, but it has its drawbacks; whilst some find it allows them to have a better work-life balance, others have cited that working digitally can contribute to feelings of loneliness. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to this, but it seems that employers who are creating opportunities for social interaction to take place will help to ward off feelings of loneliness and isolation.

However, it’s important to remember that if you want employees to come into work physically, there must be a purpose behind it! Make sure you are doing the more collaborative, innovative work on those days in the office, and not work that they could very easily do from home.

Secondly, it can always be good for employers to host team building events. Not only does this allow for departments within a company to mix and mingle, but it also allows for employees to have the opportunity to bond over something that is not work-related.

It is important to consider that those who have been feeling lonely may also be feeling less confident in their socialising abilities, and so this should be kept in mind when deciding on an exercise that could unite employees.

For example, have staff take part in some volunteer work for the day. This ultimately removes the pressure of socialising as there will be things to attend to, but at the same time it is an environment that is outside of the workplace, and so will hopefully help to encourage more organic connections to form. Plus, it contributes positively to an employer’s corporate social responsibility initiatives!

Lastly, having mental health support programs in place. Those employers who have invested in Employee Assistance Programs will be able to signpost staff that are struggling through the correct channels to get them support with their wellbeing. Choosing not to invest in mental health support can sometimes seem like a necessary sacrifice to cut costs, but ultimately, the worsening mental health of employees will end up costing employers so much more in the long run. One study even estimates that stress-related absenteeism attributed to loneliness costs employers $154 billion annually in the US.

Those employers who are actively investing in supporting and preventing loneliness are helping to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of their staff. There are many studies that suggest that stronger social ties are linked to increasing the likelihood of an individual’s overall survival by as much as 50%. There is also a growing body of evidence that suggests that our brains actually function better when we’re interacting with others and experience togetherness. In contrast, when people feel lonelier, they tend to have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can leave them much more susceptible to burnout.

Whilst loneliness may seem like a trivial issue, it can have a huge effect on the productivity of your teams, as well as their engagement levels. When your people are your most valuable asset, investing in their wellbeing will likely prove to be the best way of optimizing their capabilities.

If you would like to discuss how we can help implement strategies to mitigate workplace loneliness, please get in touch with me at Brittany@orgshakers.com

Many of us are likely familiar with the famous collection of photographs, Lunch atop a Skyscraper, which depict a group of workers in very precarious – and notably unsafe – positions during the construction of the Empire State Building in 1932.

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Whilst the images are visually stunning, they also highlight a key fact about the state of health and safety regulations almost 100 years ago – they were nearly non-existent!

But over the years, the importance of health and safety in the workplace has increased exponentially all across the world.

In the US, occupational health and safety truly began in 1970, with the passing of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act, and was further improved in 1971 with the establishment of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which helped to transform the health and safety landscape into what we now see today.

Similarly, in the UK, the first notion of health and safety becoming a legal issue was in 1833 with the introduction of the Factories Act. However, health and safety was only truly brought to the forefront and addressed on a mass scale with the passing of the Health and Safety at Work Act in 1974.

A common thread throughout the history of health and safety at work is that it has always been focused on the physical safety of workers. Today, with new laws in place and with the help of HR, physical risks at work have been significantly mitigated.

This begs the question – what is the next step in the evolution of health and safety?

And the answer that’s emerging is psychological health and safety.

A hundred years ago, the idea of considering one’s mental health a matter of safety at work may have seemed strange – especially to those high-altitude workers accustomed to leaping between girders! – but in the modern world, mental health is a growing area of focus.

One study found that 89% of employees now believe that psychological safety in the workplace is essential. The concern for mental health has been catapulted to the forefront for many due to the pandemic, which brought into perspective the importance of feeling content and supported at work, as it made many realize that life is short and they want the best out of it (we subsequently dubbed this the ‘carpe diem’ mindset).

With psychological safety now lining up alongside wider health and safety concerns for employers, the role of HR in managing this expanding wellbeing portfolio is paramount to ensure that employees are getting the support they need.

If you would like to discuss how we can guide you in this process to ensure that the health and safety needs of your workplace – whether physical or psychological – are being met, please get in touch with us.

The HR is focused on managing every aspect of an organization’s ‘human’ capital.

As the importance of this historically under-optimized resource has been realized, however, we have seen the role of HR grow exponentially, especially as the scope of diversity, equity, and inclusion continues to expand alongside the almost perpetual introduction of new and emerging technologies.

It’s no surprise, therefore, that a fifth (22%) of HR directors are feeling ‘very stressed’, and almost three in ten (28%) feel there are too many demands on their time. The survey by Barnett Waddingham went on to reveal that 17% were unable to keep up with the pace of change at work.

And this raises an age-old question for HR professionals: when we start to burn out, who is our HR?

The answer can differ depending on what type of HR professional you actually are.

For those in-house corporate HR leaders, there are likely going to be internal support networks at the company they work for which they will have access to. Just as they will assist in implementing strategies to help reduce burnout amongst employees, these same strategies can be used to help alleviate their own stresses. Additionally, those that are members of the CIPD have access to a 24/7 helpline for any support they need (and for those HR professionals over in the US, SHMR members are offered a similar service!).

What can also be extremely helpful for those working in corporate HR is the recalibration of their role expectations. The world of HR is always expanding, and so as new considerations begin to come under HR’s scope of operation, it is important for these professionals to re-evaluate their job role with their employer and determine whether the increased workload needs to be distributed differently.

However, managing burnout when you are an independent HR consultant can be slightly trickier.

HR consultancy continues to gain popularity as a way of working for HR professionals (76% of organizations currently outsource one or more major HR function) which is why I founded the Leap Into HR Consulting programmes back in 2019 …to help senior HR professionals make that transition from corporate to consulting life (much like I did!).

A key part of the support we offer is understanding what you can do to alleviate stress and ward off those feelings of burnout that can come creeping in.

For one thing, being a consultant can often be perceived to be isolating. You do not have a team of head office functions behind you – so everything falls to you.

Juggling these many roles can be overwhelming, and what I have found to be truly effective in mitigating this sense of isolation is joining a community of consultants (either online or in person).

Having a sense of kinship can do wonders for your mental health, and it is so important to upkeep this when working in a consulting position.

Which leads me nicely onto my next point – you need to be in tune with yourself.

Understanding your needs and what makes you feel happy, healthy, and stimulated are going to be imperative tools for when you do feel a sense of burnout incoming. Be honest with your capabilities and set appropriate boundaries around your work to ensure that a work-life balance is being maintained that prioritizes your health and mental wellbeing. And considering that independent consultants have the additional worry of client retention and their own financial wellbeing on top of the burgeoning responsibilities that now fall to HR, it is imperative to have a wellbeing strategy in place for yourself.

If you would like to discuss HR wellbeing in greater detail and what services myself and OrgShakers can offer you, please get in touch with us.

Sarah Hamilton-Gill FCIPD

Managing Director

Globus HR Consulting Ltd

sarahhg@globushrconsulting.co.uk

Sarah-Hamilton Gill is the Founder and Managing Director of Globus HR Consulting Ltd. With over 29 years of experience in HR consulting, Sarah is widely regarded as an expert in the field of coaching HR professionals who are taking the leap into the HR Consulting world.

If you ever find yourself feeling anxious, sad, and/or stressed out as your Sunday comes to a close, you may be experiencing the Sunday scaries.

These feelings can be brought on for a number of reasons, whether that be stress from the week of work one has ahead of them, sadness about having to say goodbye to the fun, relaxing weekend, or angst from personal problems that have to be shelved as the working week begins again.

This phenomenon is more common than employer might think; one LinkedIn survey found that 75% of working Americans say they experience the Sunday scaries. This is an alarming amount of people who are starting off their work week on a bad note, and this can translate into productivity and engagement levels.

Setting the right tone for the week ahead can make all the difference with keeping a team engaged. After all, studies show that happy employees are noticeably more productive, and so employers should be considering what they can do to change that feeling of dread Monday brings into a feeling of excitement.

This is where the Monday Mantra comes in; employers should start considering creating their own unique mantra’s that they can use to bring the team together and ensure that the working week is starting off on a positive, stress-free note. This can take shape in a number of different and creative ways:

• Do a quick team meeting to start the day – this would see the team leader start Monday off by bringing everyone together and having an open discussion. Set goals for the week, ask what anyone in the team might need assistance with and where, and top this off with a fun and inspiring mantra that is rooted in the company’s mission. This can really help to recalibrate employees as they wean off the weekend and ease them into the week ahead, while also making it seem significantly less daunting.  
• Check-in with 1:1s – it’s very likely that a company will have a system where they set up one-to-ones, and these are a great opportunity to discuss in a more private and confidential setting about any feelings of angst or stress someone may be having. It can sometimes be difficult for someone to switch out of their personal life persona and switch into their professional persona, especially those who have other responsibilities beyond the workplace, such as childcare or caring for a family member. If team leaders are able to discuss these needs openly and sensitively, they will be able to better offer support where they can.
• Be clear about the support available – make sure that staff are aware of the mental wellbeing support that is available to them, whether that be an employee assistance program, externally outsourced support, or wellbeing apps such as Calm or Headspace to help manage anxiety.
• Introduce ‘No Meetings Monday’ – a more creative approach to warding off the Sunday scaries could be the introduction of a ‘no meetings Monday’, as this has been seen to help improve productivity and ease employees back into work mode.
• Have a ‘desk yoga’ session – Yoga is well-known to be an effective destressing tool for the body and the mind, so why not try and incorporate it into a Monday Mantra? Desk yoga is a fun new exercise which has been designed for someone to be able to do at their desk, making it perfect for setting the tone on a Monday morning!
• Plan ahead to Monday – team leaders can also be coaching their employees to plan their Monday’s before they leave work on Friday. Part of the angst can come from the element of feeling a sudden flood of responsibility after a weekend away, and so if employees are planning out what their Monday will entail, this will likely make it much more approachable as a task.

In some instances, employees who are frequently feeling the Sunday scaries may be a symptom of a deeper problem. This can either be an issue rooted in the company culture that is making them not want to come to work, or it could be a lack of motivation for the work they do. In both instances, we can help by conducting a cultural audit to identify where the issue may be and create strategies to tackle this. As well as coaching leaders to consider new ways of innovating the workday, such as creating ‘squiggle room’ with job crafting to breathe new life into a role.

If you would like to discuss this in more detail, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at victoria.sprenger@orgshakers.com

Ah, January.

After a month packed with festive traditions, colorful lights, and more food than many of us would care to admit, it is quite natural to find yourself in a bit of a slump as the new year kicks off.

This feeling is known more commonly as the ‘January Blues’ (or the ‘Winter Woes’ if you love a little bit of alliteration). This is a common phenomenon where individuals experience a sense of depression, lethargy, or just a general decline in mood during the first month of the year. If we think of December as a rush of adrenaline, January is that feeling when the adrenaline wears off and reality comes creeping back in.

Whilst this sense of ‘feeling down’ can usually fade after getting back into the groove of things, for some it can linger longer. For example, financial stresses that may have been exacerbated by the holiday period are not going to vanish when we tip over into February. Equally, those that suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) tend to struggle during these winter months.

So, when looking to re-engage employees in January and support their wellbeing during this post-festive slump, it is important for employers to view this month as a springboard for the momentum of their wellbeing strategy for the entire year, and not just fixate on wellbeing in January and then let this momentum wane as the year goes on.

And, let’s be honest, we can all be a bit guilty of this at this time of year! Some of us will have signed up for that new gym membership and started taking part in Veganuary only to discover that these resolutions quickly fizzle out. Suddenly the gym membership is just another card cluttering your wallet – and no amount of carrots and hummus can stop you daydreaming about cheese!

But in the same way persevering with the gym will improve your health, companies that maintain their wellbeing efforts throughout the whole year will find themselves with the strongest and most productive workforce, and will avoid falling into the trap of ‘wellbeing washing’.

Wellbeing washing is essentially when companies express their passion towards mental and physical health but don’t actually demonstrate this through their practices or actions. One study found that more than a third (35%) of businesses are perceived by their employees to be wellbeing washing.

The key to avoiding this slippery slope is consistency and clarity. Wellbeing is an issue that has moved up the corporate agenda in recent years – especially post-pandemic – and so it is important for employers to be consistent in their efforts to support the wellbeing needs of their workforce all year round.

And while having happy, healthy workers is already going to be good for brain health, innovative thinking, and boosting productivity, a study by Mind also discovered that 60% of workers think that if their employer made steps to support their wellbeing at work, it would increase their motivation and the likelihood of them recommending their company as a great place to work.

The best thing employers can do is be aware of those looming January blues and make it clear to their staff what support is on offer (either internally or externally) and how these services will help them with their specific needs. This keeps organizations true to their promises of bringing wellbeing to the forefront and creates a culture that promotes the mental and physical health of employees – all of which promotes a healthy business for the year to come.

If you would like to discuss how we can assist your business with its wellbeing strategies, please get in touch with us.