The following is an opinion article written by Ben Edwards, life coach, NLP practitioner and motivational speaker.
Striving businesses undoubtedly wish to retain a collection of exceptional employees. Encouraging the wellbeing and productivity of these staff members helps to benefit profit projections and a brand’s reputation; however, it has recently been reported that mental health in the workplace continues to drastically deteriorate. It appears the methods implemented by many HR departments, managers and business owners needs to shift from seemingly disconnected, repetitive training schemes, to those designed with employee welfare in mind.
It has been reported that while 61% of CEOs and managing directors believe mental health is being sufficiently catered for, one in every five employees confess to experiencing a mental health issue over the last year due to work related concerns. A fundamental issue in creating a healthy, dedicated workforce is simply a lack of understanding, in that very few managers know what to say or do when an employee discloses a mental health issue or personal concern.
Training courses should incorporate proactive elements such as educating managers on how to spot early warning signs of stressed employees and resilience training to teach employees how to better sustain good mental health. By educating managers, you can empower them to more effectively create a prosperous work culture; meeting the demands of their staff, building stronger colleague relationships and implementing changes where necessary.
Reigniting the dedication of employees and reducing the rate at which they experience difficulty with mental health or extensive stress can be a task but it will inevitably mean the company can reap the rewards in the long run.
Ben Edwards, a qualified life coach and motivational speaker, outlines below several tips to better prepare business owners and managers.
1. A fresh perspective can mean lasting results
Many ongoing, naturally occurring challenges inhibit the progression of a company’s development, whether that’s motivation becoming stagnant or staff becoming complacent and it can be hard to establish how you’re going to remedy the issues when you’ve been immersed in the problem for so long. Sometimes a fresh perspective is required to inspire long-term employees who may be hesitant to change. A great motivational speaker, for example, is capable of bringing essential energy and inspiration to a jaded organisation by reaffirming belief in an employee’s abilities, helping to envisage future success, or simply bringing a sense of fun, enjoyment and spontaneity back into the workplace.
Most importantly, this external perspective can help companies take stock, reconsider and set realistic goals, preventing employees from feeling daunted or anxious in the future. I believe the key to success is to teach skills within these workplace training sessions that can be transferred across to an employee’s personal life as well as being utilised professionally, which will truly make them feel they are gaining valuable information.
2. Demonstrate a dedication to your staff:
Teaching new techniques, sharing the latest thinking and looking to motivate your employees is a great investment in your people; when you invest in your teams, this shows you value them and care for their development. Even if your employees do not appear to be struggling, the benefits of just one good talk alone are huge and demonstrates a real willingness to go above and beyond to achieve satisfaction in the workplace. The concerns of many employees are often not expressed and therefore go unnoticed; being proactive and providing engaging, objective support may encourage open communication and rectify issues previously unbeknown to managers and business owners.
3. Provide valued sincerity:
Teams are much more inclined to listen and believe what they are told if this comes from someone else. Frustratingly, employees may switch off to all suggestions and encouragements if this comes from the same manager again and again – no matter how authoritative. The objectivity of using a professional prevents employees from feeling patronised, as credibility and expertise appear to be crucial in driving change. Instead, the support offered is viewed as an exciting growth opportunity.
4. Managerial training:
Working with a motivational speaker will also benefit high-level employees; development and growth does not stop with your staff. Educating managers with regards to supporting all staff and enabling positive change will prove to be invaluable. Similarly, many senior-level staff become increasingly stressed when faced with this increased responsibility. I aim to specifically offer simple coping techniques which may alleviate anxiety and enhance productivity as well as teaching managers how to assess an individual’s personality type so they are better prepared to communicate effectively with staff.
The preceding was an opinion article written by Ben Edwards, life coach, NLP practitioner and motivational speaker. You can learn more about Ben at benedwards.com. The views expressed within the article are not necessarily reflective of those of Insurance Business.
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