Navigating well-being in the workplace? The CEO of Bazaarvoice discusses how leadership can get comfortable holding open conversations about mental health
In an article for Forbes, Keith Nealon discusses opening up conversations to navigate well-being in the workplace.
Mental health requires open conversations
Keith believes that for years leaders have put a huge emphasis on physical health and well-being, while mental health was swept under the carpet. He suggests that often people don't talk about mental health because of the fear of being stigmatized - but if there’s one thing he believes can be learnt from Covid-19, it is that workplaces need to talk about mental health more openly.
Supporting work-life integration
"Organizations need to support their employees, and that starts with more flexible work policies. Consider allowing people to work from home so they can manage their families or work more flexible hours to fit in with what’s happening in their lives. Many call this "work-life balance," but to me, that suggests two opposing forces. I prefer to call it "work-life integration," where the two co-exist more fluidly," he explains.
"Employees can also benefit from practical help and support via the many well-being tools, platforms and educational resources that are available," he adds. Bazaarvoice introduced a platform that provides its employees with access to a range of services, including meditation courses, health counselors, various therapies and finance coaches. Within a year of its launch, more than 70% of Bazaarvoice employees had accessed the services.
"If you can be vulnerable as a leader and talk openly and honestly about how you deal with your own mental health and how you balance stress, you can help create an environment where employees understand that feeling stressed, anxious or scared is part of being human. Consequently, they may be more willing to join that conversation and feel less alone."
Salient and practical advice from Bazaarvoice's CEO
Bazaarvoice's CEO suggests three key aspects to keep in mind:
• Offer flexible working options that support employee’s work-life integration, and provide access to a broad range of mental well-being benefits and services that are well signposted and communicated. Monitor the uptake of these services to identify those that are most highly valued by staff.
• As a business leader, being open about your own mental well-being, how you manage stress and deal with pressure, and showing vulnerability will go a long way in helping to destigmatize the subject of mental health and make conversations about it more comfortable for everyone.
• Encourage employees to share experiences that have affected them in their daily life, whether they are based on race, age, gender or sexual orientation. This can make for difficult listening for colleagues, but it can also have a hugely positive emotional impact on everyone’s mental well-being.
Read full article from Bazaarvoice CEO, Keith Nealon.
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