NEW YORK (PIX11) — The days are getting longer, the weather is getting colder, and for many — the grief has set in.
Often called “winter blues,” these feelings can make it difficult to maintain relationships with friends and family. For others, it makes it harder to stay happy at work.
PIX11 spoke with a human resources expert barbie winterbottom On how employers and employees can address mental health in the workplace.watch the full interview here.
Q: If I am going through a difficult time emotionally (stress, anxiety, depression, etc.), how can I share my feelings with my boss?
Barbie: If you’re an employee trying to approach your boss, it’s a good idea to be clear about what you’re looking for once you’ve opened your mind.
- If you are struggling and need help, ask yourself: What kind of support do you need?
- If you’re underperforming at work, are you looking for extra time, relaxed metric expectations, or additional team members to contribute to the project?
Having a clear idea of what you want will help you understand what your boss can do for you.Take time to be honest with yourself about your relationship with your boss. is also important. Ask yourself questions such as:
- do i trust them?
- Have you had other personal conversations in the past about previous concerns and felt supported?
If you can confidently say yes, start a conversation like this: This is a difficult conversation for me and I trust you can keep it confidential as this conversation is very personal. I’m not feeling myself, I’m afraid I may be suffering from sadness/stress/anxiety.
If you don’t feel comfortable talking to your boss directly, I suggest you have this conversation with your HR representative and ask them to help you with the conversation.
Q: How should an employer respond when an employee brings up mental health issues?
Barbie: If you’re in a leadership role and a team member tells you that they’re struggling mentally, here are some things you can do.
- Try to be empathetic and considerate. Please understand that they are taking the risk of coming forward and sharing this level of personal information with you.
- Don’t judge. It’s not your job to assess the legitimacy of their feelings or mental health.
- What they want is support from both you and your company. If you’re not sure what you need, bring your HR partner along to discuss reasonable accommodations. FMLA, EAP and all possible options available to employees.
- Encourage them to contact HR for guidance on mental health benefits. If they aren’t happy with it, offer to go along, or contact yourself to see what information you can share with them.
- Finally, reach out to employees frequently, but not in a way that will get their attention.
