There is no amount of naps, or cookies in the breakroom, or other perks which can offset the current amount of workplace stress that is facing the modern American worker. Even with a compassionate leader, team members are under more stress than usual. The usual stress prior to pandemic was difficult enough! How can you help your team be more capable of being both high performers for you and healthy, happy people at home?

Don’t Overburden Employees

Everybody is scrambling to do all possible to work efficiently, especially during lockdowns. Employees being able to complete goals is essential at this time. Don’t overburden employees with work they cannot complete on their own. Make it possible for them to have the tools they need to be able to succeed. Having realistic expectations, especially now, is crucial to your employees’ mental health.

Create a Safe Work Environment

Your workers need a safe environment, both physically and mentally, in order to succeed at their jobs. Being able to communicate concerns about safety is critical. Your teams need to know that they are safe physically in order to be safe mentally and emotionally. A high rate of workplace incidents can lead to other negative consequences. The higher stress leads to additional physical danger, as concentration can be diminished. That breaks down loyalty among teams, as workers leave unsafe job locations. Don’t encourage employees come to work when they are sick and provide paid sick time so that people can get well.

Establish a Crisis Strategy

No matter how intelligent, capable, or strong they are, these unprecedented situations have been wearing upon the emotional and psychological health of your employees. Your individual plan needs to involve information as to what to do and where to go if they have a physical or mental health emergency. Even if you are working to reduce information overload and support mental health, being able to have an emergency process in place, with having counselors and therapists available, is a critical part of team leading.

There are a great deal of overworked, stressed, overwhelmed workers in America, and you want to make sure there are fewer on your team. This doesn’t start with culling the workers you have, but with supporting your team so they can be the workers you need. Knowing their physical and emotional safety is critical to you at this time will foment both loyalty and team cohesion. Your team will be able to weather the storms, and you will come out a stronger leader with a stronger team.

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