Talking About Mental Health with Your Employees — Without Overstepping

Like many managers, you probably checked in with your employees throughout last spring when the Covid-19 crisis first started. But you need to keep doing it. As the pandemic drags on, there is a rising number of people who are struggling with mental health issues. As a manager, you don’t want to overstep, but you can — and should — open up a conversation with your employees about how they are doing. The author has several suggestions for how to do that, including, talking about health holistically, avoiding making your employees feel like they are “broken,” and actively listening. Of course, it’s not your job to be your employees’ therapist, but it is your role to create an open, inclusive, and safe environment that allows them to bring their whole selves to work.