Whether it’s a physical or a mental health problem, sufferers will experience good days and bad days. As an employer, you like to see your staff happy and productive. But when that’s a bit of a struggle, there are simple ways you can support your staff. Here are 3 suggestions.
Recognise Everyone Works Differently
Some people can work for prolonged periods at a time while others need to work in short bursts. For staff experiencing mental health issues, there may be days when their concentration spans are short and their productivity is reduced. In these situations, the best thing you can do is be supportive and encouraging about their need to take frequent breaks. Reassure them that what’s important is that the work is done well and on time – not how they structure their day.
Wherever Possible, Schedule Tasks As Weekly Or Monthly Rather Than Daily
Most roles involve a combination of routine work and tasks that require creativity, resourcefulness or high levels of concentration. By setting weekly or monthly deadlines for task completion, you’ll empower your team to work to their capacity each day. For people suffering from a mental health condition, this flexibility will allow them to maintain their productivity – even on their flat days.
Feeling Freedom
Temper tantrums, crying and other emotional outbursts are never appropriate in the workplace. However, emotions can be hard to control for people with a mental health issue. It’s OK to ask them to express these emotions out-of-work hours. If that’s not possible, work with them to find a phrase or signal they can give you to advise they need time out somewhere quiet. Then they can have their emotional outburst and return to work with a minimum of fuss or disruption.
How Do You Know What To Do?
It’s hard to balance compassion with performance management when faced with an employee with either physical or mental health issues. As an employer, you also have legal requirements. That’s where we can help. The team at End2End Business Solutions are experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to managing staff with health problems. So if you’re unsure what to do, give us a call on 02 8977 4002.