Positively reducing absences from work
3-minute read
What does it take for a team of new and existing staff to show up and be ready to face instability and change almost every day for a year and a half? I started my challenge with a staff of 43 team members, every single one of who had disclosed health conditions like addiction, and mental health issues to our HR department. We were to launch a new programme together that was unproved in our area, and not yet understood by our other colleagues and partners. I built a team with strong enough bonds to endure change in a resistant sector. The result: 43 staff, 18 months, and 1-day sick taken.
Creating belonging, creating leaders, creating ownership
When employees can bring their whole selves to work they are happier, more focused and more productive. Creating deeper connections between team members was critical. Creating the time and space to discover shared experiences, feelings and hopes. I facilitated and modelled conversations where I and the team could share comfortably our vulnerability and fears, and created spaces and activities where we could share without fear of shame. Rule #1: not only is it okay to have friends at work, it’s important for the success of your project. Belonging means believing you’d be missed if you weren’t there. On balance, being too easily replaced can mean a feeling unvalued. Belonging is being acknowledged and understood for your contribution to the team. People show up when they know others rely on them.
As a leader I get to choose the ‘why’ of the project. Together as a team we created the ‘how’. The ‘how’ is designed by every member of the team regardless of their place in the organisational hierarchy. Building the how together allows team members to go beyond ‘buy-in’. My team members got to own the ‘how’ of their piece of the project.
Small wins, small wins, small wins
During a long project, small wins are more important and more real than the vision that can take years-to-be-realised. It is important to celebrate the small wins (when I mean celebrate, that includes cake.) There is a great feeling that comes from ticking things off a list. Progress is difficult to qualify and realise for individual staff in the long term. Successful completion of an event or week-long piece of work feels real, and can be connected to your own personal contribution. It prevents that “did I really even do anything?” feeling.
Not afraid of difficult conversations
We have all have down days, difficult days, days where we feel unworthy, or lost. Sharing evidence, expectations about stress and mental ill health was key to our success. Isolation is unlikely to help with self-doubt or a depressive episode. When you have friends at work who understand those feelings, you are much more likely to come into work and do what you can. We create a picture of the people that jump out of bed in the morning ready to go to the job of their dreams. Maybe it’s okay if our team, or even us, isn’t like that every morning. Listening to the best change leaders, “showing up is 90% of it”. The rest can only be achieved if your team is present and ready to make change together.
As I leader, I had a number of 7.30am phone calls with staff members that didn’t feel up-to-it today. The conversation was not about “you have to”, rather a genuine “we’ll miss you, can I let your team know as I’m sure they’ll ask after you”. It was through these deeper level conversations that people realised that they would probably have a better day coming into work, even if a little late, and be surrounded by people who genuinely care about their wellbeing. If we are honest, the vast majority of our friendships come from our workplace, and friendship groups are one of the key ways we mitigate stress, and the effects of mental ill health. It is important to note here that none of these conversations were coercive, people made their choice to come into work because they had an opportunity to talk beforehand to share honestly how they were feeling.
Ready to lead
Sometimes we misbehave for a lot of different reasons, don’t let it linger. Expectations are always high. Every member of the team has the expectation to call out bad behaviour when they see it. We are all leading our part. Holding onto feedback or expectations too long leads to grievances, and you continue to make the journey back to feedback harder and harder.
What can you do next?
Supporting employee sense of belonging mental health and wellbeing isn’t easy but great training, tools and techniques exist to help any team or leader at any stage their organisation is at. Habitus specialises in providing practical, engaging and lasting solutions to mental health. For more information on how Habitus can help your organisation increase a sense of belonging for employees, creating happier teams, and increase productivity, click here. Alternatively, send us a message by clicking here or contact us by phone on 0207 207 3186.