Your Best Employee May Be Battling Anxiety
When I was younger, I'm ashamed to say that I didn't believe in "anxiety." I thought it was an excuse—an excuse for people's actions, or lack thereof. I'm not sure if that says something about me or society's view on mental health 15 years ago, but I am proud of the progress made, both by society as a whole and within myself.
Now, I can confidently say that anxiety is real. I have experienced it myself. It has often crippled me to the floor, at times for no apparent reason, and sometimes because of too many reasons, piling up at once. During my adult journey with anxiety, I have realized that it affects many people the same way, or even worse.
As stated in a 2013 survey performed by Statistics Canada “anxiety disorders are among the most common types of mental disorders in Canada and have been shown to have a significant impact on the daily lives of those affected. In 2013, an estimated 3 million Canadians (11.6%) aged 18 years or older reported that they had a mood and/or anxiety disorder.”[1] Dr. Geoffrey Soloway of MindWell presented at our Fitness for Duty Summit in 2020 and said that we as a society had made great strides with mental health awareness and reducing the stigma around mental health, but more work needs to be done on developing the skills of mental health and providing them on a personal and workplace level.
It's no secret that we have all been living in a very stressful time. According to a survey done by the Mental Health Commission of Canada and The Conference Board of Canada, “84 percent of people reported that their mental health concerns had worsened since the onset of the pandemic. Among the biggest problems were well-being and family wellness, their future, isolation, loneliness, and anxiousness or fear”.[2]
The burdens of work and home life have been heavy to endure, especially during the course of a global crisis. When your employees come to work, their hardships and mental health struggles do not leave and part ways at the door. That talented, happy, personable individual who works tirelessly to make sure business runs smoothly may also battle anxiety or some other form of mental illness. That employee is not a rarity. There are many more just like them. According to the World Economic Forum, "poor mental health is the number one leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide, costing the global economy 1 trillion in lost productivity."[3] Yet there is still a stigma in many businesses that deem it "unprofessional" or "inappropriate" to talk about, address or educate on mental health in the workplace.
Why does this matter?
There is growing evidence that happy and healthy employees are good for business. One study found that happy employees are up to 20% more productive than unhappy employees.[4]
So how can you start supporting staff to improve morale and boost productivity in your workspace?
According to our Human Resources Generalist, Nick Owen, “One of the simplest, but most important things you can do right now to support your team is to simply be present. We are missing out on the impromptu conversations - which are precious moments for us as leaders as they allow us to maintain our finger on our teams' pulse. We should be working every day to ensure that our virtual workspace has as little impact as possible on our open-door policies, and your team should feel as comfortable sending you a Zoom meeting invitation as they would be knocking on your office door. Keep reaching out, keep checking in, and keep building relationships."
Dr. Soloway stresses that mental fitness needs to be a top priority for organizations. If it is not, you are in trouble. He suggests using the tools listed below to integrate mindful fitness into your organization:
Start meetings with a check-in/Take 5
Practice listening without interrupting
Be transparent - update employees on changes and challenges (even if you don't know the answer)
Let go of multi-tasking
Investigate from multiple perspectives
Integrate Take 5 into daily workplace routine
Make the coffee break a mindful break
Practice authentic communication
Reflect on values and intention
Practice empathy - give colleagues the benefit of the doubt. We are still going through a year-long pandemic, and people have depleted their reserve tanks
Try the 5-day MindWell Challenge for free during the month of March:
Want to learn more about how you can integrate better mental health practices in your organization? Watch Dr. Soloway’s entire presentation here:
Mindfullness-In-Action: Inspiring Change and Resilience.
I have learned that mental health is a journey, and not a destination. Life is full of ebbs and flows, in the sense that it is always changing and developing. Our mental health is no different. I am not an expert, but I am a self-proclaimed happy, bubbly, positive employee who also just happens to have anxiety. Here are my thoughts:
It is critical that you get to know yourself.
Every day I take the time to check in with myself. How I am feeling today? What factors in my life are currently affecting my mood? If negative factors exist, how can I navigate them? What is something I can do today to positively impact my mindset?
I am my own best friend. Especially when it comes to my mental health. I check in on myself with the same care and empathy that I would check in on my favourite people. I think that’s so important. When I check in on myself, I can assess where the problems may lie. I can determine if I can manage on my own, need the comfort of a close family member or friend, or if I need professional guidance.
I am lucky to work for a company that has shared so many valuable mental health recourses with its employees. A lot of the tools I use daily to manage my mental health, I have learned directly from professionals like Dr. Soloway of MindWell.
Something tangible that helps me daily is yoga and meditation. I refuse to let anxiety fill my head with negative thoughts. By doing things like daily check in’s, yoga, and meditation, I can be mindful of the narrative I am telling myself and make adjustments when things start to derail. The sooner I acknowledge the negative thoughts, the sooner I can redirect them into something more positive.
In addition to my own thoughts, I wanted to provide some real-life examples of how employees with stress and anxiety manage it throughout their workweek.
This advice is from individuals in the DC family and is not medical guidance from a professional. What works for one person, may not work for another. But ultimately, be aware that you are not alone, and others share in struggles. The best way to find what coping mechanisms work for you, is to try different things, and don’t be afraid to ask others for guidance.
Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice. Always seek a physician or other qualified healthcare provider's advice with any questions regarding a medical condition.
I asked our team to share any advice or tools they have used to help them manage their stress and anxiety at home. Here is what they shared:
"I use an app called Insight Timer and then choose if I need it for stress, anxiety, or both. I have even used it for sleep when I feel restless."
"If I start to feel anxious, I can stop and put myself in a meditative state and usually just breathe my way out of a small anxiety attack now from what I have learned."
"Anxiety...is a thing for me...I use running, yoga, and meditation to help. I have also been studying and practicing Wim Hof breathing."
"When I have anxiety, I find going for a walk in the woods - or by water, a yoga session, or laying down with a weighted blanket helps."
"I usually hop on the spin bike or hit the trails with my dog for a walk."
“When I have anxiety, I find facing it head-on helps me the most. Realizing my negative thought patterns, and changing their path. Almost like looking “anxiety” straight in the face, and saying ’not today’.”
After reading the above submissions, I feel blessed to work at a company where talking about mental illness is normalized and even encouraged by leadership. It is liberating to contribute to the conversation.
When we acknowledge our mental health, we become authentic versions of ourselves and, in turn, better workers, leaders, parents, friends, and people. After reading this article, I want you to ask yourself: What am I doing to support my team regarding their mental health? Then ask yourself how you can take that support a step further – because more mental health resources in the workplace certainly won't hurt anyone.
DC trusted mental health resources:
Workplace Resources
Personal Resources
Government of Ontario Resources
[1] https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/mood-anxiety-disorders-canada.html
[2] https://www.conferenceboard.ca/focus-areas/health/how-has-covid-19-impacted-canadians-mental-health
[3] https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/05/depression-prevents-many-of-us-from-leading-healthy-and-productive-lives-being-the-no-1-cause-of-ill-health-and-disability-worldwide/
[4] http://www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Social-Market-Foundation-Publication-Briefing-CAGE-4-Are-happy-workers-more-productive-281015.pdf#page=9
KRISTEN SALERNO
MARKETING COORDINATOR
My job as DC’s Marketing Coordinator is to show clients, partners, and the public that a healthier and safer world is possible.
With a background in Broadcast Journalism and a passion for videography, I help create brand content that is educational, engaging and provides value to our clients.
When I am not working, you can find me up in Northern Ontario with my Husband, snowshoeing, fishing, or playing with our border collie/blue heeler named Merlin.