In the workplace, there are several ways companies can encourage employees to take care of their mental health. From creating a culture of openness to destigmatizing mental health through discussions, here are some strategies to implement to improve the well-being of employees: Offer mental health awareness programs, workshops, or access to employee assistance programs (EAPs) to provide resources and support; allow flexible work arrangements that let employees balance their professional and personal lives; encourage breaks; promote physical fitness; and lastly, foster a workplace where employees feel valued, heard, and supported in their mental health needs.

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Other videos in this series:

• Course introduction
• Interpreting nonverbal communication cues
• Communicating the importance of time off
• Reducing virtual meeting overload

Video Transcription: Managing remote teams’ mental health | Promoting wellness and self-care

[Narrator] Humans typically have a hard time with change under normal circumstances. Now with COVID 19, the world is learning new ways to live life and build community and work, which can heighten feelings of frustration, anxiety, and stress. It’s important for organizations to lead with mental health in mind by creating a supportive space for teams.

Before COVID, almost 60% of employees never spoke to anyone at work about their mental health status. Many aren’t aware of the resources available or are afraid to use them. So what can managers do to support their team’s mental health? Lead by example. Being honest about your own mental health will help create that supportive space. Let’s take a look!

[Manager] Hi, everyone. I’ve been having a hard time these past few days. Feeling a bit anxious about all the changes that are happening. I’m trying to focus on what I can control, so I decided to participate in our remote meditation session this morning as part of my self-care. It helped me feel a little calmer to start the day. Has anyone else tried the session yet? What else are you doing for self-care these days?

As a reminder, don’t forget that BusCorpCo wants to help you deal with the challenges of working remotely. If you need to adjust your schedule to accommodate childcare, caregiving, or sickness, please trust we will work with you to be as flexible as possible. I’ll be setting up weekly check-ins with each of you to talk about any concerns.

I’m confident in the work we’re doing as a team and appreciate that you’re all trying to adjust to your new work environment. If you’re experiencing feelings of self-isolation or having trouble adjusting, please remember you can reach out to me directly or to the Employee Assistance Program. This program is confidential and designed to help employees when needed. I know this is tough, but I also know we can handle this together!

[Narrator] Organizations need to ensure that their employees understand the mental health benefits and resources available. Be specific with phone numbers and websites. Reiterate organizational support. And, lead by example through honesty, communication, and compassion.

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These extra video calls are leading to meeting fatigue and it’s draining employees’ energy. Video calls are important and have their place, but they also force us to focus more on conversations in order to absorb information. This video offers managers tips for helping their employees fight video meeting fatigue.

Other videos in this series:

• Course introduction
• Interpreting nonverbal communication cues
• Communicating the importance of time off
• Promoting wellness and self-care 

Video Transcription: Managing Remote Teams’ Mental Health | Reducing Virtual Meeting Overload

[Narrator] Are you dreading another video work meeting? Do you wish you could just call in to a meeting like the good old days? Are you tired at the end of the day from attending multiple video calls?
Well, you might be experiencing video conferencing fatigue. Yes, it’s a thing. A real thing.

These days, we’ve not only been video conferencing for work, but also for maintaining connections with family and friends. That’s a lot of video chatting!

Employee: I just got off my 3rd video meeting today. The thing that gets me about these video calls is maintaining constant eye contact. And you need to overly express yourself so the person can see your reactions. If you look away, it looks like you aren’t paying attention. It’s exhausting to pay that close attention on video calls multiple times a day!

[Narrator] Meeting overload was around even before the coronavirus pandemic. Over one-quarter (26%) of professionals think meetings are unproductive or unnecessary, with nearly half (48%) of managers saying there are more meetings than required in a week.

So what can managers do to help their teams ease the pain of video conferencing fatigue?

[Manager] I know most of you have been participating in many video meetings these days. I wanted to talk to you about some tips I have for managing video conferencing fatigue.

• Avoid multitasking and stay present. It’s easy to get distracted by instant messaging or emails but staying present will limit the amount of energy used during the calls. Multitasking can cost you as much as 40 percent of your productive time!
• Take breaks! On long calls, while you are listening, turn off your camera at times to give your eyes a break from trying to read everyone’s facial expressions.
• Take the meeting on a walk using your phone instead! Walking meetings are known to improve creativity, and probably reduce stress!

[Narrator] Do what you can to support video breaks to help reduce video conferencing fatigue. Encourage your employees to make the best decision for their mental health!

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During any kind of stressful time, and now when people may feel lucky to have a job, employees might find it more difficult to request time away. But it’s important to take a break. Time away improves mental clarity, productivity, and focus. When your employees are recharged, it leads to better outcomes for them and better outcomes for the company.

Other videos in this series:

• Course introduction
• Interpreting nonverbal communication cues
• Reducing virtual meeting overload
• Promoting wellness and self-care 

Video Transcription: Managing Remote Teams’ Mental Health | Encouraging PTO to Recharge

[Narrator] Paid Time Off or PTO gives people time to relax and recharge, leading to a more enjoyable and productive work environment for everyone. In these unprecedented times, however, taking time off may not seem like a priority or it may even feel like a huge ask.
Since our offices are now in our homes and kids are being homeschooled, leaving work behind is more challenging than ever. In fact, one in five Americans feel their company shames employees who take allotted vacation time.

So, what can managers do to support their teams in taking PTO?

Lead by example! Leadership can encourage employees to be intentional about their self-care while working remotely and take time off to unplug and recharge. Whether it’s to work on a home project, read a book, or go for a long walk, even small breaks from work can make a significant difference in your energy and stress levels.

[CEO] Here at BusCorpCo, we’re firm believers in the importance of taking PTO, especially during these stressful times. It’s important to recognize the need to take a break from work, even if it’s just for a day. Our PTO policy is in place for this very reason.

Personally, I’m going to take 2 days off next week to unplug and recharge. Even though we are unable to take a regular vacation right now, I plan to sleep in, exercise, and read during my time off, if my kids let me. Work with your managers to get your PTO scheduled and don’t forget to plan for the remainder of the year. Your managers will be setting up 1:1s to review your PTO schedule soon.

[Manager] You’ve been working so hard lately, you deserve some time off!” I noticed you haven’t used any PTO this year. I want to make sure you feel comfortable taking time off and know how to request it.

[Narrator] Your organization has a PTO policy for a reason. Positive reinforcement is the key to letting people know they can use their PTO.

As a manager, take note of employees who don’t take time off and let them know it’s ok to do so.

Let’s make the most of things and allow vacation days to serve their purpose – to refresh employees and provide a space to get away from the stress of day-to-day work. Let your teams know it’s more important now than ever before to rest and recover.

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View other videos in this series:

• Course introduction
• Communicating the importance of time off 
• Reducing virtual meeting overload
• Promoting wellness and self-care

Video Transcript: Nonverbal Communication Cues

In times of ambiguity, employees may experience a range of emotions.

Sometimes, anxiety, frustration, and uncertainty can be hard to notice. So, what can managers do to support their team’s mental health during these unique times?

Listen. Pay attention. Ask.

People’s nonverbal communication cues—the way they listen, look, move, and react is a natural part of communication. In fact, research shows up to 93% of communication impact comes from nonverbal cues.

Tuning in to nonverbal cues can help managers gain valuable insight into their teams. However, in today’s remote workforce, nonverbal cues are limited to facial expressions. So the simple act of paying attention to nonverbal cues can be challenging.

Let’s take a look:

ANIMATED CHARACTER 1:  How is everyone doing today?

ANIMATED CHARACTER 2: Oh, fine.

ANIMATED CHARACTER 3: OK. Great.

ANIMATED CHARACTER 1: Heads up I’m going to set up 1:1s with each of you this week to check in. Now let’s dive into the project updates.

I noticed you looked frustrated on the video call? Is there something that I can help you with?

I noticed you were quiet on the call. I wanted to get your thoughts on the project. How do you think it’s going?

I noticed you looked confused on the call. I wanted to check in and make sure you are understanding the project requirements?

NARRATOR: Managers don’t need to fix things for employees, but they can work to create a positive space that allows for productivity and improved performance. While some people are highly skilled at interpreting nonverbal communication, others may need to make an effort.

Listening, paying attention, and asking your employees about nonverbal cues will make you a better communicator and a better teammate!

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It’s not on managers to fix everything for employees, but it is on us to help create an encouraging space for our teams. So what can managers do to support their teams’ mental health? This 5-part video series explores:

• Interpreting nonverbal communication cues 
• Communicating the importance of time off 
• Reducing virtual meeting overload
• Promoting wellness and self-care

Video Transcription: Managing Remote Teams’ Mental Health | Course Introduction

Ensuring employee mental health has always been important for building a strong organizational culture. However, COVID19 has driven a large portion of the workforce to work from home for the first time, and almost every aspect of life has changed. These changes create a new set of challenges for managers to support and stay connected with their newly remote workforce.

It’s more important than ever to lead with mental health in mind as we face this situation. Leaders can lead by example within organizations—an even more critical role in our new remote workforce. It’s on us to help create an encouraging space for our teams. So what can managers do to support their team’s mental health during these unique times?

This video series explores:
Nonverbal communication cues to help identify behaviors that might indicate an employee needs support. How leaders can communicate about the importance of time off without guilt, fear, or shame. Reducing virtual meeting overload (yes, that’s a thing!). And, promoting wellness and self-care.

There’s no time to waste. So let’s get started!

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Video Transcription: How to Stay Sane During Home Isolation

Humans are social creatures. So, as you might be realizing, staying indoors for an extended period of time can lead to boredom and stir craziness. Here are some ways you can maintain your sanity during home isolation. Do something creative. Painting, drawing playing an instrument, you have so many options here.

Keep a routine. Whether based around your work schedule meals or something else, the structure is helpful. Use this time to learn something new. You’ll have a sense of accomplishment taking on a new endeavor. Stay connected with friends and family by having virtual hangouts. Just because you’re stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t socialize. Practice self-care. Exercise, meditate, eat healthy foods. Carve out time to do what makes you feel good.

Complete all those home projects you’ve been putting on the back burner. It’ll feel good checking these items off your list. This is also an excellent time to organize virtual files. By all means, stay up to date with the news, but stick to reliable sources and don’t go overboard. Limit your intake as it can get pretty overwhelming.

Finally, if necessary, seek help from a licensed mental health professional. This can be a difficult time, And it’s important to focus on your overall well-being as best as you can.

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