As challenging personal situations create mental struggles and fear, individuals in the workplace are overcompensating and responding with unsustainable work effort, creating the perfect conditions for stress and burnout. Leaders need to respond.

Being an independent pair of eyes and ears in a business, means being in the privileged position of knowing the absolute raw truth of how people are thinking and feeling in their organisation.

Creating spaces of psychological safety, whether in a cohort or one to one, means people opening up fearlessly about their experiences.

Right now, quite honestly it’s pretty heart breaking.

Bright, inspiring and yes, often too senior leaders, expressing overwhelm, exhaustion and anxiety. Productivity may be increasing for some, thriving in the peace and quiet of working from home, but certainly not for everyone.

As the work environment becomes inextricably linked to the home, for some there is seemingly no escape, no differentiation and no switching off.

A survey of researchers conducted by Cardiff University found 81% reported experiencing stress since this COVID pandemic and 60% are facing mental health difficulties.

Fear surrounding job insecurity, uncertainty, a concern about the mental impact of their own personal situation creates the perfect conditions for stress and burnout. Individuals start to overcompensate, to the detriment of everyone, in hours and effort.

Those with kids or living alone. Those with mental health problems or concerns for sick and elderly family members. In dysfunctional relationships, carrying the financial burden, business owners, living in unsuitable home working environments, overseas away from family. There is simply no ideal situation. Some may well thrive, but increasing numbers are finding it getting harder and harder.

We may all be in the same storm but we travel in very different boats being the popular analogy floating around about this.

Findings by the Fawcett Society show six out of ten women are finding it hard to stay positive day to day and just under half of men.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and University College London (UCL) interviewed 3,500 families and found that mums were only able to do one hour of uninterrupted work, for every three hours done by dads.

Those feeling vulnerable in the work place right now need psychological support. Organisations must give clear messages around the importance of acceptable work hours, taking breaks, getting out, sharing concerns and switching off. Leaders need to lead by example.

 In the same way A Stay Home, then Stay Alert message from leaders won’t work if they don’t follow the advise. Neither will teams prioritising their mental health when you are having calls with the CEO over lunch and getting emails from all hours of the day/night.

Data from NordVPN suggests those working from home in the UK are working an additional 2 hours a day, more in the US. Commuting time is now just additional screen time.

In the comms world, I see my Clients working 12+ hours a day, no fresh air, back to back Zooms. Day in day out.

Those with children are working until the early hours to catch up when the kids have gone to bed to stay present on the pitch team. This is not sustainable.

So what messages do leaders need to be communicating and be put in to practice too?

Establish a Routine – help differentiate work time from personal time

Create and Keep Boundaries – mitigate the always on endless hours creep

Take Short and Long Breaks – schedule them in your diary if needs be. Brains in overwhelm are unproductive and loose creativity and problem solving abilities.

Prioritise Your Mental health – keeping yourself in good working order in the same way you would your computer. If the battery starts underperforming and processing takes too long, it needs a reboot. Your brain is the same.

Set A Good Example – advocate for these and be the change you want to see in others. End meetings early to give everyone a break. Propose alternative times for meetings to accommodate a break. Encourage others to take a break or respond tomorrow.

Advocate for Your Team – do not tolerate heavy workload because of fear. Advocate for your team, project, Client in the context of goals, quality of work, productivity and creativity.

Show Compassion – table the unusual circumstances everyone is in. Check in. Show vulnerability. Acknowledge burnout can happen, Isn’t a failing but you want to avoid it.

Make it Personal - support the needs of everyone individually, know what it’s realistic for them, find solutions and help them avoid burnout.

Do watch out for the people that don’t turn up to the team quiz or the virtual drinks at your online town hall meeting. Continue to pay real attention to the vulnerable groups

Don’t assume this is getting easier for anyone. Especially the quiet ones.

With clarity, confidence, courage and connection leaders can mitigate the impact and ensure their teams are able to offer the best ideas, solutions and creativity through healthy and engaged hearts and minds.

Whilst it might be heart breaking to see talented individuals struggling, it is a privilege to be able to demonstrably help and support in the ways we do.

Seemingly simple solutions, tools and mindset shifts can have transformative results. It can take courage, bravery and perseverance to put the changes in to practice. Always for a worthy outcome.

Whether it be offering bitesize training programmes to support mental strength and resilience, facilitating support groups, drop in sessions or working one to one with individuals. We can help.

Our solutions are the most valuable gift I think any organisation can offer to the people that matter most to it. A space to speak freely, fearlessly. A place to find the courage to continue with purpose, motivation, creativity and drive.

 Be Braver was established for the very purpose of helping individuals to psychologically navigate change and uncertainty in pursuit of innovation, growth and creativity. Never more so than now has this been relevant. Our approach, tools and interventions offer create impact, deliver results and change lives.