10 - 2022 - Verstand Resources

20Oct

Workplace and Mental Health

Adulting is a scam!

It is one of my favourite jokes because it is true in many ways.

Many of us were dying to grow up, explore the world, have our own money, and eat two pieces of meat with dinner (my Naija people get this one) – like all the adults we saw around us. Then you grow up and realize there is so much more to adulting, and a big chunk of that is working.

It has been estimated that the average person will spend a third of their life working, which means that your work life will impact the overall quality of your life, health, and general well-being. In addition, your work life will likely impact the quality of the lives of those around you – think significant other, children, family, friends, etc.

This brings us to the age-old question – How do I build a good work-life? How do I protect my mental health in the workplace?

While I am not an authority on this topic, I can share five tips that I have found very helpful. I hope it will help others on their journey to being mentally healthy.

1. Check-In

I take a few minutes periodically to check in with myself. Over time I have learnt how to accept how I feel – whether it’s mad, sad, or glad, it doesn’t matter. Knowing what I feel and sometimes why I feel that way helps me take ownership of my emotional state and understand my triggers.

One way to do this is to block a few minutes on my calendar at a time I know I would have solitude and ask myself two questions –

What am I feeling right now?
Why? (It is ok to ask this multiple times till you get to the root of the feeling)

The trick is to try to be as honest with yourself as possible.

Journaling is a great way to do this (either on a paper journal, my phone’s notes pad, or an app).

2. Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is a practice of being present that I picked up over time ,and for me, that includes –

Prayer. Meditation is a good alternative too.
Disconnecting from work to do things that challenge/energize me (Judge Judy, music, reading, colouring, podcasting, philanthropy, side hustles, hanging out with friends and family, etc.)
Yoga. The practice of yoga is physically and emotionally beneficial. If you are looking for beginner yoga lessons, try Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube.

3. Prioritize physical well-being

I have found that being physically healthy often helps me stay emotionally healthy. This may involve a range of things, such as –

Keeping my hospital (annual physical, dental, vision, etc.) appointments no matter how busy I get – If there is a conflict, don’t cancel, reschedule!
Getting enough sleep (this one is the hardest for me)
Eating healthy
Work out regularly. For folks with busy schedules who don’t have time to work out, walks are a great way to get some cardio in. For instance, try turning off your video and pace during your next Zoom meeting, use the stairs instead of the elevator, etc. Get that body moving!

4. Put things in perspective

I love this one! Why? It is because my brain tends to blow things out of proportion. I make one mistake at work and immediately think, “this is the end of the world”.

So, I take a step back and look at things holistically, whether that’s life, work, relationships, finance, etc. I try to think forest, not a tree.

I have found talking to people who aren’t as close to the details as I am helpful. I find that they can help me step back and look at things more broadly.

For instance, when work is crazy, I talk to my sister. Sorry, Kemi for the 2 PM “Can you chat?” pings.

5. Ask for help

As much as I love feeling in charge and in control, I have learnt to ask for help. Either at work or in life in general. I have accepted that raising my hand for help is a sign of strength.

People generally want to help and support you, so when you ask, they are more than happy to deploy their resources, contacts, and energy to help you. The beautiful thing is you can also offer the same help to others when they need it. We rise by lifting others, right?

Professional help is a big UNLOCK!

I find that speaking to someone with the right tools and experience to help me figure things out is very helpful! I think of therapists as folks paid to listen as I verbally process the things I need to process. I also think of them as folks who can go with me to the emotional places I may not have the courage to go on my own.

While I know many folks may still shy away from professional help, I do hope you seek professional mental health support as needed. Search for a licensed professional you can talk to. Many organizations offer health coverage for mental health care. Take advantage of it if your organization offers this. There are also free resources if this is a better option for you.

The overall theme for me is I try to take care of my mental health. When I fall short, I forgive myself and try again because that is what we do, right?

I hope you find these tips helpful as you navigate your mental health in the workplace and in life.

Fi Olaifa

Consultant

06Oct

HR Exhaustion and Burnout

HR takes care of everyone, but who takes care of HR?

There has been no definite answer to this simple but complex question.

Recent research shows that many HR professionals in Nigeria and around the world deal with a range of workplace challenges. In 2019 before the pandemic began, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified burnout as an occupational phenomenon. In making its decision, the agency drew on the work of Christina Maslach, psychology professor emerita at the University of California, Berkeley.

The WHO said burnout is characterized by:

Feeling of energy depletion or exhaustion.

Increased mental distance from one’s job or feelings of negativity or cynicism tied to the job.

Reduced professional efficacy.

The pandemic has left many HR professionals grappling with seemingly unending stress as they try to find the best ways to cope. A 2021 survey of 726 HR practitioners in 7 countries showed that burnout and exhaustion are rife amongst HR Managers, with 42% of teams struggling under the weight of too many projects and responsibilities.

A report by Lattice, a provider of HR software solutions in the USA, noted, “The team tasked with upscaling the rest of the organization is critically understaffed. Among HR leaders who said they were emotionally exhausted, more than two-thirds blamed it on being overworked, and over 40% said it was because they needed additional headcount to meet their business goals.”

At the same time, employees experienced a tremendous amount of distress with the change in work style and environment leaving HR to figure out how to keep employees feeling engaged and supported. “Nobody was really taking care of HR while we were running around like headless chickens trying to make sure everybody else was OK,” Kittredge says. HR is “the place where stress goes to live in an organization,” she adds.

Raghida Abdallah Yassine, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management at Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y., says it falls to HR “to create the policies for the well-being of the employees and company.”

Many business leaders panicked in 2020. Government-mandated restrictions ordered many businesses to shut down, people were told to shelter at home, and an alarming stock market plummet in March 2022 put fear into company executives. Unaware of what would happen to the economy, millions of employees were fired or furloughed and HR managers were saddled with the unpleasant responsibility of dispensing the bad news. If you have ever let a person go, you will know how awful it is for the recipient of the bad news—but it also takes a huge emotional toll on the person delivering the message.

In light of the pandemic, HR has had to continually ensure employee well-being is intact and look for signs of burnout. Although it is not part of their job description, members of this group had to serve as de facto therapists, cheerleaders and leaders to maintain morale. These tasks were in addition to their core mission of recruiting, hiring, onboarding and retaining employees. They have had to make tough decisions around keeping a remote policy or enacting a hybrid or in-office model. No matter the choices, you cannot meet everyone’s needs or make everybody happy.

A recent study conducted by Workvivo highlights the following reasons for HR burnout.

1. Workplace transformations and the Great Resignation

2. Bearing the brunt of employee burnout emerging from remote and hybrid working transitions.

3. Under-resourced HR departments

4. Workplace disruption caused by office politics adds more strain to an already tumultuous period.

5. HR Managers feel undervalued in their organizations

The above shows the severity and widespread of HR burnout, and if not curtailed it will have an enormous impact on organizations and worsen the challenges they are currently facing.

How can HR Professionals deal with burnout and exhaustion?

It is a good idea to rethink job satisfaction and possibly make some changes to how work is done. These tips can help HR Professionals cope with burnout:

Get Sufficient Sleep

Getting enough sleep helps the mind stay sharp and focused on the day ahead. It improves concentration and gives the brain time to rest so it can tackle problems more logically. If you are rested, you will have more energy for the challenges of the day, rather than feeling overwhelmed by them.

Leave Work at Work

Be sure to unplug from work entirely on days off and when you are away from the office. If your company has a bring-your-device policy, make sure not to check email or answer texts during your downtime unless it is an emergency (and even then, do so sparingly).

Take Time Off

Whether you need a short vacation or a couple of sick days, take them. It can be difficult to admit that you are burnt out and struggling with anxiety, but it is better to take care of yourself than keep working until something breaks.

Take a Wellness Course

It is not too late to learn more about staying healthy and increasing productivity. Taking an online wellness course can help you learn healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

Find outside or internal groups to connect with

Lots of groups popped up during the pandemic. If you like Slack, there are groups there. LinkedIn, Facebook, and even Reddit have groups that provide support for the HR professional in need of advice.

‘Kemi Onadiran

Head, HR natnudO Foods,

Visionaire, Careerswithkemi