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It can be difficult to know how to start a conversation with a colleague or someone you manage about their mental health. Watch this video to discover 10 useful tips to help . . .
It can be difficult to know how to start a conversation with a member of staff you manage about their mental health, so here are ten useful tips, which have been adapted from the Mental Health Foundation that may help.
One, choose a private and comfortable setting.
Find a place where you can have a private and comfortable conversation without any interruptions. This will help to make your colleague feel at ease and more open to talking about their mental health.
Two, express your concern.
Start the conversation by expressing your concern for your colleague. Use a caring and empathetic tone to let them know that you are there to listen and support them.
Three, ask open-ended questions.
Open-ended questions encourage your colleague to share their feelings and experiences. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no". Instead, ask questions that start with "how" or "what".
Four, listen actively and without judgement.
Maintain eye contact, nod your head, and offer verbal cues such as "I see" or "go on" to show that you are listening and interested in what your colleague is saying. Refrain from making assumptions or speculating on their emotions.
Five, offer reassurance.
Let your colleague know that mental health difficulties are common and that it's okay to talk about them. Offer encouragement and reassure them that it's ok to feel the way they do. Let them know that they can share as much or as little as they want to.
Six, validate their feelings.
Validate your colleague's feelings by saying things like 'I can see how this situation is making you anxious' or 'I can understand why you are feeling overwhelmed.' This will help them feel heard and understood. Avoid saying that you understand what they're going through as they might think that you're trivialising their experience.
Seven, avoid giving advice or solutions.
Your colleague might not be ready to talk about possible solutions and advice may not be helpful and might even come across as judgemental. Instead, focus on listening carefully and helping them feel heard.
Eight, offer support.
Let your colleague know that you are there to support them in any way you can. Offer to help them find resources or connect them with mental health professionals if needed.
Nine, follow up.
Follow up with your colleague after the conversation to see how they are doing. This will show that you care and are committed to their well-being.
And ten, know your limits.
Mental health conversations can be emotionally draining and there are limits to the support you can offer. Know your limits and take a mental break if you need time to process what you heard or what happened.
You can find our more about how to support staff with their mental health by taking the mental health awareness course which you can find in the my courses section of your wellbeing toolkit.
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