Posted at 9:00 a.m.
Q. Mental health issues in the workplace have never been greater. How to go about it in these times of shortage of specialists to support employees and managers?
R. It’s been talked about for years, but having an open mind and encouraging conversation are key. Before thinking about the solutions to implement, managers must ask themselves about the place occupied by mental health within their organization. On the one hand, how are employees perceived who talk about their mental health issues and, on the other hand, how do these employees feel that they will be perceived if they speak openly about mental health? A lot of ground has been made to de-stigmatize these issues in the organizational environment, but there is still a long way to go. It’s true that resources are increasingly difficult to access, but encouraging employees to take a day for themselves, or to raise their hand if they feel they need to realign expectations, is a step that can help lower stress levels before going further with a mental health disorder.
Now that the most recent wave is behind (?) us, informal face-to-face meetings, coffees or lunches can be great opportunities to build connections and relationships that go beyond meetings with a well-rounded agenda. precise where performance and decisions are at the top of the list. Managers or employees, we all remain human. That said, one of the first symptoms of mental health disorders is lack of sleep. Ask your employees how their sleep is doing. You will learn surprisingly much about their state of mind.
Q. The pandemic has caused a lot of anxiety and sleep problems, and therefore work exhaustion. How has HALEO managed to help employees over the past two years?
R. HALEO partners with employers to educate and make employees aware of sleep disorders, and to screen and treat those who have doubts about the quality of their sleep. The programs are fast, in five weeks, through meetings of only 30 minutes by videoconference with a health professional, and there is no waiting list. Our success rate is over 94% and our utilization rates within companies are up to 10 times higher than other solutions offered in health, well-being or health and safety.
In addition to being effective in helping people sleep better, our programs offer clinical results on symptoms of depression and anxiety. We often underestimate the impact of good or bad sleep on our lives. Good sleep is the basis of good physical and mental health. It is priceless.
For employers, there’s also a lot of education to be done, and what’s important to remember is that beyond employee wellness, sleep disorders cost Canadian employers billions every year. . For managers, our programs make it possible to assess the direct impact of their employees’ sleep on their productivity, absenteeism, disabilities and accidents in the workplace.
Q. How can entrepreneurs and managers keep their heads above water with all the problems experienced over the past two years?
R. Entrepreneurs are at the end of their tether, the pandemic has brought its share of challenges, whether it is the shortage of labour, the loss of customers, uncertainty and the search for financing to keep the doors open in times more uncertain. With the evolution of technology, the expectations of employers and employees have greatly evolved. Among other things, before the pandemic, we had certain expectations as to the number of meetings possible in a day. In telework mode, it seems normal to have meetings one after the other, and we often forget the human aspect.
At HALEO, for example, we value sleep and rest, so it is in our DNA to ensure that our employees and managers think of themselves and take their vacations. Although we have learned to appreciate the flexibility of working from home, the return of team meetings or face-to-face client meetings quickly reminds us that nothing is like human contact, and that the benefits of face-to-face meetings go far beyond of the culture. A good way to keep your head above water is to encourage these face-to-face meetings and take people’s pulse on a regular basis.