How to support leaders with their own resilience as they strive to demonstrate good behaviours
Take part in a discussion group looking at purpose-led leadership on Wednesday during the Employee Wellbeing Congress. The session, facilitated by Camilla Brooke, head of corporate and consumer sales at Simplyhealth, begins at 15:25. Register here to attend.
It’s encouraging to see that many organisations recognise leaders’ influence on wellbeing and can pinpoint the effects of positive role modelling. Our Health and Well-being at Work research (2019), in conjunction with the CIPD, shows that two-fifths of organisations say that senior leaders role-model by not working when they are ill. And when it comes to mental wellbeing, one third agree that senior leaders can encourage positive mental health through their actions and behaviour.
Yet poor management, can be blamed for many health and wellbeing concerns. Our research found that heavy workloads and management style are consistently the leading causes of work-related stress. With the current challenges leaders face – supporting teams through uncertain and difficult times, and navigating a new working normal – it’s critical that leaders themselves are supported in building their own resilience, so they can have a positive effect on workplace wellbeing.
Training for leaders
A big gap seems to exist in training and support for leaders. Many managers aren’t receiving the training they need to help them identify and manage unhealthy practices. Let’s take the example of managing stress. Our research showed that, currently 60% of organisations say that training for line managers is a method used to reduce stress in the workplace. More worryingly, less than half provide training aimed at building personal resilience.
Resilience training or guidance can help leaders become more agile and responsive to change and challenges. It can help them demonstrate healthy behaviours for managing emotions and tackling mental stress, such as mindfulness. In turn, leaders can pass on these techniques to their teams, making an impactful and positive difference to the workplace.
Creating the right environment
A safe and supportive environment is also important for building resilience. This can help leaders feel comfortable in sharing their own personal health stories. When leaders can be open and honest about the challenges they face, employees can also gain the confidence to speak up – they understand that they’re not alone and that they will be supported by their managers.
Accessing external support
Services such as employee assistance programmes frequently offer advice for managers, which can be a valuable resource. Commonly leaders focus just on getting their teams to access these services, so make sure leaders themselves are encouraged to seek help when they need it; whether this is support at a personal level, or advice for supporting a team member.
For more on leadership and wellbeing
We hope you’ll join us at the virtual REBA Employee Wellbeing Congress on 9 September at 15:25, where Camilla Brooke will lead a thoughtful debate on developing a purpose-led leadership approach. Register here to attend.
We’ve also worked with REBA to produce a free guide covering wellbeing strategy, wellbeing for leaders, and promoting good wellbeing culture. You can download your copy here.
This article is provided by Simplyhealth.
In partnership with Simplyhealth
Our health plans make it easy for people to maintain their health&wellbeing.
