Talking To Your Employees About Stress At Work

Simple Strategies for Making Conversations about Mental Health Easier

What you’ll learn
What your role is and isn’t when a colleague shares mental health concerns at work
How to create a climate of trust, so that colleagues feel comfortable sharing personal information
How to mitigate bias when it comes to discussions about mental health at work
A variety of strategies for helping your colleagues with stress at work, without overstepping
How to ask powerful questions that feel inviting and supportive, rather than prying or judgmental
What to do when a colleague’s stress impacts their productivity — and yours
How to reduce stigma and increase inclusion when it comes to mental health
What to say and what not to say to someone who is struggling
What to do if you’re having a tough time, too
Requirements
Students should understand that this course is not a Mental Health First Aid course
Students should understand that this course is not training to be a counselor, therapist or other mental health professional
Students should understand that this course is not designed to teach you to diagnose any mental health conditions
Students should understand that this course is not a substitute for connecting your colleague with a licensed mental health resource
Students should understand that this course is not preparing you to be part of an EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
Students should understand that this course is not a substitute for your organization’s existing practices around having these conversations
Description
What if my colleague tells me they’re overwhelmed all the time — what am I supposed to do?What if my direct report’s stress is stressing ME out?What do I do if my teammate is having a hard time at home — but I don’t want to pry into their personal life?At least some of my colleagues are remote. How am I supposed to know how they’re really feeling?The pandemic is on its way out. Shouldn’t people be over it already?If you recognize that stress, burnout, and anxiety are at an all-time high — and you want to know how to help your colleagues without backing away or overstepping — then this course is for you.A recent study of more than 2,000 global employees found that 38% of people say their company has not even asked them if they are doing okay.That’s not okay.Each of us has a responsibility to create an open, inclusive, and safe environment for our colleagues to bring their whole selves to work, including their mental wellbeing. In fact, research has found that feeling like you can share openly at work leads to better performance, engagement, employee retention, and overall well-being.And yet, talking about mental health and mental wellbeing at work can feel intimidating, overwhelming, and too personal. But it doesn’t have to be. In this course, you will learn how to have conversations with your colleagues or direct reports that help them feel safe sharing their stress — and help you feel well-equipped to handle whatever comes your way.I created this practical Udemy course for you — assuming you are NOT a licensed mental health professional (and don’t plan on becoming one by next week). This course draws from my education in psychology and social work, my decades of work as an executive coach in Fortune 100 companies helping leaders at all levels navigate stress at work, the research I conducted for my book, “Overcoming Overthinking: 36 Ways to Tame Anxiety for Work, School, and Life” and my personal experience as someone who lives with mental illness — and is living a happy, healthy, successful life.This is the ultimate self-help course: it’s helping you to help others around you (and you’ll definitely pick up some practical stress management techniques to use personally, too!)So what will this course cover?Why we are so stressed right now (and why it’s not going away anytime soon)Why we all need to have “The Talk” about stress at workWhat does stress actually look like?How we can step in without oversteppingUnderstanding why your colleagues might be afraid to shareManaging your personal beliefs about mental healthCreating a culture of trustDon’t assume you know who is stressed out: How to be mindful of biasHow to show empathy without getting sucked inHow to listen when someone is sharing something personalHow to ask questions without pushing or pryingWhat to say and what not to say to someone who is strugglingOffering a “Help Menu” of 20+ ways to support your colleaguesPractical strategies, tips, and tools for helping others deal with anxiety, overwhelm, and burnoutWhat to do if you’re having a tough time, tooWhether you think that mental health is way too personal for work — or you can’t wait to start talking to your colleagues about how they’re coping — this course is for you.

Overview

Section 1: Getting Started

Lecture 1 Stress in Today’s Ever-Changing Work Environment

Lecture 2 Worry, Stress, Burnout: Let’s Define Our Terms

Lecture 3 Why Do We Need to “Have the Talk” about Stress at Work?

Lecture 4 Stress at Work: What Does it Look Like?

Lecture 5 Self-Check Activity: How Confident Do I Feel Right Now?

Section 2: Set the Foundation

Lecture 6 What’s My Role? How Managers and Colleagues Can Step in without Overstepping

Lecture 7 Understanding why your Colleagues Might be Afraid to Share

Lecture 8 Managing your Personal Beliefs about Mental Health

Lecture 9 Creating a Culture of Trust

Lecture 10 When Stress Meets Stereotypes: How to Be Mindful of Bias

Lecture 11 Four Mindsets to Adopt to Help Your Colleagues Navigate Stress

Lecture 12 Activity: Applying the Four Mindsets

Section 3: Have the Conversation

Lecture 13 Using R.A.I.N. with Yourself and Others

Lecture 14 Three Kinds of Empathy: How to Show that You Get It

Lecture 15 Listen without Distraction: How to Be Present When Someone is Sharing

Lecture 16 Ask Powerful Questions: Getting More Information without Pushing or Prying

Lecture 17 Offer a “Help Menu:” 20 Ways to Support Your Colleagues

Lecture 18 Activity: What Kind of Help do you Need?

Lecture 19 Guidelines for How to Talk About What Matters Most

Lecture 20 Tips for Helping Team Members Manage their Stress

Section 4: Try New Approaches

Lecture 21 Strategy 1: Carve Up the Turkey Together

Lecture 22 Activity: Carve Up a Turkey

Lecture 23 Strategy 2: Use The Four Lens Approach

Lecture 24 Strategy 3: Focus on the Bright Spots

Section 5: Pulling it All Together

Lecture 25 Pulling it All Together (and What To Do if You’re Having a Tough Time)

Lecture 26 Wrap Up & Self Check Activity

Anyone curious about stress, burnout, anxiety, mental health and mental illness – for themselves or others,Professionals with people management responsibilities,Team members and individual contributors who want to be able to support their colleagues during stressful times,Leaders who are committed to creating a culture of inclusion and psychological safety around health and mental health,Human Resources professionals,Employee Wellbeing professionals,Diversity, Equity, Culture, and Inclusion professionals