How can managers help ease the transition of someone returning from mental health leave?
Mental health leave is no hush-hush word in our world anymore. The COVID-19 crisis worldwide brought to the surface the behavioural health concerns of widespread anxiety, depression and stress, leading to a toll on work productivity & increased absenteeism. Post-COVID, there has been an urge across organisations to ‘see the individual at work’ from a humanistic perspective, accepting ‘a human being at work’.
While some organisations have set the tone for mental well-being by introducing mental health leaves, others might be in the initial phases of introducing proactive coping initiatives to ensure the mental well-being of the workforce. Every action in the journey of organisational mental well-being counts, and it is further strengthened and amplified by the leadership in an organisation.
Transitions after a mental health leave have been seen across organisations as a challenge, especially in building a smooth transition process for the individual rejoining work, the team members and striking a balance between the two.
Drawing from the practices of organisations worldwide, here are some key actions the leadership in organisations can take to make the transition after mental health leave smoother.
1. Assessment of workplace adjustments
In order to create a conducive environment for the person returning from mental health leave, managers can make an assessment of whether workplace accommodations are needed. Workplace adjustments can include dividing the workload among teams so that the person returning doesn’t feel overwhelmed. However, it is also essential to keep in mind other team members so that the workload sharing is reasonable. Another adjustment would be introducing flexibility in the mode of working, by giving the option of working from home or working onsite, depending upon the nature and requirement of work, which can give a necessary breather to the person returning. All of the above can be achieved when an organisation has a culture of support towards each other. A culture of support is a top-down approach and flows from the leadership to the team. An empathetic understanding towards the colleague, awareness of mental health issues and the help that can be provided among the colleagues at the workplace are the areas that the manager can work on for the team.
2. Communication to the team
Good communication is crucial, both between a manager and the returning employee and with the wider team. Managers can have a conversation ahead of time with the returning employee about their preferences around disclosure with the wider team about the situation around their absence and return to work. This way, managers can appropriately address the wider team, respecting the privacy of the returning employee but also leaving the doorway for open communication on mental health-related concerns and the organisational sensitivity towards it.
3. Regular follow up & check-ins
Regular follow-ups and check-ins can strengthen the trust and confidence between leadership and the employee. Regular check-ins provide insight to the manager in understanding the employee's well-being and coping after the mental health leave. The check-ins further create an environment of care, providing feedback on the initiatives to support the individual and their effectiveness, along with giving insight into what can be done better.
To the best interest of both parties, it is essential that the reintegration plan is balanced between an individual’s mental well-being needs and their performance.
4. Setting clear priorities
A culture of transparent communication can be initiated at this stage, wherein the manager can make the employee aware of the reintegration plan as prepared, keeping the person at centre stage. It is essential to give the details of the plan in terms of the initiatives taken for example - workload sharing, flexibility in mode of work, performance expectations, job security etc.
Setting these expectations will lead to less ambiguity on both sides.
5. Assistance in mental well-being programmes
Mental health is a journey, and when a person returns to work from mental health leave, they must be motivated to continue on the journey. The workplace can assist by providing counselling, maintaining the utmost confidentiality of the person, and referring them to therapists and psychiatric services as necessary.
6. Be the change you envision
Leaders can lead by example to create an emotionally safe space for the other team members. A leader’s trust in sharing their vulnerability with the team, discussing their own struggles or bringing in the conversation of mental health concerns in team meetings brings in discussions among the team members. Sharing of vulnerabilities by a leader also makes them visible as a human first and gives others a feeling of inclusion and acceptance towards the leader, helping them feel seen and understood in turn. It can also be a beginning for someone struggling in the team and give them a green light to feel not alone, encouraging them to seek support
7. Constant learning and training of the leadership
A Deloitte study conducted in the UK reported that just 22 per cent of line managers had received some form of training on mental health at the workplace, even though 49 per cent said that even basic training would be useful.
It is imperative for a leader to constantly upgrade themselves on required training in mental health well-being of the team under their care. Training will bring authenticity in the conversations around mental health in the organisation leading to new policies and significant actions.
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