How to support your employees’ mental wellbeing

Thanks to personal and business coach, Sophy Wells, for this guest blog on how to support the mental wellbeing of your team.

Research from BetterUp showed that mental wellbeing is a spectrum, with people who are struggling to function at one end and people who are super-functional at the other.

Of course, individuals who are severely suffering need the right support, and that’s often where a company’s employee assistance is focused. But what about those who are ‘languishing’ (according to BetterUp, that’s 55% of employees)? People who are able to ‘just get on with it’ might be able to cope in the short term, but without the right support, the risk is their stress and exhaustion exacerbates and they end up suffering severely.

In 2021, GoodShape’s UK PLC 2021 Workforce Health Report found that poor mental health was the top reason (19%) for all lost working time across the UK, and 54% of workers who take two or more mental health-related absences will go on to leave their jobs. 

I’ve written before about how coaching can help improve employee engagement and productivity, but here are four ways coaching can support an individual’s mental wellbeing too.

Having clear goals can help to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress by giving you a sense of purpose and direction. Working with a coach can help you identify what you want to achieve and the steps you need to take to start working towards your goals. A coach can also help you stay accountable and motivated to ensure you stay on track.

A coach isn’t there to give you the answers. And any coach who pretends they know it all is, in my opinion, not being sincere. The power of coaching lies in the ability to approach a conversation without preconceived ideas or judgements. A coach is there to hold up a mirror that enables you to see yourself and your situation clearly and honestly. Coaching will help you get inspired and energised. It will make you think, wonder, discover and learn new ways to be in the world.

In all areas of life, boundaries are important. But for many people, saying no or taking the opportunity to be true to yourself over and above others is difficult and feels awkward or self indulgent. Coaching will help you challenge that. It is a step towards taking better care of yourself. Understanding what you need to say no – to yourself and others – so you can be your best self – for yourself and others.

A coach can provide emotional support and encouragement which can be especially helpful if you’re dealing with a difficult situation or feeling stuck. Someone to listen to what you’re actually saying, reflect it back so you can hear it, and give you time and space to work through your thoughts and feelings is a powerful way to help you identify the truth in a situation and start to work out how you want to think, be or act differently.

Coaching is never an alternative to therapy, and if you or a member of your team are in crisis or have severe mental health needs it’s important to find the right support. But coaching can provide support and tools to help you and your employees better cope with life’s challenges and improve their mental fitness.