Managing Mental Health in a Remote Environment - Key Advice for Managers

Managing mental health in a remote environment is one of the biggest challenges we face today. Over the last 18 months, countless managers in our mental health training for managers program have shared their struggles with us.

Whether handling fully remote teams or navigating a hybrid model, many find it tough to manage mental health effectively when they’re not in the same room as their team members. Let’s dive into how we can tackle this head-on with a fresh perspective on employee wellbeing and mental health training for managers.

The Remote Challenge: Common Concerns

Here are some key themes managers have raised:

• “How do I have a conversation about mental health if I’m not in the same room?”
• “People no longer leave their cameras on!”
• “I can’t tell if someone is okay if I can’t see their body language.”
• “We’ve lost the ‘water cooler’ conversations!”
• “My team seems okay, should I still ask how they are?”

These concerns are valid and reflect the shift in workplace dynamics. The good news is, there are effective ways to manage mental health remotely.

Building Connections Without Physical Presence: The New Normal

First things first, working remotely changes the dynamic of how we interact. In a physical office, we can offer a comforting hug or a reassuring touch on the arm—actions that help build support and connection. While we can’t replicate these exactly online, we can still create meaningful connections.

Embrace the Digital Connection: Going Beyond the Screen

At the start of the pandemic, people were more engaged in online meetings, cameras were on, and everyone was present. Fast forward to now, and it’s a different story. People are jumping from one meeting to another with cameras off, making it hard for managers to gauge their team’s mental state.

Temperature Check

“How do we connect when we can’t see each other?” The answer is simple yet profound—you don’t need to be in the same room to connect deeply with someone. This is a key point in our management mental health training program.

What Should Managers Do for Mental Health?

One major takeaway from our training is the power of listening. Managers often jump in too quickly with advice or personal anecdotes instead of truly listening. In our busy, distracted world, people crave to be heard. If you improve your listening skills by just 1%, you’ll enhance your impact by a thousand per cent. There’s immense power in truly listening and holding space for someone. This creates a two-way connection that goes beyond words.

Engaging People to Turn Their Cameras On: Making Meetings Human

At the beginning of the pandemic, many people turned their cameras on to feel a sense of belonging. Now, with constant back-to-back online meetings, many choose to keep their cameras off. While you can’t force people to turn them on, you can encourage it by asking, “How can we make our meetings more human?”

Shared Agreements

Engage your team to provide their input and create a shared agreement. It’s also important for colleagues to see each other to gain a greater awareness of how everyone is doing.

Don’t Assume Your People Are Okay: Look Beneath the Surface

Managers often say, “My team seems to be okay.” But as a manager, you don’t need someone to be visibly falling apart to know they might not be okay. People are good at hiding how they feel due to fear—fear of stigmas around mental health, fear of being seen as weak, or fear of being judged.

Proactive Check-Ins

Ask yourself what you can do to connect with your team on a one-to-one level in the most human and personal way possible. Many managers admit to jumping straight into work during one-to-ones instead of having informal conversations to check in with their team. What starts as a wobble can quickly slide into a mental health issue, so it’s vital to be proactive and consistent in checking in with your team.

Creating a Connection: Going Beyond Body Language

It’s a myth that you have to be face-to-face to create a real connection. Yes, body language is important, but the true connection goes beyond that. When you’re truly connected with someone, you’re speaking a language that transcends body language and words.

Virtual Connection

Having coached people online around the world for over 10 years, we know that you can create a powerful connection even when speaking to someone on the other side of the world. This deeper connection is what we teach in our management mental health training program.

Enhancing Listening Skills: Holding Space

There’s such power in truly listening to someone and holding space for them. When you do this, you create a connection that goes both ways. Improving listening skills can dramatically increase your impact as a leader.

Encouraging Camera Use: Creating a Sense of Belonging

At the start of the pandemic, people were more willing to turn on their cameras. Now, with online meeting fatigue, many opt-out. Encourage your team to turn on their cameras by creating a shared agreement on making meetings more human.

Gaining Awareness

Colleagues need to see each other to gain a better understanding of how everyone is feeling. This visual connection helps in recognising if someone might need support.

Addressing Hidden Struggles: Don’t Assume Everything is Fine

Just because someone appears okay doesn’t mean they are. People often hide their struggles due to fear and stigma. Regularly check in with your team on a personal level to ensure they’re truly doing well.

Building Trust

Create an environment where your team feels safe to share their struggles. This trust is crucial for effective mental health management.

Conclusion

Managing mental health remotely is challenging, but not impossible. By embracing new ways of connecting, enhancing listening skills, encouraging camera use, and addressing hidden struggles, we can create a supportive environment for our teams. Remember, people will forget what you said and did, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.

By integrating these practices into your approach, you can significantly improve workplace wellbeing. Let’s create a workplace where everyone feels heard, supported, and connected, no matter where they are!

Contact us today to find out more about our mental health training for managers programme.