These 10 questions will help you as CEO or CHRO to reflect on the current approach and deepen the conversation about mental well-being within the leadership team.
Mental well-being is an ongoing topic
Mental well-being in the workplace – especially since the pandemic – is a growing topic. But despite the increased focus on employee well-being, there is not yet a clear understanding of why certain solutions work or how they affect an organisation’s culture.
The solutions for mental well-being at work are not a matter of plug-and-play. Rather, they are something you want to pay ongoing and conscious attention to. Reflecting regulalry on the approach and needs of employees is the best way forward.
Reflecting on culture
Reflecting is an effective exercise that helps you learn from mistakes and experiences and develop further, without being distracted by external triggers. This applies to you as a person, leader, but also as an organisation.
It not only helps you stay on track in terms of goals and ambitions, but also keeps you focused on your core values and whether the current culture, approach and interventions are still in line with where you want to go as an organisation. This allows you to make timely adjustments to optimise where necessary.
Therefore, schedule regular time for example, every quarter, to reflect with the leadership team on the company culture and how it is perceived by employees. The following questions will help you do this:
- What mental well-being issues or challenges have arisen in the organisation?
- Do we have the right solutions and guidance in place to support people with these questions and challenges? Are the current solutions adequate?
- To what extent do the guidance and solutions we offer focus on preventing mental well-being problems and challenges? How can we improve and make our approach sustainable?
- How can we (further) make mental well-being a topic of conversation in the workplace, so that people become familiar with the topic?
- What do we do when someone displays inappropriate or toxic behaviours?
- How do we make sure that we create an inclusive working environment? In which areas can we improve?
- In what ways do we encourage the individual growth of our employees?
- What role does the leadership team play in the well-being of our employees?
- How can we lead by example as a leadership team?
- What can we do to encourage employees to work on their mental well-being actively and preventatively?