One of the outcomes of opening up the conversation around mental health is that there might be a lot more employees who want to come and talk to you! As a leader, HR professional or line manager, listening and supporting your employees is core. But how do you balance their needs with the rest of your responsibilities, provide the right support, and avoid feeling overwhelmed, drained or burnt-out yourself by the end of the day?

Taking care of your own mental health and ensuring you have strong support systems and networks around you is vital in enabling you to be there for others in the best way possible. 

We share some of our suggestions and those from our clients:

1.) Host dedicated drop-ins on a specific day and time of the week. They can be group sessions where employees benefit from the support and ideas of others, or one-to-one slots, but either way, ring-fencing time can help contain and focus your energy.   

2.) Upskill. If you’re often approached by...

The festive break is meant to be a time to relax and unwind, right? But following a couple of years of unwanted Covid-shaped stocking fillers, high expectations of Christmas 2022 may add extra pressure for many of us. Stressors such as social anxiety from resumed work parties, economic uncertainty and the cost of living crisis, can be a lot to deal with - all while trying to get everything off our desks before the end of the year.

So amongst all of this, how can you maintain your sense of calm, and, if not peace on earth, then at least in your mind, this Christmas? 

Try these mindfulness tips for the festive season (and beyond):

1. Give yourself the gift of morning meditation 

Do you reach for your work emails on your phone as soon as you wake up? Before you do anything, start your day with 5 minutes of meditation. Use an app, such as Insight Timer (free), which has guided morning meditations, or simply gently close your eyes, relax your jaw and focus on the...