Today the world celebrates World Mental Health Day to remind us of the importance of being aware of how other people around us might be suffering from things we know nothing of, and Speakol celebrates with it.
Life is not always easy; in fact, for most people, it rarely is. It’s full of expectations & duties: duties towards your family, job, society, and even your friends and social life. When there aren’t any duties, there are problems to solve, losses to grieve, or simply the pressures of juggling everything at once.
However, staying aware of this fact can help alter our behavior and take us a long way. Our HR guru, Alaa Hassan, gives us a powerful note on how this matter is crucially important within the corporate world.
“This year specifically was a big hit to a lot of people’s mental health. Jobs were lost, families destroyed, and even lives lost. So much has happened in a matter of months. Whether you have managed to keep your job or not, everyone was locked up in their homes, unable to live a natural life, which made matters harder. There were many blogs and videos on how to make the most out of this experience, and thankfully we’re starting to come out of it, but it would be naïve to think that people are coming out of it the same way they entered.
As a ‘People Partner’, it is my job to care about people, to maintain a balance between having the business’s best interest at heart but even more so, our colleagues’. For me, even before COVID hit us, it has always been vital to notice the small details. I start worrying if I see someone is crouching or walking around the office with his/her face to the floor, or catch someone, who is generally calm, constantly fidgeting. I also worry if someone is typically outgoing and talkative, suddenly becoming silent and quiet; or notice a steady and gradual decline in someone’s performance, who is generally very hardworking and productive. I am not saying all these changes can be traced back to mental health issues, but I want to highlight that they could be signs; therefore, we must pay attention to these small things.
At Speakol, we incorporate awareness by adding “casual” leave days, besides our regular “annual” leaves, because we understand that there are days that are just more challenging than others to get out of bed and that people just need a breather. We are also aware of how hard our teams work, their dedication and commitment, and how pressuring work can get, which is why it’s important to constantly come up with ways to make people’s day. It can be as simple a gesture as providing everyone with morning donuts, or more significant and elaborate events such as frequent work retreats that help us all unwind.
It’s important to remember to treat employees as human beings with lives and difficulties, who have ups and downs. We should be mindful of this fact and recognize the signs when we see them, stay calm, understand, and act accordingly. We’re all part of one team, and we’re all working towards achieving the same goal.
I encourage every HR member to try and help their colleagues migrate back into the workplace, stay mindful of their behaviors, and be kind and understanding of their teammates’ personal lives and the challenges that they may be going through. Always stay kind.”
