Strategies For Leaders To Boost Team Mental Health

No wellness perk will offset the mental health impact of being assigned three people’s jobs. One of the most overlooked mental health tools at work? Realistic workloads. A few ways to do that: 〰️ Audit workloads regularly. Don’t wait for people to raise a red flag (many won’t until it’s too late). Check in on role creep, project scope, and hours worked. I like to add a question to growth conversations and performance reviews for managers to check-in on capacity and workload. 〰️ Match headcount to demand. If you’ve added three new programs and haven’t added staff, that’s not growth, it’s a recipe for burnout. 〰️ Make deprioritization part of the culture. If everything’s urgent, nothing is. Normalize saying, “What can we drop?” or “What’s the real deadline?” 〰️ Be specific about responsibilities. If a role includes a bullet like “supports team success” or “takes initiative on cross-functional projects,” what does that actually mean? Vague expectations open the door to endless tasks and overwhelm. Spell out what’s in scope, and what’s not. 〰️ Respect people’s capacity. When someone flags that they’re overextended, don’t just say “let’s circle back next week.” Make adjustments now and a plan to adjust in the long term. If you want a mentally healthy workplace, stop trying to fix people and start fixing the systems that are breaking them.

Do you ever feel like you're everyone's "work therapist"? Where people come to you and share their stresses, strains, pains and more? On one hand, it's wonderful to be helpful, compassionate, and supportive. (And boy do we need that more than ever!) On the other hand, unless you're actually a licensed mental health professional, you may be overstepping your helping role. This can both tax YOU emotionally, and underserve someone who really would benefit from professional help. As a manager, your role isn’t to diagnose or provide therapy, but to create the conditions where your team member feels supported, respected, and connected to the right resources. Here’s a breakdown of what's actually MORE helpful than being everyone's quasi-therapist. 1. Notice and acknowledge Pay attention to changes in behavior, performance, or engagement. Approach with empathy: “I’ve noticed you seem stressed lately—how are you doing?” 2. Listen, don’t diagnose Offer a safe, nonjudgmental space to talk. Focus on listening and validating feelings, not fixing or labeling the problem. 3. Connect to resources Know your organization’s policies, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), or mental health benefits. Encourage them to access professional help if needed. 4. Adjust work supportively Explore flexible options (deadlines, workload, schedules) where appropriate. Reinforce that performance expectations remain, but show willingness to adapt. 5. Model healthy behaviors Set an example by taking breaks, managing stress openly, and respecting boundaries. Normalize conversations about well-being so team members feel safer sharing. In short: Your role is to notice, listen, support, connect, and model. You’re not their therapist; you’re their leader, creating a culture where mental health is taken seriously and help is accessible. #mentalhealth #wellbeingatwork #stress

Most leaders think respect comes from authority. That’s wrong. The best leaders know this: ↳ Human connection drives business results. The strongest leaders empower people. Prioritizing human connection fosters trust, engagement, and long-term success. Here's what leading with a people-first approach looks like: (with 20 years of leading teams) 1/ Lead with psychological safety ↳ Make it safe to speak up ↳ Thank people for raising concerns ↳ Share your own vulnerabilities first 2/ Build genuine connections ↳ Schedule regular 1:1s (no agenda) ↳ Listen more than you speak ↳ Remember personal milestones 3/ Prioritize mental wellbeing ↳ Notice when someone's struggling ↳ Make mental health resources visible ↳ Model work-life boundaries 4/ Create growth pathways ↳ Invest in individual development ↳ Give stretch assignments with support ↳ Celebrate learning, not just wins 5/ Foster authentic inclusion ↳ Seek diverse perspectives actively ↳ Address microaggressions immediately ↳ Make decisions transparently 6/ Enable meaningful work ↳ Connect daily tasks to purpose ↳ Remove unnecessary bureaucracy ↳ Give teams autonomy with guidance 7/ Build resilient teams ↳ Rotate challenging projects ↳ Create backup systems ↳ Cross-train for coverage 8/ Practice active empathy ↳ Ask "how are you?" and mean it ↳ Adjust to personal circumstances ↳ Show up during tough times 9/ Measure what matters ↳ Track engagement, not just output ↳ Survey psychological safety ↳ Monitor team wellbeing metrics When leaders put people first, performance follows. A culture of trust, inclusion, and wellbeing is good for teams and it’s a competitive advantage. What's one thing you'd add to this list? Share below 👇 ♻️ Repost this if someone in your network would like this. Follow Carolyn Healey for more content about leadership.

Your manager pushes the team to hit KPIs and goals - They reach them, but employees burn out, and some leave. Is the team successful? I would argue: No I’ve seen this scenario far too many times: Companies celebrating "wins" at a steep human cost. - Late nights - Missed family moments - Stress that lingers long after goals complete Here’s the reality ↓ Unsustainable success isn’t real success. It’s a ticking time bomb. Healthy businesses start with healthy people. If your employees are sacrificing their mental and physical well-being to hit company goals, it’s time to rethink your approach. Here are 3 ways companies can shift the focus: 1. Set realistic workload expectations. Don’t treat overwork as a badge of honor. Adjust timelines and redistribute tasks when needed to avoid burnout. 2. Model and encourage balance. Leaders, take time off yourself and encourage employees to do the same without guilt. Show that rest is valued. 3. Invest in employee well-being. Offer mental health support, wellness programs, and flexible work options that let people thrive inside and outside of work. The best leaders don’t just chase KPIs—they create environments where teams can thrive sustainably. They right-size goals to match the resources available; not what they WISH was available. Long-term success comes from people who feel valued, supported, and energized—not drained. ♻️ Repost if you agree!