April Showers bring May…
We know the saying. But do April showers really bring May flowers? Literally and figuratively, maybe, but also, maybe not.
While many of us are feeling the gloom of winter lift, we are entering what I heard one social media connection call Maycember, meaning, the endless month of May that is packed full of work initiatives, personal life events, end of school season, and the list goes on.
May brings exciting announcements for TPP. We are rolling out a new service model that is going to be such a great offering for new and current clients alike. And while I am jazzed about this, there is a lot of work happening in the background to make this a success. Now let’s add on, in my personal life, the end of the longest dance competition season known to man, recitals, birthdays, Mother’s Day, graduations, and (again) the list goes on.
Why are you boring us with your stuff, Kristi? Well, I’ll tell you. I guarantee you; it’s not just me. You may be feeling the crunch of this season and, if you aren’t, I bet you have employees that are.
Enter May - Mental Health Awareness Month.
What a great time to take a look at your offerings as a leader and organization around Mental Health. There are so many options for companies and their employees these days, many of which are detailed in Jessica’s article below. Please check it out.
I was training a group of employees recently on the topic of generations in the workplace. One of the employees asked about the mental health trend as a part of workplace culture. I said, and strongly believe, I don’t think it’s a trend. I think we will be talking about mental health offerings and support, from our organizations to our employees for the foreseeable future.
Regardless of your offerings around mental health at work or your role in being a decision maker about what your company offers, there is something that we can all do. Practice empathy. Empathy is not sympathy. It not the false “I’m sorry” that some use to check an emotion off a list. Empathy is trying to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Allowing yourself to feel uncomfy WITH someone. It’s ok if you don’t have a brilliant response. It’s ok if you haven’t been through exactly what they’re going through. It’s ok if they are emotional. Sometimes just being with someone that is going through it is what matters.
And we can do this at work. So – your call to action? Look for opportunities to practice empathy in your workplace. How can you show up for someone that is struggling? How can you support? None of us ever have all of the answers. And you don’t have to.
Let’s see how far empathy can carry us during this mental health awareness month and beyond. Let me know if you want to chat about this or any other topic.
And Happy Maycember
-Kristi