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Even in the most uncertain of times, the role of a manager remains the same: to support your team members. That includes supporting their mental health.
Be vulnerable. One silver lining of the pandemic is that it is normalizing mental health challenges. Being honest about your mental health struggles as a leader opens the door for employees to feel comfortable talking with you about mental health challenges of their own.
Those of us working from home have had no choice but to be transparent about our lives, whether our kids have crashed our video meetings or our coworkers have gotten glimpses of our homes. When managers describe their challenges, whether mental-health-related or not, it makes them appear human, relatable, and brave.
Model healthy behaviors. Don’t just say you support mental health. Model it so that your team members feel they can prioritize self-care and set boundaries. More often than not, managers are so focused on their team’s well-being and on getting the work done that they forget to take care of themselves. Share that you’re taking a walk in the middle of the day, having a therapy appointment, or prioritizing a staycation (and actually turning off email) so that you don’t burn out.
Build a culture of connection through check-ins. Intentionally checking in with each of your direct reports on a regular basis is more critical than ever. Go beyond a simple “How are you?” and ask specific questions about what supports would be helpful. Wait for the full answer. Really listen, and encourage questions and concerns. When someone shares that they’re struggling, you won’t always know what to say or do. What’s most important is to make space to hear how your team members are truly doing and to be compassionate.
Offer flexibility and be inclusive: Take a customized approach to addressing stressors, such as challenges with childcare or simply taking care of their parents when they are not well. Proactively offer flexibility. Be as generous and realistic as possible. Flexibility can help your team thrive amid the continued uncertainty.
Communicate more than you think you need to. Make sure you keep your team informed about any organizational changes or updates.Clarify any modified work hours and norms. Remove stress where possible by setting expectations about workloads, prioritizing what must get done, and acknowledging what can slide if necessary.
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Inside this issue and spotlight 
8 ways MANAGERS CAN SUPPORT EMPLOYEE’S MENTAL HEALTH
Applify’s Nutrition Session 
ONGOING PROJECTS
SHOUT OUT
WORK ANNIVERSARIES IN THIS MONTH
MEET THE NEW MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM 
OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF APPLIFY