When leaders take action to create healthier, happier workplace environments, employees feel more empowered to bring their best selves to work. That’s because managers play a significant role in the everyday lives of their employees. Data from UKG suggests that for almost 70% of people, their manager has more impact on their mental health than their therapist or their doctor – and it’s equal to the impact of their partner.

Leaders can easily build the skills to ensure their employees feel supported, included, and valued, so that they create positive culture change, while also driving business outcomes. In our guide “Leadership for everyone: 6 tips for inclusive, effective leadership,” we provide a toolkit to help managers lean into their leadership role and create a trusting work environment, where both individuals and teams are supported.

1. Create psychologically safe environments

Psychological safety is defined as a cultural dynamic where team members feel respected and accepted as their true selves and can safely take moderate risks, be creative, make mistakes, and ask questions. Research shows that when leaders build a culture with high levels of psychological safety, 97% of employees will be inclined to stay in their jobs. 

These are four stages of psychological safety leaders can work toward creating in their workplace:

• Inclusion safety: employees feel included and accepted for who they are
• Learner safety: an employee’s needs to learn and grow are met
• Contributor safety: employees feel safe using their skills to make meaningful contributions
• Challenger safety: employees feel safe speaking up to change or improve something at work

2. Lead with inclusivity

In a 2023 Headspace survey on workforce trends, over half of employees (54%) said their employee’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) policy has a positive impact on their mental health. Given the challenges that underrepresented groups can face in the workplace, leaders can be more effective when they support every employee and show acceptance, tolerance, and open-mindedness. Recognizing and checking unconscious bias, ensuring DEIB are at the forefront of your mental health strategy, and finding value in diverse perspectives are some of the ways that managers can lead with inclusivity. 

3. Listen with intention

Feeling listened to with intentionality is powerful. When employees feel their leaders are actively listening to their thoughts, perspectives, and feedback, they are more likely to feel valued and appreciated, driving deeper engagement. Leaders should take time to carve out time during their days to check in with their team members and practice mindful listening. It’s important to reflect on the information that employees share, especially if it’s feedback you didn’t expect to receive, and then create a plan to make a change if necessary.

4. Get mental health-specific training

Our 2024 Workforce State of Mind report found that while 48% of employees report turning to their managers for mental health support, only 24% of HR leaders say managers are required to take mental health-specific training. Mental health-specific trainings can be effective because they equip leaders with the tools and resources to lead confidently and provide meaningful support to their employees, especially when tough times arise. Through these types of trainings, leaders can gain a better understanding of mental health and build expertise on how to handle work-related stress for themselves and their teams. 

‍5. Support employees through storytelling

When leaders share their own stories about mental well-being, it helps reduce stigma around mental health and creates space for others to feel comfortable both sharing their own stories and taking advantage of mental health resources. It’s also becoming more of the norm in the workplace. While 35% of employees report that their company’s leaders talked about their own mental health in 2020, 89% of employees report the same today. Consider creating self-care focused Slack channels, empowering individuals who can serve as wellness champions within your organization, and providing regular reminders about mental health benefits available to employees.

6. Lead by example

Ultimately, one of the best ways to encourage positive team culture is to demonstrate the behavior you'd like to see in your team. When leaders demonstrate the skills and traits they hope to see in their employees — such as openness, collaboration, and engagement — teams understand the guidelines they should follow and feel more comfortable engaging in those behaviors as well. There are many ways you can model these behaviors, from practicing self-care to engaging in company cultures activities like Employee Resource Groups, virtual events, and team bonding activities. Encouraging collaboration, above all, is key.

At Headspace, we believe active, inclusive leadership leads to more engaged, happier, and healthier employees. Interested in learning more about how to help your leaders be their best? Contact us here.