How to identify and support employees in distress

Some days you may notice stress in your people – particularly during busy periods where all hands are on deck. Though sadly, there may be occasions where an individual appears ‘on the edge’. Perhaps they’re taking more sick days than usual, are disengaged and withdrawn in the office, and have a general vibe of seeming not quite themselves.

Identifying the signs of distress in your employees is one thing, supporting the individual is another. We’ll guide you through how to spot the signs, provide support without overbearing the individual, and how you can work with them in the long run to ensure they can carry out their work duties whilst working on their mental wellbeing.

Why employees might be in distress

There are factors outside of the workplace that can contribute to an individual appearing distressed at work. This could be relationship or family problems, financial worries, the volatility of the global economy…the reasons are endless. Sometimes it could be to do with the immediate environment in the workplace. Are you showing you care during busy periods? Are you providing space and time for your people to engage in their mental and physical wellbeing?

Further distress can be caused when an individual knows they aren’t feeling themselves. It may even exacerbate or cause anxiety when they’re in work, but are afraid of mental health stigma, and being discriminated against or looked down upon for feeling how they do. Having a culture of openness can help mitigate this and encourage employees to come forward if they’re not feeling 100%.

How to identify employees in distress

Spotting the signs of distress can be tough if an individual is suffering in silence. Here are some of the signs you may observe:

• Reduced focus and concentration on tasks

• Disengagement at work

• Self-isolation

• Mood swings

• Appearing overwhelmed

• Looking fatigued

• Taking an increased number of absences

• Increased errors in work

An individual doesn’t have to exhibit all of these signs before intervention is required. If you suspect something isn’t right, it’s best to approach the colleague with kindness and compassion to find out what may be the issue and work on an action plan together.

Is it a deeper issue?

If an employee has a mental health condition, diagnosed or not, feelings of distress may be more common if they aren’t accommodated. It’s especially important to ensure their wellbeing as well as your people in general and provide the necessary accommodations to mitigate triggers.

How to have a conversation with someone about stress and mental health

When approaching the individual, it’s important to do so gently and in a manner that isn’t confrontational. You may be genuinely worried and want to rush into ‘fix it’ mode right away, but this isn’t the right approach and may make the individual feel worse.

It’s important to understand that when an individual is distressed, they may act out of character. Someone who is generally quite bubbly in their personality may become more withdrawn, or someone who is generally quiet may outwardly show irritability towards others (and vice versa). Here are some ways you can have a conversation about stress and mental health with an individual who appears distressed:

1. Check in one-to-one

It’s important to speak in an environment that’s calm, confidential and away from other colleagues. This can encourage the individual to open up more freely about why they’re in distress.

2. Ask open-ended questions

Open-ended questions allow the individual to articulate what they’re feeling, as well as provide more information for you so you can plan out a necessary course of action. Here are some examples of questions you could ask:

• What do you think has caused you to feel this way?

• How would you describe how you’re feeling right now?

• What would help you right now until we can get you the support you need?

• What can I do to support you?

3. Show you care with active listening

It’s important not to be reactive without really listening to what the individual has to say. Active listening can make them feel heard and understood. Show you’re actively listening by reaffirming what they’re saying such as “I can see why that’s making you feel distressed” or summarise by saying “so what I’m hearing is X”. It’s also important to show attentive body language by being fully engaged in the conversation with no distractions.

4. Be curious

It can be hard to get to the root of the problem when an individual is giving one-word answers or is unwilling to explain. You need to understand that it may not be because they don’t want to share their feelings, but rather, they may not know how to.

By showing genuine curiosity, without pressuring the individual to open up, you can show you care. Ask questions like “I’ve noticed you’re not your usual self; can you tell me what’s going through your mind at the moment?” or “So I can understand, can you tell me a bit more about X”.

5. Do not judge them

The last thing the employee wants to feel is judged. To create a space of openness, it’s important to not pass judgement in how they’re feeling. A common way this happens is by offering a solution right away. For example, if an individual has been experiencing stress, “have you tried yoga?” is not an appropriate response. Instead, asking questions like “what do you do to unwind?” or “what makes it difficult to find time for self-care?” can help you get towards to the root of the issues they may be facing.

How to support employees in distress

1. Have regular check-ins

One conversation simply isn’t enough. Schedule regular check-ins with the distressed individual to see how they’re doing and how your plan to get them back on track is coming along. These check-ins can measure the effectiveness of your wellbeing plan as well as see where you can provide additional support. It also shows your proactiveness as an employer and that you genuinely care about their work.

It's also important to tell the individual that they aren’t limited to the scheduled time and date of their regular check-ins. Let them know they are welcome to check-in with you whenever they wish and ensure you have an open-door policy to facilitate this.

2. Give them more time to complete tasks

Employees in distress may increase their error rate of no fault of their own. To support them, give them more time for tasks to ensure they aren’t rushed and can check their work more thoroughly. You should also offer to help sub their work if needed so they have additional support to lean on until they feel they do the task independently.

3. Remind them of your Employee Assistance Programme

An employee assistance programme (EAP) allows individuals to receive mental health support at a time that suits them. It’s easy to forget company perks, particularly if the individual has worked at the organisation for quite some time, so make sure your people have the means to access support when they need it.

4. Promote wellness activities at work

It’s important to have wellness programmes in the workplace to support your employee’s overall mental and physical health. Plus, it can serve as a way to increase social connections at work too, which is also beneficial for our overall wellbeing. From fitness to mindfulness classes, walking meetings, free fruit and other initiatives, give your people things to look forward to and encourage self-care in the workplace.

5. Take an interest in their lives and wellbeing

It’s one thing supporting your employees out of distress, it’s another to maintain it. If your employee is showing signs of improvement and is opening up more at work, be sure to take a genuine interest in what they’re doing. For example, if they’ve taken up a class lately, ask them how they’re finding it and what lessons they’re learning that supports their wellbeing.

Dos and don’ts for staff mental health difficulties and/or distress 

• Do try to speak somewhere private where they feel they can speak more openly

• Do allow the individual time and space to open up in their own time without interruption

• Do be transparent about who you can get support from, and tell the individual what you plan to tell them with their consent

• Do make a record of a plan of action for the benefit of yourself and the individual

• Don’t attempt to diagnose the individual

• Don’t push for more information if it’s clear they aren’t in a good place

• Don’t tell others about what’s going on unless it concerns their life and wellbeing

How to manage an employee’s time off sick and their return to work 

In the event an individual has time off work due to distress, it’s incredibly important to show you care. With HA | Wisdom Wellbeing, our Peak customers have access to our Day One Intervention service, also known as Active Care. It can support your people during sick leave and ensure they have the support they need to get back to work as possible.

• You’ll also need to consider the following:

• Documentation

• Sick leave policy

• A return-to-work plan

• A way to monitor progress

• Communication whilst the individual is on leave

How can an Employee Assistance Programme help your employees in distress? (H2) 

No matter what’s causing distress in an employee, an EAP can support them. By providing access to mental health support, as well as financial and law-based advice services, you can give your people an avenue to use if they require assistance inside or outside of work. With an EAP your people can speak to a counsellor 24/7, 365 days a year about a range of mental health concerns. And at HA | Wisdom Wellbeing, we offer a clinical and solution-based approach to help get your people back on track. For those who may require additional support, we also offer referrals for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), trauma management through Crisis Incident Stress Management Debriefing (CISMD), EMDR, Occupational Health Assessments and much more.

Conclusion

Seeing employees in distress is never pleasant. Prevention is key, and in the occasion, someone is experiencing distress, then knowledge on how to spot the signs and work with the individual in a sensitive manner will help with their wellbeing in the long run. Remember to approach situations with kindness, confidentiality and maintain contact to show you care.