T
his toolkit features a variety of resources and strategies that can be used to promote mental health in the workplace and normalize help-seeking behaviors.
Recognize Signs of Distress
In addition to everyday concerns, the COVID-19 pandemic may have caused you to experience new feelings of isolation, depression, anxiety, and other emotional or financial stressors. Now is the perfect time to become aware of your levels of functioning so you can better understand your starting point as you work to foster your mental health and well-being. It is important to note that poor mental health is not necessarily indicative of a mental illness, which would be diagnosed by a professional.
- My Mental Health- Do I Need Help?
- Early Warning Signs of Mental Health Problems
- Feelings Wheel- Learn How to Label Your Feelings
- The Stress Continuum- Thriving, Surviving, Struggling, In Crisis
- Professional Quality of Life Scale: Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue
- Pandemic Parenting: Working Parent Burnout Scale and Strategies
Coping and Building Resilience
There are a number of ways to support yourself during times of stress, change or uncertainty. Remember to take care of your body, practice mindfulness, connect with others, set goals and priorities, focus on the facts, and try to remain positive.
- Resilience- What Is It and How Do I Build It?
- Mitigating Compassion Fatigue Through Self Care
- BeWell’s 15-Minute Guided Mindfulness Sessions
- Mini-Meditations by HealthCheck360
- Yoga with Adriene
- BeWell Webinars
Support Mental Health in the Workplace
Social support and connection is essential for fostering mental health. We don’t have to be afraid of conversations about mental health with our co-workers. There is an appropriate way to “start the conversation” and when we do this we help reduce stigma surrounding mental health in the workplace as well as normalize help-seeking behaviors. A manager appropriately disclosing plans to utilize the EAP or attend their own counseling session, for example, can be helpful in normalizing mental health care and increasing the likelihood that direct reports will also talk openly about it.
- UCA Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Safe Spaces to Connect
- Five Essentials for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being
- Reflection Questions: Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being
- Crisis Response Protocols for UCA Faculty/Staff
- Trauma-Informed Framework for Higher Education
- Addressing Burnout Through Cultural Change: How Leaders Can Support Employees
- Faculty Work-Life (Re)Negotiation: Dismantling Ideal Worker Norms
- Train Managers to Promote Health and Well-Being
- Connect with Co-Workers: Ask, Listen, Connect
- Compassionate Communication Toolkit for Staff, Faculty and Student Leaders
- Supporting Black Mental Health in the Workplace
- Guide to Inclusive Language and Imagery for Mental Health
Seek Professional Support
Sometimes it can feel as if your symptoms are too much to handle. If this happens, the best next step is to seek professional assistance. Asking for help can feel like a strange mix of emotions, perhaps empowering because you understand you are taking a tangible step toward making progress, but also perhaps swallowing your pride because you are accepting that help would be beneficial to you. This is normal and healthy!
- Choosing a Mental Health Provider
- Arkansas Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- AR-Connect 24/7
- Dial 988: Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
- SAMHSA’s National Helpline