Leadership and mental health touch each other more than we previously thought. New research shows that for nearly 70% of people, the manager has more influence on their mental health than their therapist or doctor — and just as much influence as their partner. For you as a manager, this news may take some swallowing

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Leadership and Mental Health are more closely connected than you think

Leadership has always been important, but knowing that you have so much impact, that leadership and mental health are so closely linked, might be a reason to think twice and make sure you’re doing everything you can to have the most positive impact on “your” people

Leadership determines up to 69% of team members’ Mental Health

For 69% of people, their leaders have the greatest influence on their mental health, as much as their partner. That’s more influence than their doctor (51%) or therapist (41%). This information comes from a recent study by The Workforce Institute, which surveyed 3,400 people from 10 countries

Stress in the workplace

Stress? A lot of people suffer from that. As many as 43% of workers say they are exhausted, and 78% say stress negatively impacts their work. It also affects other things in their lives: 71% say work pressure negatively affects their personal life, 64% say it detracts from their well-being and 62% say it strains their relationships

And you know what? It doesn’t just impact people, it impacts businesses themselves. When people feel good about themselves, 63% say they are committed to their work and 80% feel full of energy

Good leadership starts with self-care

Leaders have a mega-important role when it comes to creating a positive vibe, so it’s also important for leadership leaders to be good at what they do

Many executives try to reduce their team’s stress levels by taking on the heavy or extra work themselves. But doing so can cause you to become stressed yourself and go beyond your own limits. In fact, 35% of the executives in this study reported being worked up at work, and for 42% it was because of the stress they put on themselves

Leadership and Mental Health; say no more often

If you are a manager, feel free to say “no” to too much work for you or your team. Even if you feel the pressure, resist the urge to do everything yourself. After all, others look at how you handle your own work, and they use you as an example — whether you do it on purpose or not. So avoid overload. Train others, delegate tasks, give team members responsibility and make sure collaboration and coordination with other teams runs smoothly. Not everything has to fall on your shoulders

Leadership and Mental Health; you’re in the loop

The survey also found that a third of people feel that their manager does not realize how much influence they have on the well-being of others. Everyone around you has influence, but executives have an extra big impact – and people look at managers’ behavior with a magnifying glass. Both what they say and what they do

So show empathy, not just because you should, but because it has a positive impact on employee engagement and loyalty. Ask how people are doing, notice when they are not in their usual mode or when they seem to need help because they are dealing with a big challenge

And last but not least, refer people to resources. Whether it’s online training, support from the HR team or other programs to support them. The Workforce Institute study found that 70% of people want their boss to do more to support mental health – and these are ways you can do just fine

Leadership and Mental Health: connection is key

By making sure you are easy to reach and responsive, you also have a positive impact on people’s well-being. Show that you are available, respond quickly and make it clear how and when people can reach you. When executives are more present and accessible, it contributes to trust, a positive atmosphere and the feeling that people really matter within the organization

Pair team members with others in the organization as well. Having contact is essential to well-being and job satisfaction, whether you are introverted or extroverted. Help team members build (mentor) relationships, ensure collaboration between departments and consider organizing joint volunteer activities

Leadership and Mental Health: challenge people

One of the misconceptions about stress is that “less is more. In reality if there is too little challenge, people lose motivation and get burned out, just like if there is too much stress. It’s all about balance

Make sure people have opportunities to learn and develop. Ask them what they want in their current role and in their next role. In doing so, don’t just assume that everyone wants to be promoted. For some, growth may mean working in other departments or being involved in a big project. For others, it’s learning new skills or working with others on a special task

Be curious about what drives people and try to find out what motivates them. And then try to match that with work that adds value within the organization

Leadership and Mental Health: give choice

People generally feel better when they can make choices and have some freedom. And flexibility benefits not only employees, but also the company itself. Give people as much freedom as possible in where, when and how they work. Let them decide what projects they work on and how they do things. Of course, some jobs may lend themselves more to flexibility than others, but when possible, autonomy contributes immensely to employee well-being and performance

Leadership and Mental Health; staying healthy with him all

The best leaders not only take care of their own mental health, but also pay attention to their team members. It’s not nothing to have that much influence on people, but it’s also not higher math. Managers can really make a difference by being good listeners, empathetic and understanding. The stakes are high, but the chances of success are also high, if managers consciously choose to do their best