HEEYAH!
Talk about mental health in the workplace: I would get the voice mail on my work phone maybe once a week. A man would sing, at the top of his lungs, “MINIMUM WAGE! HEEYAH!,” followed by a bullwhip cracking.
This went on for the better part of a year.
It was, of course, a They Might Be Giants song. And about a decade after the serial prank, some friends finally confessed. We had a good laugh.
But what if work really felt like that bullwhip?
I’ve worked with clients where employees constantly looked over their shoulders. They didn’t fear a literal bullwhip. They feared the metaphorical hatchet–or verbal abuse–or ridicule–or a department that refuses to work with them–or some new, heavy handed, reactionary policy … all because somebody dared to speak up. Or perhaps made a mistake.
Feeling safe
Over time, the performance of the company drops. Employees slowly turn over. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but the environment becomes unpleasant, even mean. The kind of mean you get when hardened people are just trying to survive.
Much is written now about mental health in the workplace. Fast Company, for instance, points out how “psychological safety” is key to preventing burnout.
It seems very much related to the idea of “emotional labor,” introduced to me by colleague (and podcast guest) Pamela Cole. Digging ditches taxes your body, fixing cars taxes your mind … and having to be “on,” manufacturing the appropriate emotional response to deal with customers and coworkers–that’s taxing too. (In the podcast episode, Pamela shares techniques to help.)
But many are still showing up to work unhappy. How often do we hear about coworkers dreading the upcoming week on Sunday night? I’ve had clients physically sick in anticipation of Monday.
Purpose or Pleasure?
If you are concerned about mental health in the workplace–your own or your staff’s–read on.
If you are a business owner or a department manager, let me speak to you for a moment:
You have a role here. If your workplace is toxic, you may not know it. But you have an obligation to go find out. Ask questions. Make it clear you want truth by responding to the concerns you hear from those brave enough to give feedback.
Then keep asking, and keep responding. Forever. Make it culture.
It won’t be fun. It will take humility. But over time, the very act of asking, then responding, improves the sense of safety. You’ll see people willing to invest in the team.
Now, let me speak to the employee:
Your happiness is not under the control of others. Techniques like those mentioned in the Pamela Cole podcast can help you respond instead of react to the environment around you.
It is also under your control to quit and find a job that suits you better.
Before you do that: What are your expectations for your work? What do you hope to get out of it? (It’s not just money–if it was, you’d quit and go find the job that pays the most, no matter the hours or environment.)
Whether you are a boss or a worker or both, Arthur Brooks argues that what we really need is balance–sometimes striving to fulfill our purpose, other times pursuing pleasure.
Purpose and Pleasure?
Give this Southern Baptist a minute more of your time: What if you could have both?
The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “What is the chief end of man?”
What is our purpose?
The answer: “to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”
The Psalmist says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
What if striving to fulfill your purpose is what gives you pleasure?
There is much more to say about this. It involves the beginnings of monasteries, what Clan Ramsay took from those communities and the movie “Office Space.”
But for now: How could you get clarity about your purpose?
How could you ensure there is real pleasure in that for you?
These are questions with answers. And their answers give you well more than mental health in the workplace. If I can help you explore, let’s connect.