No one wants to tell their boss how bad the situation is at home. Deanna Caputo, a … [+]
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Dolly Parton’s Super Bowl ad ‘5 to 9’ for Squarespace, a web design company, was like a thumb and wink for some women – and a slap in the face of others. During the pandemic, more than 11 million women have lost their jobs and another 2.65 million have left their workers since February, according to an IWPR study of job sector data. That fact alone makes a passion project like a benefit to another two million unemployed. For people, the dream of 250 million disabled people who have been out of work for years is to be hired for one job. Then there is the truth that there is little glory or gain in working too hard. It is terrible for your mental health. Adding a second job already has a high level of pandemic concern.
The facts are hardly a cause for celebration. They are an opportunity to highlight the current vulnerability of women ‘s mental health and to reflect on how people need meaningful engagement at work.
As for the ad, it’s Dolly Dolly. You cannot love her or forgive her. However, there is still anger, anxiety, fear and arson from critics. How do I know? If you want to find out what employees think, read the comments on social media. They’re a hard eye into the mind of what most employees on Zoom will ever say. For managers, it ‘s a moment to really get to know employees. Experts offer this advice:
Stop seeing ventilation as a waste of time Give colleagues time to let go of what is really on their minds. Some people may say how difficult it is for them to smile or sleep these days. Others will say how powerful someone listening to them can be (‘It sucks talking about my mental health and being told I know but that’s the way it is’ or ‘that’s silly. ‘, One woman wrote on Twitter.) What people are saying is that you are just the tip of the iceberg. Many staff have mental health problems or a learning disability that have never been identified. Others suffer by accepting that there are no resources they can afford. Too many people live with anxiety and pain you may not know about.
Keep it simple Listen. Listen to people at all levels as often as you can. True listening does not involve tapping, breaking a phone or typing on a computer while chatting. If you prefer your management training in neat and tidy packages, you might like this piece. Data scientists have shown that you can boil down staff issues to five universal human emotions – sadness, fear, pleasure, anger and humiliation. You can even map them out to see how certain sequences of emotions lead to specific outcomes. They can and will eat people’s minds. How employees or colleagues hang or worry with a single feeling will determine the success or failure of your team in 2021.
Earnings Trust Read one of my favorite Twitter exchanges about the Superbowl Sunday ad: “Twitter is getting ready to take Dolly Parton over the Super Bowl ad but I don’t think that’s gonna work . ” Someone else replied, “dolly parton can’t be turned off. it is not possible. it is like the principle of physics – it is a force. ”Trust is that force. Good staff will hold around for leaders they trust, even if you behave at meat times. If you are looking for a fast track to trust, career modeling will take you forward. Model the behavior you want to see. Taking a mental health day? Give people as much notice as possible and email someone who will be calling without you. Every little thing you do for someone’s mental health, involve them in scheduling decisions or assignments, or get feedback on what sustains a project, confirm d the truth.
See Side Gigs as a fact of life Don’t quench people’s desire to work sideways, especially when money is tight. Research shows that undesirable work is directly linked to poor mental health. To the credit of Parton and Squarespace, the product was made to easily support anyone interested in sculpting time for a passion project. More importantly, studies show and by doing so it could greatly lift the spirits of Americans. That’s because research shows that a job choice (or an undesirable career) is not directly linked to poor mental health. People who feel locked up suffer a loss of control with side effects, researchers wrote. As the saying goes, “Workin ‘5 to 9, you have passion and vision. Time ‘Cause it hustlin’, the only way to make livin ‘. Gonna change your life. Do something meaningful with a website that deserves your dreamin ‘! “
Remember, These are unique times Everyone has a story worth hearing. Storytelling, as Dolly Parton has taught us so well, can include good, bad, ugly and funny. Tell it without shame. Here is one I share without any regret. Many years ago, I worked with day and evening events and raised a teenager on my own. It was a punitive record for everyone and as one mother raising a teenager at the time, I would have listened to my boss. But eventually, and since I had no choice, I learned to live with it and even laugh about the situation with my family. Just ask my son, who remembers the day he called my office to say, Mama, you said you would leave dinner outside for me if I got a trip home. You only had potatoes. It’s true. At 5pm on a school day my son was looking down at one potato on the kitchen counter. I was looking at my mattress, worried about an event for 300 people next week. It wasn’t beautiful, and it wasn’t historical. But the stories your employees share in the coming year are historic. These are times that have never been seen. Looking back on this piece of history, I hope that more Americans can feel good about respecting the fragility of our mental health, and how helpful it can be. listening, even when you feel there is no time, to help colleagues get through the day.