men's health month

By: brian fish, account manager- employee benefits, ioa

June is National Men’s Health Month and no, going to a doctor is not a sign of weakness and it is ok to ask for help if you are hurt or struggling. “It’s not that bad” or “what are they going to tell me that I don’t already know” seem to be common responses when asking about someone’s health. My personal excuse was always, “how is talking to a stranger going to help?”. This is a call to stop pretending and encourage the men in your lives to make the call or set the appointment.

My understanding of what it is to be a man came from watching my father and grandfathers. Just like the wonderful world of media tells us, if you fall down and get hurt, get back up, rub some dirt on it and keep it moving. Hit a finger by swinging a hammer, scream silently and mumble profanities under your breath, but do not let the crew know because you will never hear the end of it.

For most men, masculinity is a trait passed down and ingrained in our DNA over centuries, it is the underlying reason that the majority do not express needs for outside help. It was my impression that you can be hurt mentally or physically; just keep your mother and sisters in the dark; because you need to be strong for them always. We must be the protectors, hunters, builders, and suppliers for our families. There is no room for unwelcome strangers, no time for unnecessary appointments or wasting money when we can just work through the discomfort or lingering pains.

It is time to break the cycle that men should not ask for helpyour masculinity does not impress anyone if the body and mind cannot perform the tasks at hand.

Below are a few bullet points from BetterUp.com to help get you started. Although geared towards mental health, the concept can also be used for physical health.

Take steps to foster psychological safety

Psychologically safe team members feel comfortable sharing ideas, expressing concerns, and asking questions without fear of negative repercussions. Take steps to foster psychological safety among team members, so they’re more receptive to discussing workplace well-being.

• Practice active listening. Be fully present when someone speaks, use nonverbal cues to indicate that you’re listening, reflect on what you’ve heard, and summarize it.

• Ask open-ended questions. Prompt discussions among team members by posing questions that require thoughtful answers and can lead to more questions.

• Recognize participation. When an employee shows vulnerability by asking a question or sharing an idea, express gratitude, empathy, and appreciation for their insight.

• Acknowledge issues and their impact. When problems or concerns arise, validate them and discuss possible impacts, as well as solutions.

These small actions will go a long way toward making people feel heard and valued, and they’ll encourage more employees to participate in workplace well-being discussions. Be prepared to follow-up on obstacles they identify. Follow-through is an important part of authenticity that will reinforce the psychological safety and positive feeling of being cared about that you hope to create.

Talk about how you prioritize your own well-being

Some employees may be especially resistant to discussing well-being because of the stigma around mental health. But studies show that workers want managers to talk about mental health even though 60% of employees say they haven’t spoken to anyone at their job about it before.

Encourage employees to open up by discussing your own struggles with mental well-being and the steps you take to address them and build mental fitness. This vulnerability goes a long way in helping your team feel more psychologically safe and comfortable discussing workplace well-being. It’ll also encourage them to follow in your footsteps and focus on their own personal well-being.

Discuss the resources available to employees

Companies may offer a variety of well-being tools, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that workers are aware of them or understand how to access them. In fact, nearly 46% of employees say their companies haven’t shared what mental health resources are available.

Review your company’s offerings with employees — including health and mental health benefits, access to sleep experts and nutritionists, coaching opportunities, financial counseling, and education and training. Workers who say their company has shared these resources are 61% more likely to believe that their company prioritizes their well-being.

Regularly speak with team members one-on-one

Demonstrate that employee well-being is a priority by providing opportunities for workers to share their ideas, questions, and concerns with you privately.

Talking about workplace well-being helps the entire company

These conversations not only help workers thrive, but they also create a culture of well-being, help the organization perform better as a whole, and positively impact the bottom line. Employees who understand that well-being underpins peak performance and believe their manager is invested in their mental fitness are more likely to take steps to improve their own well-being. This makes them happier, more creative, less prone to burnout, and more engaged at work, according to BetterUp research.

Additionally, improving workplace well-being for your team makes you look good, too. BetterUp research has found that mentally fit managers lead teams that are 31% more productive and have direct reports who are nearly 80% less likely to leave voluntarily.

Show your team that you are in their corner when it comes to their mental and physical health, and do not forget about yourself. Open up and start the conversation. Better communication leads to better ideas and clearer paths, team mentality, and safer work and more production.