Running a successful business can be pretty tough for many reasons. Most people think that all of the stresses come from managing money, assessing analytics, maintaining inventory, etc.. It’s so easy to leave out one of the most important aspects of business operations, and that is the employees who are directly involved with the processes. As a manager, supervisor, CEO, etc., it is already pretty challenging to deal with the different attitudes and personalities that you might encounter daily. On top of the plethora of mood swings, you might have to put up with, you also have to find a way to understand the mental, physical, and/or spiritual health of your employees. Here are 4 Reasons Why Interacting With Your Employees Is Key:
Preventing Mass Shootings in The Workplace
Many people are aware of the increasing occurrence of gun violence and mass shootings in the workplace. I read an article on “Psychology Today”, titled “Preventing Mass Shootings: Examining Solutions“, and one way they list to prevent the occurrence of shootings in the workplace is to invest in mental health. Employers should interact with their employees in order to be able to assess their mental state. Most of the shootings that are reported in the United States are accompanied by witnesses (coworker, classmate, family, friend) who recall the perpetrator acting odd, out of character, or agitated. Employers interacting and building relationships would allow them to be in a better position to hear daily ‘office-talk’, which could help in identifying someone who is troubled or needs a little help.
Preventing Suicide in The Workplace
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. According to a New York Times article, suicide is now the tenth leading cause of death according to the center for disease control and prevention. Employers should communicate with their employees frequently and be able to identify signs of depression. The article “Tips, Tricks, and Treatments to Tackle Depression” offers a little more insight on understanding when someone is depressed and also gives a way for you to advise employees on how they can deal with that depression.
Increased Quality of Work/ Detecting Drug Abuse, Alcoholism, Domestic Problems
Frequent communication with employees will allow for you to be more aware of when someone is not performing adequately. You could identify someone who is abusing drugs, going through domestic violence, suffering from alcoholism etc. Knowing just a little background on your employees will help you understand what they have going on in their lives that could be causing these problems, and you can respond accordingly. For women/men dealing with domestic violence, here is an article that could be used to help them “Domestic Violence and its Effects on Your Psyche“. Knowing a little more about an employees routine will also help in identifying more specific instances like Adderall withdrawal or insomnia.
Happier Employees
Multiple studies have shown that having an open dialogue between Employees and Employers positively effects the quality of work. People like to feel acknowledged, appreciated, and important at their workplace. A good working relationship will decrease the likelihood of them going to another opportunity, and creates a positive work environment.