The US’ youth are struggling. Even before the pandemic, more than
half
reported feeling anxious or depressed; and many are not yet prepared to
thoughtfully handle the many emotions they feel each day. And that stress only
increases when school is in
session,
with the additional pressure to succeed academically. In addition to the typical
stressors, teens’ lives were further disrupted as they were forced into
isolation and learning behind computer
screens
— also missing out on critical social development and significant adolescent
milestones.
In response to the ongoing youth mental health crisis, LG started a program
in 2017 that brings together leaders in social emotional learning, education and
the science of happiness to form the Life’s Good: Experience Happiness
program. In collaboration with
Discovery Education, Be Strong, CASEL, Greater Good Science
Center and Inner Explorer, the program provides science-backed and
curriculum-approved resources to help educators and students practice six
sustainable happiness
skills
for life-long social and emotional wellbeing: gratitude, human
connection, positive outlook, purpose, generosity and
mindfulness.
But mental health
challenges
don’t disappear once people graduate from high school. Many adults are also
facing stressors impacting their mental wellbeing, which have only been
exacerbated by the global pandemic, back-to-school season and uncertainties
surrounding the return to the
office.
Thankfully, employers are taking notice. In fact, a survey by Willis Towers
Watson
found 87 percent of employers said stress and burnout are issues for their
workforce; and more than three-quarters cited mental and behavioral health as
the main focus to improve workers’ health over the next three years. The
happiness skills that we promote through Experience Happiness can also be
implemented by business leaders who are looking to embed this type of
programming into their workplace culture — ultimately building resilience and
creating happier, more fulfilled employees.
In conjunction with our nonprofit partners, Experience Happiness recommends five
daily activities that business leaders could consider for their employees to
practice happiness and build a more resilient workforce.
Carve out time to take a mental break
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It’s easy for employees to get bogged down in task after task and meeting after
meeting without taking any time for themselves. Business leaders can encourage
their workers to block time on their calendars each day to step away from their
desks and decompress — even if it’s just for five minutes. Employees can take
this opportunity to sit outside and eat their lunch or take a short walk to grab
a coffee. This time away from the desk can improve focus and concentration, and
provides the opportunity for amental reset — helping to avoid burnout and
feelings of mental and physical fatigue and creating a more positive outlook
for the remainder of the workday.
Build in a one-minute meditation
If your employees are having an especially busy day and aren’t able to take an
extended break, you can also provide resources to implement a one-minute
meditation at their desk. Employees can do this by simply closing their eyes and
practicing a minute of silence or by using a guided meditation if the office is
noisy. Consider sending around an email blast with strategies or resources for
employees to utilize to make the habit easier to practice. Although one minute
may not seem long enough to fully practice mindfulness, meditation has been
linked to better emotional regulation and an improved ability to cope with
stress. To encourage employees to practice mindfulness throughout the day, LG
employees are all given free access to Inner
Explorer — an online mindfulness platform designed
to support mental health and wellbeing through Mindfulness-Based Social
Emotional Learning (MBSEL).
Practice active listening
In the workplace, effective communication among colleagues is essential for
employees to feel understood and valued. Business leaders should encourage
employees to practice active listening, which keeps you engaged with your
conversation partner in a positive way. When someone engages in active
listening, it helps establish trust and foster
empathy
between both parties. A few ways to participate in active listening include:
-
Show the speaker you are paying attention by making eye contact and avoiding
distractions such as incoming messages.
-
Ask clarifying questions if there is anything you are unsure about.
-
As a listener, paraphrase the speaker’s key points periodically to ensure
you are correctly understanding what they are saying and how they are
feeling.
Foster natural touchpoints for human connection
Because of the pandemic, some employees are continuing to work remotely while
others are returning to the office. This disruption of the typical, pre-COVID
office environment has caused many businesses to face difficulty replicating the
human connection that we took for granted. In order to re-establish natural
ways for employees to connect with their peers, business leaders should create
opportunities to replicate “water cooler talk.” Some ideas include putting on a
virtual game night during the last hour of the workday, carving out time at the
beginning of meetings for employees to chat about what they did over the
weekend, and using messaging tools for people with specific interests to discuss
their mutual passions.
Encourage people to take time out of their day to give back to others
Multiple studies show that volunteering improves mental health, lowers blood
pressure and improves happiness. Business leaders can create opportunities for
employees to give back by sharing resources and supporting nonprofits looking
for volunteers. In addition, they could also identify a local nonprofit and set
aside a day for employees to take part in corporate volunteering. For example,
at LG, our employees have participated in World Environment
Day — tackling environmental
conservation projects around the country. Another option is to provide a few
hours a month where employees can step away from their day-to-day job to
volunteer. Since many nonprofits need help during the weekdays, this is a great
way to incentivize people to giveback and will also allow employees to take a
break from the office and contribute to the greater good.
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Manager, CSR & Community Relations
LG Electronics
Laura Barbieri, corporate social responsibility manager at LG Electronics USA, leads the award-winning Life’s Good: Experience Happiness program — which already has delivered live-changing Sustainable Happiness Skills to 5 million US youth.
Published Nov 3, 2021 8am EDT / 5am PDT / 12pm GMT / 1pm CET