Supportive communities are key to maintaining good mental health. From families to schools, nurturing environments in which people can learn, build relationships, and take risks are essential for our wellbeing. And the workplace is no different.
Businesses can cultivate a sense of community and belonging at work in myriad ways, from upskilling to modelling openness and vulnerability. And doing so doesn’t just benefit staff — businesses who commit to staff wellness see improvements in productivity, as well as lower costs and reduced presenteeism.
This Mental Health Awareness Week, let’s take a look at why community is so important for mental wellbeing, and what businesses can do to create a supportive base that helps staff thrive.
Fostering a culture of growth and curiosity
Collective growth is at the heart of any community. That’s why learning is so important for staff wellbeing. But everyone learns differently, so think about where you can personalise learning experiences for your staff.
Offering unique opportunities for learning encourages personal growth and cultivates wellbeing. Research shows that more than a third of employees experienced an immediate uplift in their mental health as a result of short-term skills development.
But creating a learning culture isn’t just about providing formal training opportunities. It’s about building a space where staff can take risks without fear of blame or failure. Successes are celebrated, and missteps are identified as opportunities for self-improvement. This kind of positivity is sure to empower staff and bolster their mental health.
Helping staff find purpose in work
Purpose doesn’t have to be a big vision of how you’re going to change the world, but we want to feel like what we do matters. And purpose binds people together — it’s one of the best ways to create community among your employees.
Most of us seek some kind of purpose in our work. It helps us feel more engaged, more motivated, and more resilient. Discover your employees’ ambitions and find ways to align them with your purpose as a brand. Breaking your vision down into smaller, more tangible elements can increase individual empowerment — when everyone pitches in, you build a sense of community.
Embracing uncomfortable conversations
Nobody wants to have uncomfortable conversations, but it’s here that things get done.
Whether the conversation is about pay, health, or workplace conflict, leaders must embrace these conversations and create safe spaces for team members to have them, too. It’s hard, but the payoff is huge. When you deal with difficult conversations with vulnerability and openness, it moves the issue forward, shifting the focus from problem to resolution and creating positive habits among staff.
We all need to feel secure to perform at our best. Resolving issues via hard conversations helps to create an environment where staff feel supported. And by modelling this as leaders, you can encourage your team to be open and hold difficult discussions, too.
Sustaining your community as you grow
As companies scale, it becomes harder to maintain that close-knit community feeling that comes naturally as a small business. Leadership teams, in particular, must adapt to ensure employees still feel connected as you grow. Here’s what you can do:
- Make time and be visible. Lead from behind: show that you’re involved, but don’t take over. Allow others to take ownership and accountability.
- Be open. Share your own journey of self-improvement and wellbeing, setting an example for others.
- Own your mistakes. Demonstrate that you support a culture of learning and taking risks by assuming responsibility and setting that same expectation for everyone.
- Celebrate learning from mistakes. Talk about what went wrong. Learning from mistakes is arguably more valuable (and certainly cheaper) than taking a training course!
Share experiences with inspiring speakers
Inspirational speakers bring people together. They create shared moments that spark connection, reflection, and conversation. By opening up an honest dialogue and sharing powerful stories, speakers help people feel seen and heard — something that’s essential for good mental health.
Encourage our team to reflect on their personal experience of the speakers. Everyone benefits from this: as a business, we get valuable professional input. Staff have the opportunity to seek inspiration and ideas from speakers, enhancing their personal and professional growth. And finally, they know their viewpoint is being heard, fostering a deeper connection with our brand and purpose.
