“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” – Bill Gates
The true mark of a good leader is not just the ability to produce profitable results but also have the ability to inspire, guide, and empower their team towards the business’s common goal or vision. As a direct selling leader, creating a total mentally healthy office environment is essential for the success and well-being of your team. Mental health in the workplace has a significant impact on employee productivity, engagement, and overall job satisfaction. People who work as direct sellers are often subjected to many mentally taxing situations like rejection, struggling to find work/life balance, demotivation and handling difficult customers which can take a severe toll on their mental health.
When you are a leader of a business, it becomes your responsibility to look after the mental health of your team members and distributors and take measures to boost morale. By establishing a supportive and positive office environment, you can not only improve the total mental health of your team but also create a culture of trust, companionship, collaboration and growth within your business. In this article, let’s explore some practical steps you can take to promote the mental health and wellbeing of your team in your direct selling business, and the benefits of doing so for your business and your team.
5 Ways to Promote a Total Mentally Positive Environment in Your Office
1. Recognize and Reward Positive Behavior
Creating a culture of recognition and reward in business is an excellent way to show your employees that you value their contributions and acknowledge their achievements. A lack of recognition in the workplace has been seen as the #1 reason for people leaving their jobs. According to a survey by Quantum Workplace, 52.5% of employees agreed for wanting more recognition from their immediate superiors. Thus, recognizing and rewarding positive behavior can be an effective step towards promoting a mentally positive office environment. When your team members feel appreciated and valued for their efforts, it can increase their motivation and job satisfaction, thereby reducing their stress and monotony, and improving their mental health.
There are many ways to recognize and reward positive behaviors, such as through verbal praise, written notes of appreciation, and public recognition in team meetings. Offering incentives or rewards such as bonuses, extra vacation, or gift cards, can also be effective. By taking these measures in an attempt to recognize and reward your team member’s behavior, you can establish a culture of appreciation and positivity – and this can lead to increased productivity, employee engagement, and overall job satisfaction.
2. Promote Work/Life Balance
Direct sellers tend to have a difficult time in striking the right balance between their work and personal life. The flexible business model, which is by and large a touted benefit of a direct selling business can often become strenuous for the few people who struggle to find a proper work/life balance. As a result, they might encounter problems in their work or their personal life, which can elicit stress and pressure and can impact their overall mental health. Thus, promoting work/life balance is a crucial strategy for creating a mentally positive office environment. When employees are able to maintain a healthy balance between their work and personal life, they are more likely to feel fulfilled, motivated, and engaged at work.
As a leader, you can promote work/life balance by offering flexible work arrangements such as telecommuting, flexible scheduling, and paid time off. It is also important to encourage distributors and team members to disconnect from work during their time off, to avoid burnout and maintain their mental health. Additionally, you can also provide resources and support for personal development and wellness, such as gym membership or mental health support. This can offer them a healthy outlet to manage their stress and maintain a healthy work/life balance. Ultimately, promoting work/life balance shows that you value your team as individuals and are committed to their well-being, which can help foster a positive and supportive work culture.
3. Foster a Culture of Positivity
As we’ve already established, the office environment plays a vital role in a person’s mental health. Whether it is a positive or negative atmosphere, your behavior, work performance and efficiency can be largely impacted by it. Thus, fostering a culture of positivity is a key strategy for creating a mentally positive office environment. A positive workplace culture encompasses a space where your team feels supported, respected, and motivated to be their best selves. As a leader, you can foster a culture a positivity by modelling positive behaviors, such as showing appreciation for your team members, acknowledging their successes, and providing constructive feedback in a respectful and encouraging manner.
You can also encourage collaboration and teamwork and provide opportunities for professional growth and development. In doing so, you can help create a well-rounded positive work culture that your team members can benefit from. Additionally, it is also important to recognize and address any negative behaviors or attitudes that may be impacting the workplace culture, and to establish clear expectations for respectful communication and behavior. Ultimately, fostering a culture of positivity can help increase employee engagement, reduce turnover, and create a supportive and productive work environment.
4. Support Mental Health and Wellness
In order to establish a mentally positive and healthy office environment, it is important to go back to the fundamentals, and acknowledge and advocate for mental health and wellness. There are several ways for you to support mental health and wellness in the workplace, including providing access to mental health resources and programs, such as assistance programs, wellness programs, mental health days, and counselling/therapy services. In addition, promoting physical wellness, such as offering on-site fitness classes or providing mentally healthy snacks, can also support your team’s overall wellbeing. To enhance your total office environment and make it a mentally positive space, it is important to create a work environment where mental health is prioritized, and you team feels comfortable seeking support if needed.
You should establish open lines of communication with your team, training other potential leaders on how to recognize and support their team members who may be struggling with mental health problems and offering education and awareness campaigns to reduce stigma around mental health in the workplace. By promoting mental health and wellness in the workplace, you can establish a work culture that values the wellbeing of its employees, leading to a more positive and productive work environment.
This can include establishing open lines of communication with employees, training managers on how to recognize and support employees who may be struggling with mental health issues, and offering education and awareness campaigns to help reduce stigma around mental health in the workplace. By supporting mental health and wellness, you can create a workplace culture that values the well-being of its employees, leading to a more positive and productive work environment.
5. Prioritize Learning and Development
Education is the most empowering force in the world. Irrespective of age, learning new things continues to be a source of confidence and satisfaction. Thus, investing in learning and development for employees can have a significant impact on their mental health, and thereby can boost the total office environment. When employees feel that they are learning and growing in their roles, it can increase their sense of purpose and improve their mental wellbeing. It can also boost the sense of engagement in their work. Establishing a culture of learning and development in the workplace can encourage employees to adopt a growth mindset. This fosters a belief that they can improve their abilities through hard work and dedication, which can lead to increased resilience, a willingness to take on challenges, and a more positive attitude towards setbacks.
Moreover, learning and development opportunities can provide employees with a greater sense of control over their career paths and their future prospects. This can reduce feelings of uncertainty and insecurity and promote a more positive outlook. Provide learning resources such as training courses, workplace mentorship programs, etc. to enable your team members to grow and foster a more mentally positive and invigorated workplace.
These are a few ways you can establish a mentally positive work environment in your direct selling business and how you can look after the mental wellbeing of your team. As a direct selling leader, your responsibilities do not end with delegating tasks and closing sales. Instead, you have a far greater responsibility to propel not only your business to success, but to empower every individual member of your team and uplift them mentally and professionally. Investing in the mental health of your team can lead to increased productivity, employee engagement, and overall job satisfaction, thereby, pushing your business to success.
