REASSURANCE
We all need a bit of reassurance now and then. We seem to only be living in uncertain times, and 2024 is no exception, looking at the big headlines of the year already.
But what can we do in the workplace to provide colleagues with reassurance? Let’s have a little look into how we can be a voice of calm and reason to our teams.
Being aware
To be able to help our teams, we first need to know what their worries and anxieties are. There could be any number of things, both in the workplace and out of it. We all have different levels of tolerance to anxieties, just like we all have different reactions to situations. Being aware of your colleagues and having regular catchups with them, not just about work, but about themselves. A simple sit down and a ‘how are you’ chat can help to open up on how they are feeling and your awareness to what is going on.
Patterns of anxiety
Having these conversations with your team members can help you to identify if there is a pattern amongst your team. They could have varying degrees of concerns about the cost-of-living crisis, for example; or perhaps there’s a wellbeing issue in the workplace they are feeling. By looking at this and seeing who and what is causing anxiety, you can look to provide reassurances.
Never over-promise
The one reassurance you can give colleagues is your honesty. Never over-promise on how you can help with worries and anxieties, but make sure you are listening and are there as a voice of assistance. Be that signposting your team members to where they can get support (you might have an employee assistance programme you can direct them to) or perhaps you can set up a meeting with the team on issues you’d like to cover to help set their minds at rest.
How to be the voice of reassurance
It’s not just your team that might be feeling anxious about things, you might well be feeling the same. This can be hard to take the leadership role on if you are also facing concerns. But you have to remember your team might well be looking to you for guidance. Here’s some tips when talking to your team:
- Think about how you use ‘I’ and ‘we’ - if it’s an issue at work, the ‘we’ can be powerful to show unity. But as a manager the ‘I’ and taking charge of a situation is equally as important.
- Be honest, we can never 100% guarantee job securities – but what you can do is explain what is going on in the business and how you are planning for any issues you can foresee coming up. Reassurance and explanations can go a long way to give people context and understanding
- Drawing on past experiences – if you have faced a similar situation before, talk about it. Let them know how you got through it.
- Having an open door – let your teams know that you are approachable and there to talk to them, should they need you.
Remember, everyone if different and some people may need more assurances than others. Get to know your colleagues and what makes them tick can really help to build a strong and resilient team.