Breaking the Silence:  Leading with Empathy and Openness

Is your team in a place where someone could mention they're in therapy, on medication, or struggling, without fear of it changing how you see them? NAMI's StigmaFree Workplace initiative notes that shame and stigma are the biggest reason employees don't use the mental health support already available to them. It’s the fear of judgment, not the lack of access.  

Reducing stigma starts with language. Casual comments like calling a chaotic day "psycho" or a disorganized process "crazy" send a signal, even unintentionally. So does silence: if wellbeing is never mentioned except in a once-a-year email, employees learn it's not really something they can bring up with you.

Empathy and accountability aren't opposites. You can hold someone to their responsibilities while also flexing on how the work gets done by adjusting a deadline, breaking a project into smaller pieces, or allowing a modified schedule during a hard stretch. That combination, not unlimited flexibility or unbending rigidity, is what actually supports both performance and recovery.

Workload is one of the most controllable stressors you influence directly. Before assuming a struggling employee needs a mental health resource, check whether the real issue is an unsustainable workload you have the power to adjust. Sometimes the most supportive thing you can do isn't a referral, but rather redistributing the work.

This month, look for one small way to make openness normal on your team, and notice whether your own reaction to a disclosure would encourage someone to speak up again.

Manager Self-Care Tips

• Build in one dedicated recovery block this week. This is a period with no meetings. Use it to actually step away from your desk.
• Practice a two-minute end-of-day reflection: what drained you today, and what's one adjustment for tomorrow?
• Notice your own stress signals (tension, shorter temper, trouble focusing) and treat them as information, not something to ignore.

Manager Action Steps for Supporting Employees

• Audit your own language for casual references to mental health conditions, and gently correct the habit on your team.
• Review one team member's workload this month and ask directly whether it's sustainable, not just whether it's getting done.
• If someone discloses a mental health condition, respond with the same steadiness you'd bring to any other personal disclosure.  Thank them for trusting you, and ask what support looks like for them.

Baylor Resource Spotlight

Baylor's Mental Wellbeing Resources for Faculty and Staff page is a great place to find supportive resources.