Mental health in PR - Small steps that will make a big difference

I’ve written before about how, as communicators, we need to practice what we preach. So often we are the ones caught in the thick of it, communicating the organisational policy, approach, or activities to the business but we forget to take care of ourselves. 

The last few years working in comms speak for themselves. It’s been relentless! We’ve lurched from one crisis to another, figuring it out as we go along, advising leadership teams on what to say and how to say it. Juggling, often with finite resources, trying not to drop a ball as the workload stacks up. 

Let’s not forget – all the situations that impact our colleagues also impact us. Ukraine is just one example, where we not only feel the personal impact but are also working flat out to support organisations through it.  

It’s no wonder comms professionals are finding it tough. 

Taking action on mental health is absolutely needed – but this isn’t a new conversation. The stats speak for themselves and there is a clear call to action for organisations to do more. However, this isn’t just about investing in a corporate HeadSpace subscription, or a network of Mental Health First Aiders. Whilst great to have these resources in place, it won’t solve the bigger problem if we don’t address the cultural issues. 

To create lasting change, we need to invest in cultivating environments where our teams can thrive. Where people feel comfortable to speak honestly about the daily challenges they face in the workplace, and the workload pressures! We should be able to openly ask for help without it going against us or feeling like we are failing by doing so. 

Often, it’s the challenges of competing deadlines, growing workloads and managing the many different personalities that can create anxiety, concern and fear of failure. If we don’t have an outlet for that, it can very quickly overwhelm us. 

So how do we create a safe environment to encourage people to speak up and what role can we play?

Firstly, we need to listen, we need to check-in, and we need to be present. 

This is something we can all do, whether we are a people manager or not. We can all step up to be advocates and champions for our peers. For example, if someone is quieter than usual, declines team check-ins and appears withdrawn – give them a call to ask ‘are you OK’? It could be the most valuable call you make that day. 

Here are a few practical things that could make a big difference. 

Create safe spaces and build trust

• Take the time to build relationships with your team and colleagues. Personal life, commitments and external interests often have an impact on how we show up at work.  
• Show vulnerability, be open with your team and colleagues, and actively contribute how you are feeling. Demonstrate that it is safe to speak up.  

Be observant 

• If people are sending emails out of hours or are online late in the evening, check-in to find out why and help them put in place mitigations to prevent that. 
• If someone looks tired then check-in, ask if they are OK. 
• If you are the team leader, you may need to step in if stakeholders are proving challenging. But you can also empower that person by sharing tools and techniques to help them put boundaries in place. 

Prioritise 121s and check point meetings

• When teams are flat out, this is often the first thing to move in the diary but it’s the most important investment of your time. This should be your absolutely priority.  

On the flip side, we also need to put in place mitigations to protect ourselves. Here are a few things I’ve learnt along the way. 

Know your boundaries and be strict with yourself.  

• Take time to map your non-negotiables – working past a certain time/ meetings over lunch / a regular daily walk during daylight hours. 
• Then map your negotiables – are there things you don’t mind being flexible with? For example, the occasional late or early morning call. 

I learnt this through my own mentoring journey and it has been invaluable, and should be repeated quarterly to adjust your priorities based on the seasons. For example, getting a walk in might need to happen during the day but the trade-off is working a little later that day. 

Prioritise 121s with your line manager or any dotted line managers you work with

• Make sure these are regular and are upheld. 
• Take time to talk through your workplan, highlight pressure points and be really clear on your ask of them and where you need support. 

Invest in your own development and network 

• Peer to Peer support and developing your own knowledge will bolster your confidence and helps with resilience. 
• Lean into the wider comms community because I guarantee others feel the same. CIPR Inside have a great network of support and have discussion threads on Wellbeing and Internal Comms on the CIPR Connect App and Guild is another highly recommended forum. 

Recognising the incredible pressure and intensity of the profession we work in, carving out the time to set boundaries, checking in on each other and providing air cover for those we lead are some of the small steps that will make a big difference. 

If you are struggling, I encourage you to confide in someone. It doesn’t have to be someone in your team, there’s a lot of support out there. The CIPR provide a fantastic mentoring scheme which I’ve personally benefited from and would recommend. Mentoring Mums helps mums returning to the workplace after maternity leave. And, Iprovision, the CIPR benevolent fund, provides support to CIPR members during hard times. 

Rebecca Murch, Internal Communications Specialist is a member of the CIPR Inside Committee.

Heard Mentality - 10 October 2022

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) have relaunched their Heard Mentality campaign, which urges leaders to hear the concerns of colleagues and encourages team leaders to hold constructive talks with their teams or peers on mental health. Last year more than 200 teams took part in the industry-wide conversation. 

This year, agency, in-house and independent practitioners are invited to host conversations during the week commencing 10th October 2022. The CIPR and PRCA will issue guidance and conversation starter packs to those hosting discussions. Find out more and register to take part in the campaign.

Image by Kubkoo on iStock