Under Pressure: Helping young employees cope with anxiety
Uncomfortable meetings, unexplained absences, panic attacks in the bathroom… young employees who suffer from anxiety may avoid phone calls, freeze up when reading emails or dread performance reviews.
Do you think you might have someone like that in your team? Let's see what you can do to can support them.
Why is anxiety on the rise?
According to a study by Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC (This hyperlink will open in a new tab)), since 2016, the psychological well-being of young people has been declining faster than that of adults. In fact, they are 17% more likely to report high levels of anxiety.
When looking at all age the groups, professionals aged 20 to 29 have the lowest mental health scores (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
Where does anxiety come from? Sometimes it seems to come out of nowhere, but there are some common triggers:
- Social isolation from the pandemic
- Excessive screen time or digital overload
- Financial insecurity
- Job insecurity
- Concerns about the climate and the environment
- Gambling or substance addiction
- Belonging to a group that is marginalized (culturally, sexually, etc.)
- Performance anxiety
This is by no means a comprehensive list. Plus not everyone deals with anxiety the same way. A startup could hire two young immigrants where one will experience culture shock and the other will not. Everyone is different.
How are things at work?
Anxiety slows employees down, impairs their concentration and increases the risk of mistakes. It therefore affects team productivity.
For some, anxiety is enough to make them quit their jobs, for others, presenteeism keeps them at work despite signs of burnout.
Still others will hesitate to talk about their situation for fear of being judged or misunderstood.
When someone chooses to confide in you, you have to listen... and know how to respond.
Ways to help without overdoing it
- Create a friendly work environment. This means fostering a culture of recognition, appreciation, respect, inclusion and the right to make mistakes.
- Maintain open lines of communication and implement a caring leadership approach.
- Put your group insurance plan and its resources to good use: employee / manager assistance programs, conferences, access to professionals.
- Train managers on how to identify anxiety and its warning signs, communicate better and listen actively.
- Encourage work-life balance: flexible schedules, the right to disconnect, work from home when possible.
- Encourage positive relationships and promote wellness through active breaks, group activities, etc.
Consult. Improve. Repeat.
Supporting anxious employees is not about implementing a few simple measures or a one-size-fits-all plan.
It’s an ongoing approach:
- Go to the source. Listen to your employees. Let them tell you what's worrying them or what's working for them. A quick survey, a short one-on-one meeting, a focus group… the important thing is to communicate. It may help identify things you hadn’t even considered.
- Test, then adjust. What works for one team may not work for another. Situations change and so do approaches. It's better to try something and improve it than to aim for a perfect solution on the first try.
- Are things improving? Let people know. Less tension, fewer absences, a better atmosphere… this shows that your efforts are having a real impact. When progress is the result of teamwork, highlight it!
Everybody wins
Anxiety can paralyze ideation, stifle momentum and hamper relationships. By offering your support, you can reduce these roadblocks. Communication becomes easier, and the team becomes more involved.
You also send a strong message—at work, well-being is important! This will help retain talent and attract those who are looking for an environment where they can thrive.