asking colleagues how they’re doing
Posted: Wed May 28, 2025 4:39 am
is not intrusive and doesn’t have to be an hr conversation,” doman added. “you don’t have to be a certified therapist to ask someone how they’re doing. It’s showing care.”
before asking, it’s important to understand signs someone may be struggling with mental health at work. On one hand, they may reply less or offer shorter answers than normal; show changes in mood or become more irritable; or start canceling meetings or show up to meetings consistently late; or not have work done on time. Conversely, they may reach out more, seeking more social connection. This can start a conversation, but trust needs to be in place before that can happen.
“wellbeing doesn’t feel invasive to most people if there’s trust,” said jim harter, chief scientist of workplace management and wellbeing at gallup and co-author of “wellbeing at work: how to build resilient and thriving teams.” “you have to start with what builds trust. Building a good culture means an organization is creating situations to get people to know each other. If we don’t know that, it’s hard to help.”
how to improve mental health in the workplace, with examples
while a more serious conversation may eventually happen with hr, managers and coworkers can lead by example and talk about their own challenging situations and ways they seek help for stress, anxiety, or loneliness. Remind teammates it’s ok and even recommended to take breaks to exercise, get fresh air, or eat a healthy meal. Most of all, teams can stay connected.
Utilizing “smart questions” to reach out to someone who seems withdrawn or is expressing signs of loneliness can help start a conversation and get to the root of what’s going on, according to pallavi yetur, a america phone number list licensed mental health counselor and emotional fitness instructor at coa, an online mental health studio. Some examples of smart questions include:
what has this been like for you?
What can i/the team do to support you?
What should i/we look for to know you are bothered by something?
How do you like to be cared for during a tough time?
What would make you feel included and connected?
How comfortable do you feel sharing your thoughts and experience with the team or your manager?
“being really inquisitive and understanding each person’s needs, there is space for that in company culture and I think it’s necessary,” yetur said.
Many companies also have employee assistance programs to speak with a licensed therapist in a confidential setting.
What to do when employees struggle with mental health
harter said his team has studied both in-person and virtual social connections among coworkers. While replicating actual face-to-face time proves difficult, even virtual interactions help.
“having periodic in-person time helps,” harter said, “so it’s making sure those events happen.”
that can include things as simple as asking people how they’re feeling, creating an emotional fitness survey, discussing highs and lows of their day or week, and allowing people to have more lighthearted or personal conversations for the start of meetings. Working remotely prevents people from having those spontaneous deskside or hallway run-ins, so creating space for that becomes more important when you meet via video. Scheduling weekly team social time is another way to create moments, even if people are physically apart.
before asking, it’s important to understand signs someone may be struggling with mental health at work. On one hand, they may reply less or offer shorter answers than normal; show changes in mood or become more irritable; or start canceling meetings or show up to meetings consistently late; or not have work done on time. Conversely, they may reach out more, seeking more social connection. This can start a conversation, but trust needs to be in place before that can happen.
“wellbeing doesn’t feel invasive to most people if there’s trust,” said jim harter, chief scientist of workplace management and wellbeing at gallup and co-author of “wellbeing at work: how to build resilient and thriving teams.” “you have to start with what builds trust. Building a good culture means an organization is creating situations to get people to know each other. If we don’t know that, it’s hard to help.”
how to improve mental health in the workplace, with examples
while a more serious conversation may eventually happen with hr, managers and coworkers can lead by example and talk about their own challenging situations and ways they seek help for stress, anxiety, or loneliness. Remind teammates it’s ok and even recommended to take breaks to exercise, get fresh air, or eat a healthy meal. Most of all, teams can stay connected.
Utilizing “smart questions” to reach out to someone who seems withdrawn or is expressing signs of loneliness can help start a conversation and get to the root of what’s going on, according to pallavi yetur, a america phone number list licensed mental health counselor and emotional fitness instructor at coa, an online mental health studio. Some examples of smart questions include:
what has this been like for you?
What can i/the team do to support you?
What should i/we look for to know you are bothered by something?
How do you like to be cared for during a tough time?
What would make you feel included and connected?
How comfortable do you feel sharing your thoughts and experience with the team or your manager?
“being really inquisitive and understanding each person’s needs, there is space for that in company culture and I think it’s necessary,” yetur said.
Many companies also have employee assistance programs to speak with a licensed therapist in a confidential setting.
What to do when employees struggle with mental health
harter said his team has studied both in-person and virtual social connections among coworkers. While replicating actual face-to-face time proves difficult, even virtual interactions help.
“having periodic in-person time helps,” harter said, “so it’s making sure those events happen.”
that can include things as simple as asking people how they’re feeling, creating an emotional fitness survey, discussing highs and lows of their day or week, and allowing people to have more lighthearted or personal conversations for the start of meetings. Working remotely prevents people from having those spontaneous deskside or hallway run-ins, so creating space for that becomes more important when you meet via video. Scheduling weekly team social time is another way to create moments, even if people are physically apart.