Photo: Hannah Busing | Unsplash
When there’s uncertainty, distress tends to follow. Our brains are hardwired for certainty. Evolutionarily speaking, predictability was what kept us alive, and our amygdala can perceive uncertainty as a threat, which kicks off the stress response. If you’re a manager, you may be seeing the effects of the stress response showing up as “distress” in some of your employees. That could be emotional outbursts, lethargy, lack of focus, irritability, problems remembering and more. Managers can respond proactively to avoid or mitigate employee distress. Here are four suggestions. Overcommunicating, even when there are no new updates, helps keep everyone on the same page about what is – and isn’t – happening. Address common shared experiences. This is about acknowledging and naming the emotional experience that you, and/or others may be having related to the uncertainty. Strengthen psychological safety, meaning create an environment where employees can show up authentically, make mistakes, push back and seek support without fear of negative consequences. Build self-awareness and self-management skills for yourself so you can notice and handle your own distress. The article also outlines four strategies for having conversations with employees where their distress is apparent. These include: checking in with yourself first, initiating a conversation of support while reducing reputational risks, creating space for the employee to respond, and offering active support.
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