Why Our Brains Don’t Like Unfinished Stories
Employees need mental health and well-being support
While we slowly move from the crisis phase of COVID-19, we still face many difficult realities such as racial inequity and social injustice. Now, more than ever, as we teeter between crisis and stabilization phases, business leaders need to continue communicating and engaging employees with a compassionate and genuine understanding of the daily emotional toll they’re experiencing.
The unfinished story
“We are living in an unfinished story,” says Claudia Ryan, LCSW, an Employee Assistance specialist, who has been consulting with companies on health and well-being for employees, especially through COVID-19.
Ryan explained that human brains are wired for a finished story, so it shouldn’t be surprising that in a situation of uncertainty, people struggle. “Where the brain feels we’re being threatened, it puts so much energy into keeping us safe.”
Everyone has a different response to threat, but often it is driven by a fight, flight or freeze response hard-wired into the primitive parts of our brains. Dealing with grief and the unknown is hard work for our brains, and it can drive behaviors that range from irritability to unproductivity to hyper productivity, depending on the person.
“We need to be gentle with each other,” Ryan said. “When you start to see these behaviors, you need to give extra space and understanding.”
Employees have been dealing with a range of challenges from being furloughed or laid off to working from home with small children to caring for aging parents to losing loved ones. More recently, there have been the complexities of racial inequality and myriad protests to process. The unfinished story continues to grow.
5 ways we all can build resiliency
While each employee situation will be different, all will require empathy, and all will benefit from building resiliency. An ability to bounce back from adversity, resiliency provides the tools a person needs to navigate through an unfinished story.
Ryan shared the five following ways to build resilience.
1. Value connection. Our brains love faces and feeling connected to the larger world. “Our brains literally light up when we see faces,” said Ryan.
Even if only through technology, make sure employees have places and spaces to connect with each other. Think creatively and promote any existing connections employees have, such as Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).
2. Continue communicating. Employees need to hear often from leaders and managers. Leaders should be as transparent and honest as possible. Employees always value authenticity, but especially during this season.
3. Provide resources. Make sure your employees know where they can turn if they are experiencing mental health challenges. Everyone will have emotional ups and downs, but if those feelings remain day after day, the employee needs more support. If your company has an Employee Assistance Program or other support, be sure employees know how to reach them and that there’s no stigma in asking for help.
4. Promote mindfulness. Whether it’s through webinars, telehealth or employee communications, equip employees with tools that help them “take a mindful breath.” Ryan explains, “When we’re in danger, our breath is quick and shallow. A deep mindful breath sends a different signal to your brain.” Sometimes a couple of minutes of deep breathing can help reset the mind.
5. Allow curiosity. Curiosity promotes higher brain function. Encourage employees who are feeling anxious, to stop and ask, “Why?” Stop and look at both strengths and weaknesses and delve deeper. “This is moment by moment. Don’t paint everything all the time with the same brush. The colors will all turn to gray,” Ryan advises.
Stabilization after a crisis provides an opportunity to take a breath and move forward. The reality is just when we’re starting to stabilize, we might just be thrust back into a full-fledged personal or professional crisis, so be sure your employees have the tools they’ll need to successfully navigate whatever lies ahead.