Zahara Williams Of LCSW-S Suite 111 Counseling & Consulting On 5 Ways That Businesses Can Help…

Allow for personalization of office space. For those who are in the office, it is where people spend most of their awake hours. Supporting an environment that inspires a bit of personalization can inspire creativity and decrease some anxiety that comes from sitting in a chair, attending a slew of meetings with little inspiration. For open spaces, consider tones, colors and fabric vs a sterile environment. It can make a difference in the energy within the space.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?

It was the Spring of 1999 in Atlanta. I was completing my freshman year at Clark Atlanta University. My initial intentions were to major in business with a concentration in management, it was the path I imagined for years, that was until a culmination of experiences that led to a shift. While completing my required volunteer hours at an inner city after school program, a few things became evident. I was surrounded by black and brown youth with limited guidance, resources and who struggled with self-esteem. During that same season there was what is now known as the infamous Columbine massacre that further highlighted the needs of youth who may feel lost and as if their voice does not matter. It was during that time that I realized that there was a need for me to pursue more purposeful work, which led to me changing my intended major to social work.

From there it was a journey of working in different facets of the field, from grant writing and program development, to working as a child protective services investigator, to completing assessments for potential foster homes, to serving as a therapist for children in foster care and those involved in the juvenile justice system. Somewhere on the path, the focus shifted to one I previously proclaimed I had no interest in, which is working with adults. It was in this season that I realized 2 things: 1. Children can do the work, but if they go home to an environment that is not conducive to supporting their growth and healing, it can create an upward battle; 2. It is the actions, unresolved trauma, logic, consistency, communication styles and a host of other experiences and challenges that parents present with that have a significant influence on the children, and thus the work with them was just as important. I like to say I didn’t choose this path, it chose me. It has been both rewarding and full of trials. It has taught me an abundance about myself, the role of politics in some socioeconomic challenges and the longstanding impact of how what transpires in one’s formative years can impact how one perceives self and subsequently how one shows up in their personal and professional life.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

I entered into the field approximately 20 years ago. I was energetic, felt challenged and knew that this purpose filled work. My first position after graduate school was that of a Child Protective Services Investigator. I lasted 1.5 years in that role, which reportedly exceeded many by 6 months, because the work was that required a great deal both mentally and physically. I felt supported by my colleagues, but not so much by management, especially when it came to being on call or having to go out to rural areas alone, to conduct home visits as part of the investigation.

Approximately 8 months in I began experiencing heart palpitations. It was the stress of the job and a serious wake up call. In my early 20s with heart palpitations, was not something I expected or signed up for. It was also the time that I began to realize that some companies are solely focused on productivity, with little care about the wellbeing of their employees. The irony was that advocating for self, which is a fundamental skill as a social worker was seen in a negative light. After overcoming the confusion about how inquiring about practices that seemed to be counterintuitive was seen in a negative light. It was one thing to have doors slammed in your face, enter spaces that were virtually inhabitable and have profanity yelled at you by someone who was under the impression that your only job was to invade their privacy and take their children, it’s another to experience adverse side effects from the work and the agency’s only response is to ask for more. It was interesting because it showed how those that do the work can have higher expectations, with limited rewards, while those that may go at a slower pace or make themselves scarce have virtually no consequences. It showed me that wellness is essential and being proactive requires intention and personal accountability. It was also the first time I realized that while team members can cultivate pockets of support, if it is not something that is embedded within the culture of the agency it can be challenging to sustain, and subsequently impact retention and productivity. It was the most challenging job to date, but also the one that I learned the most about work culture.

What advice would you suggest to your colleagues in your industry to thrive and avoid burnout?

Society teaches that thriving involves going above and beyond, which doesn’t always align with the notion of self-care. There is a disconnect there. The concept of avoiding burnout is such a robust topic. I can give a few tips, but it’s important to know that efficacy depends upon a variety of factors, and that what works for one may not be the answer for another in a similar situation. The key, regardless of the chosen method, is to make a concerted effort to be proactive in nurturing one’s heart, mind, body and spirit, rather than be reactive. I have seen the latter all too often. A few strategies for avoiding burnout are:

What advice would you give to other leaders about how to create a fantastic work culture?

It is imperative to understand that culture has many layers to it. When working in a corporate or even non-profit environment, leaders have the challenge of cultivating a culture that aligns with brand identity and their mission. It is just as important to consider the value of those that do the work, who inherently have their own cultural spheres of influence that impact how they show up.When it comes to leadership, it means a flexibility between delegating, supporting and modeling by doing. The same is true when it comes to creating a thriving work culture.

Are leaders going for the one that has all of the skills or the one that has the drive, passion and is coachable. There may be some individuals who are excellent at what they do or look good on paper, but does their personality align with the work culture, if one has been defined. Another strategy is to take inventory and be flexible. Just as entities have a focus on looking at the bottom line, which often surrounds productivity or sales, put the same degree of effort into assessing the environment. It will be the difference between sustainability and growth or stagnation. I encourage leaders to be mindful of learning styles. I often see companies paying an extensive amount of money on external contractors to come in and do an analysis. Some of those efforts work well, but if you talk to some of the employees there will be quite a few that say the questions from these anonymous surveys don’t leave much room for their subjective experiences, so they don’t respond. If we go back to fundamentals of learning styles, understand that some do well with the aforementioned, while others do well with verbally articulating their thoughts and feelings in a focus group style. Allow space for both. It’s important for groups to know that their voices have value.

Another facet of fostering a healthy work culture is transparency. There is often a dance between what information should be disseminated to upper management and that which should go to employees. It’s the difference between employees creating their own narratives, which may foster anxiety and disengagement vs those who feel that there is a degree of trust that exists. When we think about the fundamentals of relationships, who wants to remain in a relationship or environment that they do not trust. Thus creating an ideal work culture requires a degree of innovation, inclusion, as well as a balance between being project focused and considerate of people.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?

When asked this question, I often refer to the quote by the incomparable Maya Angelou in which she reminds us that “ I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” In both personal and professional environments, it reminds me of the power of showing up authentically. I’ve worked in many spaces and made many connections on this journey, as with many, some are more memorable than others. While there have been many pitfalls on the path, some self inflicted, I am grateful that the most impactful experience was of a supervisor who knew how to honor the individual gifts of her team, was willing to work as part of the team and not simply dictate and able to show versatility in management, for those who needed more close guidance vs those who could operate more independently. She offered support when needed and because of the intention in cultivating an environment that honored the work and the people, her team always excelled.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. As you know, the collective mental health of our country is facing extreme pressure. In recent years many companies have begun offering mental health programs for their employees. For the sake of inspiring others, we would love to hear about five steps or initiatives that companies have taken to help improve or optimize their employees’ mental wellness. Can you please share a story or example for each?

1. Allow for personalization of office space. For those who are in the office, it is where people spend most of their awake hours. Supporting an environment that inspires a bit of personalization can inspire creativity and decrease some anxiety that comes from sitting in a chair, attending a slew of meetings with little inspiration. For open spaces, consider tones, colors and fabric vs a sterile environment. It can make a difference in the energy within the space.

2. Develop an employee wellness program. This can be done by having a gym space installed or creating opportunities for 10–15 minute physical group activities in the morning or early afternoon. This helps with breaking up the monotony of the day, helps with focus, creativity and can support team cohesion. Some companies have incorporated weekly 15 minute mindfulness activities. Scheduled activities have proven to be beneficial for those who might find it difficult to self-regulate in this arena because they are accustomed to focusing on productivity and not prioritizing their own wellness.

3. Prohibit lunchtime meetings. Some companies have done well with honoring the standard lunch hour of employees, while others continue to find it difficult to incorporate this due to schedule conflicts and deadlines. Incorporating this initiative allows employees to focus on being in the moment when eating, which is known to help with digestion and helps individuals make healthier choices when there isn’t a pressure to grab lunch and return to their desk in 10 minutes to make the next meeting.

4. Flex Schedules and/or Compressed Tours. Companies that offer these options may find that their employees are more satisfied and/or take less days off from work. For example, nurses that work 3–12 hour shifts often report feeling grateful for having the opportunity to take 4 days from work.

5. Paid Employee Mental Health Days. Some may think of the cost if they engage in such actions, but there is also a cost associated with not honoring mental health.

From your experience or research, what are different steps that each of us as individuals, as a community and as a society, can take to effectively offer support to those around us who are feeling stressed, depressed, anxious or having other mental health issues? Can you explain?

Whether on an individual or collective level supporting those around us requires a few key elements, to include: Intention, Authenticity, & Awareness of one’s own capacity. Intention and authenticity are intertwined in that it requires awareness of shifts and an interest in offering genuine support. Just as seeking to offer support is essential, so is one’s willingness to be open to sharing, or not. When someone asks ‘how are you doing’ the typical response is “ok”. Responding with “ok” is very subjective and rarely an accurate description of how one is feeling. It also contributes to minimizing the lack of authentic encounters. I encourage individuals to be frank and say ‘it’s a difficult day’. That allows acknowledgement that something is different, without the false presentation that things are well when they are clearly not. One can also say ‘It’s been a really good morning’. The aforementioned honors both truth and privacy for those that are apprehensive about sharing details. Knowing that someone has observed the shift and taken a vested interest in offering support can offer some degree of comfort. Some have normalized the idea that if they can’t fix it, then why share; however there is something cathartic about releasing even a piece of the burden, to help avoid the building up and internalizing, which often feeds the adverse symptoms of depression and anxiety that one wants to release.

The other part of operating in authenticity and intention, is being aware of one’s own capacity. While an inquiry by no means is an indication that one has to fix the problem, if one exists. There are those that will feel compelled to serve in the capacity of fixer and those who will feel uncertain about what to do. It’s important to know that an inquiry is just that. If there is a mutual decision to go further, you can cross that proverbial bridge when you get there. It may involve offering a resource, it may involve serving as a listening ear and responding with empathy, both which are free and beneficial. If it appears that more is required, one can also respond with ‘I know it’s not always easy to share and I hope that you (fill in the blank)’.

This might seem intuitive to you, but it will be helpful to spell it out. Can you help articulate a few ways how workplaces will benefit when they pay attention to an employee’s mental health?

A work environment that is empathetic often involves the development and sustainability of relationships. Some may say they do not go to work to cultivate friendships, and while that may be true, it is where most adults spend their days. A few ways workplaces can be more intuitive with being aware is to have a licensed therapist on site or contract with an agency that has clinicians available to schedule within 72 hours. It may also be helpful for employers to offer bi-weekly or monthly 2–3 question mental wellness checks that can lead to a referral for support. Other ways involve having a neutral party facilitate a round table or group discussions that allow for airing of grievances, whether personal or otherwise. Training managers to recognize signs of escalating distress can also be helpful in offering a more supportive work environment.

Do you use any meditation, breathing or mind-calming practices that promote your mental wellbeing? We’d love to hear about all of them. How have they impacted your own life?

I am a huge proponent of breathing, yoga, meditation and mindfulness walks. For complete transparency I would not consider myself as a practitioner, which means that I use them daily or have a specific system in place; however I have practiced them enough that they are staples in my proverbial tool box. I believe each offers their own benefits, in a life that can be full of distractions and uncertainty for which we are attempting to navigate. Sitting in the sun and taking cleansing breaths helps to calm the nervous system. It is also known to improve mood, sleep and lower blood pressure. Yoga or deep stretching helps relieve tension that often builds up from both internal and external stressors. It’s akin to removing a mental and physical weight. It is specifically aligned with decreasing anxiety and improving sleep. Mindfulness walks are also a great way to unplug, clear thoughts, get the lymphatic system moving, like many other exercises can help boost cortisol levels that are known to improve mood. When I don’t feel like going is when it is often the most beneficial. I would say that the top benefits for me have been improved focus and productivity, stable sleep patterns, and relatively positive mood.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Just as there are opportunities for innovation, there are a lot of things that already exist, it’s just a matter of us making the commitment to invest the time and energy in things that will enhance our overall wellness, because it’s all connected. A movement that I would encourage is for companies to host semi-annual wellness retreats for their employees. If there is truly an investment in the people that do the work and help with the sustainability and growth of a company, then 1–2 team building events or a big party at the end of the year are not the things that help contribute to a longstanding impression on connectivity or mental wellness. Curate an experience that has wellness as the primary focus and do a work pre-during and post work satisfaction survey to watch the shifts.

What is the best way our readers can further follow your work online?

There are a few places individuals can keep up with the work that I do. They can sign up for updates via my website at www.zahararayne.com or follow me on Instagram @zahararayne. I also provide updates of articles posted and interviews on LinkedIn at Zahara Williams LCSW

Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!