Boss walking all over you? Time to "unboss" your company

If a team member or leader dies by suicide, managers shouldn't offer unnecessary details, but they shouldn't avoid the topic altogether, writes Justin Joffe, who recommends managers provide resources for employees struggling with mental health. "During manager onboarding, this means training them to take protective measures during one-on-ones that acknowledge and show genuine concern for their report's mental health," Joffe writes.

Put it into practice: Managers should take the time to get to know their employees, Joffe writes, as well as assessing the level of support available from family and friends. Managers should also offer Employee Assistance Program resources to help "destigmatize outreach," Joffe writes.

Graduating high school in a class of 39 students taught Jane Elliott, chief human resources officer at NCR Voyix, the value of treating employees as a community, and working for a lousy manager taught her the importance of learning about your blind spots as a leader. "As a manager now, I make sure that everybody understands why we need to do XYZ because somebody might tell me why that's a bad idea or point out why it might not work," Elliot says.

If cats appear to be both a liquid and a solid, a new study suggests that cats' flexible bodies allow them to navigate tight spaces easily. Researchers explored body size awareness in cats and found that while felines hesitate at low openings, they confidently squeeze through narrow spaces, unlike dogs, which show awareness of both height and width.

Leaders need to prioritize the mental health of their team members. Not only does it boost engagement, productivity and retention, it creates a healthy and open work environment where team members feel they can be who they are, which fosters a sense of belonging.

Jenn Lim, the CEO of Delivering Happiness, suggests "unbossing" your culture by giving employees more autonomy so they don't feel micromanaged or that they must send every decision up the chain of command. Unbossing means creating an environment where it's safe for employees to speak up when they have concerns. Team members should be clear on their duties, have the flexibility needed in their schedule and feel supported by their managers.

Leaders must also provide resources for team members who may experience a mental health crisis, including offering employee assistance programs or referrals to professionals. Adjusting their workload and providing flexible leave policies can also be helpful.

If the worst occurs, and someone dies by suicide, Justin Joffe recommends offering all the support available to those affected by the loss without dwelling on details.

"Empowering all leaders to prioritize compassionate communication is one of the ways that our work helps change, and save, the lives of those around us," Joffe notes.

If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. Forward them this email, or send this link.

What topics do you see in your daily work that I should know about? Do you have any feedback you'd like to share? Drop me a note. And while you're at it, please send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off so we can share them.