Promoting and Supporting Wellbeing Strategies

Emotional Literacy

Emotional literacy is all about understanding and managing emotions.

It helps in communicating clearly and resolving conflicts smoothly, which builds trust and keeps the team working well together. When supervisors can spot and address stress or fatigue in their team, they can prevent accidents and create a safer, happier workplace.

Being emotionally literate also makes supervisors better leaders. They can adapt to different situations, motivate their team effectively, and keep everyone’s morale high.

Plutchik’s Emotion Wheel

One effective tool to develop emotional literacy is Plutchik’s Emotion Wheel.

As a psychologist, Robert Plutchik originally developed this tool to help the user understand the nuances of emotion and how emotions contrast. 

Navigating the wheel

Since Plutchik proposed the theory in 1980, variations of the wheel have been developed. Let’s look at the following version by Scholastic to name or identify an emotion by doing these three steps:

1. Core emotion: Start with the inside ring. 
2. Primary or secondary emotion: Wade into the middle ring. 
3. Third emotion: Arrive at the outer ring. 

There are no right or wrong emotions. Whatever you feel is valid, and having a range of emotions is part of being human.

Naming the emotions helps you understand and address how team members are feeling. Through recognising and validating emotions, you can better manage stress, boost morale, and enhance the team’s overall performance.

The Cognitive Triangle 

The knowledge of emotional literacy goes hand in hand with understanding the cognitive triangle.

This theory looks at the relationship between the three corresponding factors and can help construction supervisors better understand themselves and their teams. The model, stemming from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), breaks down our emotional experiences into:

1. Thoughts
2. Feelings
3. Behaviours.

Let’s unpack the clip and look at each factor.

Thoughts

Thoughts are how we interpret and make sense of situations. They can be verbal, like words and sentences, or non-verbal, like mental images. These thoughts are the internal dialogue that runs through our minds daily.

What were Kirk’s thoughts?

Kirk was thinking about his daughter being diagnosed with an eating disorder and doubting his decision to be at work.

Another example of soundbites from a supervisor’s thought:

“This deadline is impossible to meet.”

“Our company has cash flow issues, and the clients are grumpy.”

“We have failed the inspection.”

Feelings

Feelings here refer to the physical sensations accompanying emotions, not the emotions themselves. Recognising these physiological changes can help supervisors identify their emotional states and those of their team members.

What was Kirk feeling?

Kirk wasn’t motivated to get up in the morning and talk to anyone.

Another physical sensation a supervisor might be feeling:

• I feel angry, and my face flushes because this deadline is impossible to meet.
• I feel anxious, and my heart races because our company has cash flow issues, and the clients are grumpy.
• I feel disappointed, and my chest feels heavy because we have failed the inspection.

Behaviours

Behaviours are the actions we take or avoid based on our thoughts and feelings.

What was Kirk’s behaviour as a result of his thoughts and feelings?

Kirk still showed up at work but received support from his line manager. They have agreed for Kirk to send a simple text when he’s unable to come in. 

Other behavioural actions a supervisor might be doing or avoiding:

• An overwhelmed and anxious supervisor might ignore clients’ texts or phone calls, so avoid addressing a conflict with a team member.
• A confident supervisor might proactively seek out and resolve issues.

Have a go at identifying emotions, thoughts, feelings and behaviour in the following case study.

Applying the model

In practice, a situation on-site unfolds, and our thoughts about it create feelings, leading to behaviours that can positively or negatively impact the outcome.

For instance, if a supervisor perceives a safety risk and thinks, “This could be dangerous,” they might feel anxious and take immediate action to mitigate the risk. On the other hand, if they downplay the risk, it might lead to inaction and potential accidents.

By understanding and applying the cognitive triangle, construction supervisors can better navigate their emotional responses and teams.

Here is a diagram to help illustrate the cognitive triangle.

Supervisors often find themselves in conversations with team members who may be struggling with mental health.

This can create anxiety for the supervisors, as they may not be prepared to handle the unforeseen issues or problems that could arise. To be effective in supporting team members who are struggling with their mental health and to promote good mental health practices, there are several actions that supervisors and their managers can take.

Set the tone

Leaders, including supervisors, can foster trust by making it clear that wellbeing is the company's top priority. You can do this by doing the following:

• Role modelling. Leaders are in a unique position to role model wellbeing activities, such as flexible working around family commitments, taking sick leave to avoid lost productivity, participating in company events and social gathering. This produces a positive and significant impact on employee behaviour.
• Put your wellbeing first. Leaders should prioritise their wellbeing first, helping to send a non-negotiable message to teams that work should not come at the expense of physical, mental or whānau health.

Engage in training

Ensure you have been properly trained and equipped with practical tools and actionable knowledge for understanding psychosocial risks and creating psychologically safe environments when managing mental health on-site.

The following are a couple of examples of external training you could enrol in:

Hato Hone St. John

St John offers a range of services designed to support construction supervisors in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of their team. St John provides essential tools and knowledge to help you manage physical injuries and emotional wellbeing on the construction site. More information can be accessed on their website page: first aid training to mental health first aid courses.

Umbrella | New Zealand Health Group

As part of New Zealand Health Group, Umbrella is another example of an external provider training staff members on mental health awareness.

Their training has been developed to help people identify signs of stress and distress in themselves and others. It supports team members to feel more confident talking about mental health at work and to raise concerns with colleagues they may be worried about. More information can be accessed on their website.

Looking After Your Team

Your team is your greatest asset.

We have provided a handy resource developed by your fellow sparky at the Electrical Workers Registration Board; it is an important tool to keep nearby. Use this as a prompt on a daily basis to help look after your team. 

Download the file here. Get this printed, laminated and placed in your workspace as a reminder. If you don't own a printer or laminator, visit your local copy and print shop or a Warehouse Stationery branch nearby.

You might have heard the saying, "Meet people where they're at."

Public figures such as inspirational speaker Iyanla Vanzant talked about meeting people where they are and sometimes leaving them there. Another notable figure, physician Dr Gabor Maté, went even further and quoted, "... Meeting people where they're at and treating them like human beings and not trying to change them actually opens up the possibility of transformation for them."

Both figures made the point that it is wise to try and help those struggling. However, we need to know our limitations and not push what we think is best for them. We can only nudge them towards positive wellbeing practices and let them make the choices they feel ready or most comfortable with.

Let's look at a few other key limitations of the employer-employee relationship when responding to changes in mental health:

Guideline to support

Supporting employees with changes in mental wellbeing means recognising and providing the right type of help to promote their health, happiness, and productivity. This involves being aware of workload, job satisfaction, work-life balance, physical health, mental health, and stress levels.

Supportive measures can vary depending on the individual and the context, but the first step is encouraging open communication. When having these conversations, don’t interrupt or rush them. If they need time to think, sit patiently with them in silence. Most importantly, take what they say seriously. You are not there to solve their problems. 

Before and when an employee shows indicators of negative changes in mental wellbeing, use the following guidelines:

• Tip 1 - Schedule regular check-ins.
• Tip 2 - Seek guidance from the employee about what they need.
• Tip 3 - Seek guidance and support from managers.
• Tip 4 - Follow workplace protocols.

Let's look at each tip closely.

Tip 1 - Schedule regular check-ins

Schedule regular check-ins to observe and support the team members. You do not want to be the ambulance at the end of a cliff, trying to help when it is too late.

Regular check-ins help maintain a happy and healthy workforce. Many employers might still be hesitant to address wellness and mental health because they worry it’s too personal or they’re afraid of saying the wrong thing or not having the answers.

Employees might also face the barrier of initiating a conversation without being approached. They may worry about their employer’s opinion of their ability to perform their job effectively and on time. And, they may have concerns about keeping their issues private.

Tip 2 - Seek guidance from the employee

Ensure you provide a safe and private place to talk and seek guidance from the employees about what they need.

1. Always try to listen non-judgmentally and see the issue from their perspective.
2. Let them know you’re asking because you're concerned about them.
3. Acknowledge the person's feelings. Stay calm, and don't take it personally if they get angry or upset.

Tip 3 - Seek guidance and support from managers

If issues persist and you have concerns about the safety and wellbeing of the team member or the wider team, seek guidance and support from managers. By involving another person in the process, you gain additional perspective and support in handling the situation.

Managers can provide valuable advice, resources, and assistance addressing the issues. This collaborative approach ensures that team members receive the help they need and that the overall team environment remains safe and productive. Involving managers also helps develop a consistent approach to similar situations in the future.

Tip 4 - Follow workplace protocols

When all else fails, keep good faith as you continue to resolve the situation. 

Refer to workplace protocols and follow any wellbeing guidelines or, if needed, disciplinary measures. Document your observations and actions taken to ensure transparency and accountability. By adhering to established guidelines, you help maintain a fair and consistent approach while protecting the wellbeing of all team members. 

The clip might trigger some uncomfortable feelings and that's okay.

Monitoring emotional indicators helps organisations identify potential wellbeing issues and allows for timely interventions. Addressing potential negative indicators and promoting positive ones can, in theory, contribute to a healthier work environment and hopefully improve staff overall job satisfaction.

However, as we have discovered through the various subtopics, issues can crop up unexpectedly. When not addressed, issues can accumulate and cause distress that could potentially lead to self-harm or suicide.

Be the light

There are simple joys to be discovered in between your hectic day on-site. Look out for those moments.