I once had a frustrated leader bark at me “How am I supposed to know if my team member really is stressed or not?”

It was in the middle of a workshop with 50 other leaders in the room.

His frustration was palpable.

Borderline aggressive.

I didn’t love the approach, but I empathised with his situation.

The hard truth is though, if you don’t have some idea then perhaps your finger isn’t as on the pulse as it should be.

Here’s three ways you can ensure you know the answer:

1) How Have Your 1:1 Discussions Been Going?

Have you noticed any change in behaviour? Have any concerns been raised by the individual about workload, coping, demands? Are you asking the right questions? And are you making it safe for them to share bad news?

Download my Monthly Accountability Meeting Template for more tips on asking the right questions.

2) What Do You Know About the Person’s Individual Circumstances Right Now?

Are there caring responsibilities, financial worries, family concerns, relationship breakdowns etc, that are impacting on them?

3) What Are the Situational Factors at Work?

Is there widespread change? Is the job overloaded? Is there a conflict with another team member? Is the person being asked to work outside their skill level? Do they have the tools and support needed to effectively do their job? Are they clear on their roles and responsibilities? Most of the time if you’re checking in with your people adequately, you’ll have a sense of what’s going on with them and will know if the claim has merit or is misguided.

You might find this blog helpful: The Risks of Fundamental Attribution Error in the Workplace – Tanya Heaney-Voogt

Regardless of the system or framework developed in your workplace to proactively identify, assess and control psychosocial hazards – leaders play a key role in monitoring the wellbeing of their team members.

Keeping an eye on these three factors will go a long way to identifying concerns early and being able to provide support before things escalate.

If you need help for yourself or your leadership team to ensure they’re leading safely and effectively, monitoring worker wellbeing and able to discern the truths and respective actions – please don’t hesitate to reach out for a chat.

It’s a complex area to navigate and these complexities are why I wrote my second book – Finding Equilibrium: How To Lead Safely and Effectively in the Modern World of Work.