5 Tips To Help Leaders Improve Social Wellness In The Workplace

Written by: Jennifer McClendon, Executive Contributor

Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.

Human beings are not designed to live in isolation or exist independently in the world. In fact, we are created to live in harmony with others and make meaningful contributions to our environment. Social wellness is achieved when we are intentional about healthy communication and making a positive impact in the spaces we occupy.

My first job as a counselor was with a company that unconditionally invested in my personal and professional development. Their investment returned in me making healthy contributions to the behavioral health workforce and the lives of others. Now I make it a point to leave consumers, vendors, and colleagues with information they can use long beyond the time we will spend together. This is one way I practice social wellness as a service leader.

Reflecting on what made that job a healthy experience led to me creating five tips leadership can use to improve social wellness in the workplace, employee retention, and efficiency:

1. Communicate:

• verbal: speaking face to face, this includes video, greeting others warmly

• non-verbal: acknowledge others by making eye contact and listening

2. Contribute: information, a compliment, or a helping hand to get the job done.

3. Courteous: practice politeness (saying please, thank you, you are welcome), respecting other's personal space.

4. Considerate: share the work, be mindful of people’s desire to connect with others and contribute to their environment in a meaningful way.

5. Conscious: of other’s unspoken needs. What might people need now and later? Try to leave something of value behind.

I am currently providing counseling to consumers whose social wellness in the workplace has been impacted by the pandemic or other life events. Visit my website for appointment availability and to learn more.

For more tips, check out my blog!

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Jennifer McClendon, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

Jennifer McClendon is a licensed professional counselor and licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor with over twenty years of experience in the mental health field. Early childhood and young adult experiences led her to counseling for personal growth and created an opportunity for her to become a counselor helping others recover from similar challenges. She specializes in care for substance use, trauma, anxiety, stress, depression, and co-occurring conditions.