Supporting Mental Health Struggles for Employees
Supporting employees with mental health struggles involves creating a safe, inclusive, and responsive workplace culture. Often, employees are unaware of the many benefits available to them. Here are some effective ways to assist. Promote an Open Culture by normalizing conversations regarding mental health. Avoid stigma by using supportive, non-judgmental language. Provide Mental Health Resources such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). Partner with mental health professionals for on-site or virtual counseling. Share any resources for hotlines, apps, or community services. Train Managers how to respond with empathy and refer employees to appropriate assistance. Educate managers on how to recognize signs of…
Savio in the Know: April Newsletter
Change fatigue is defined as the feeling of indifference or burnout employees within organizations experience when frequent or complicated changes occur. Individuals experiencing change fatigue can feel overwhelmed, struggle with lower productivity, decreased employee engagement and motivation, higher turnover, and increased absenteeism. Savio in the Know April 2025 4Download
Crucial Conversations and Effective Communication
The backbone of a successful workplace is effective communication. Sharing information is an essential piece but it is also about understanding the emotions and intentions behind the information. When communication is clear and respectful, it generates a positive environment where everyone can thrive. One key aspect of effective communication is being able to oversee crucial conversations that include those high-stakes discussions where opinions vary, emotions run high, and the outcomes are significant. Effective communication is the process of exchanging ideas, opinions, knowledge, and data so that the message is received and understood with clarity and purpose. Communication occurs in both…
RTO Mandates Are Causing Employers to lose skilled Employees
Return to office (RTO) mandates have become an issue within organizations causing them to lose employees in large numbers. S&P 500 companies have seen a dip in employee retention with high employee turnover because of the RTO policies being enforced. In addition to it being difficult to retain exiting employees, the RTO mandates have also had an impact on hiring. This is making it harder to fill vacant positions at the same rate as before. It is always essential to plan before enforcing any further regulatory changes. Employers felt after the initial resistance, employees would fall in line with the…
Building Bridges, Not Walls: The Power of Trust
When trust is broken its hard to regain it back, but it can be mended. Trust is defined by Webster as “to place confidence in”. As an employee you should be able to trust your employer to treat you well and respect you as a person and employee. Managers trust their employees to come to work on time and completing task given to them. In return, the employee trust the manager to resolve issues, and work to help and benefit the team as a whole. We all know that there are huge benefits for gaining trust within the workplace. Employers…
Why are you leaving? – Exit Interviews
What can you do to improve your work environment? Do you know the real reason why your staff are leaving? Exit interviews are great opportunities for companies to get honest and candid answers that help build better work environments. When you ask questions to find out what is driving your employees to leave, be open to hearing both good and bad. As a company, you need to identify what is so appealing to employees that pulls them to other opportunities. Why does the grass look so much greener on the other side? Here are a few suggested questions that you…
November Newsletter: Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA)
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). This piece of legislation is designed to fill the gaps not addressed by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Americans with Disabilities Act and FMLA. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act went into effect June 27, 2023. Savio in the Know November 2023Download
Harassment Proliferation (Me Too Movement)
We are all seeing the deluge of harassment cases that are being reported in the media. There is a high probability that we may see an increase in harassment claims in our work environments. It is prudent to stay ahead of this and educate / remind managers that dealing with employees must be professional at all times. One of the most probable times for accusations to occur is in a disciplinary or termination setting. We always advise the employer to have at least two management level staff present in disciplinary/termination meetings. This may seem burdensome, unnecessary, etc. but it is…
Command of the Meeting
Command of the investigation / disciplinary / termination meeting. Do not allow employees to dictate the terms of the meeting. At the outset, define the protocol that will be followed during the meeting and follow the protocol. Example approach: We are here to discuss the incident that occurred on 1/1/17. During this meeting we will all behave in a professional manner. Any unprofessional behavior, such as raising of the voice, will result in the meeting being terminated. I will speak first and when I conclude I will provide you an opportunity to provide a statement. Jane Doe is sitting in…
Show the Evidence
Prior to warning or discharging an employee the employee should always be given opportunity to respond to allegations of miss-doings. If the employee is denying any wrong doing and the employer has evidence (video, emails, pictures, etc.) to the contrary it is generally good practice to inform the employee of the evidence and allow the employee an opportunity to see the evidence. There may be occasions when the termination is based on other employee statements and it is not proper to disclose who provided the information or show statements made by other employees. Example Case - A nurse, who had…
