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3 Terrible Leadership Strategies That Negatively Impact Your Team

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
3 min

3 Terrible Leadership Strategies That Negatively Impact Your Team

Yes, you read that correctly! Today we’re looking at three management approaches we should all do our best to avoid. It’s an exceptionally challenging time for leaders in the workplace. It’s difficult to lead when we’re all venturing into the unknown. You’re dealing with the stress of day-to-day operations while adhering to Public Health requirements and moving things forward when the world is essentially stalled in many ways. It likely feels chaotic and you may be questi

Failure to Thrive: The Massive Impact of Presenteeism in the Workplace

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
4 min

Failure to Thrive: The Massive Impact of Presenteeism in the Workplace

Not so very long ago, mental health problems were seen as something “good workers” either didn’t experience or were able to check at the door when they arrived in the workplace. Stigma continues to be a barrier but generally employers now understand that mental health issues are prevalent and we’re all susceptible, and that the workplace can and should play an important role in supporting the recovery process. (Anti-discrimination laws and labour regulations have helped, to

Building Trust in Your Team by Bringing Your Authentic Self to the Workplace

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
3 min

Building Trust in Your Team by Bringing Your Authentic Self to the Workplace

“Authentic leadership is the full expression of ‘me’ for the benefit of ‘we’.” – Henna Inam, CEO of Transformational Leadership Inc. Are you bringing your authentic self to your workplace? Being truly authentic and genuine requires the removal of the “professional shield” many of us bring to work. Societal norms tell us there’s a particular way we must behave, think, speak and present ourselves in a professional environment. This makes sense to an extent – of course we mig

Your Workplace Has an Awesome EFAP But Hardly Anyone Uses It. Here’s Why.

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
4 min

Your Workplace Has an Awesome EFAP But Hardly Anyone Uses It. Here’s Why.

One of the most commonly voiced challenges from my clients over the years has been: We’ve got a fantastic Employee Assistance Program… but utilization rates are low and disability claims are high. If your team members have access to support and they find themselves in a situation where they need a hand, why aren’t they tapping in to the EFAP? This tends to be a multi-faceted issue, but let’s chat about a few typical things your workplace can consider right off the bat. It’s

The Pandemic “Shoulds” and Other Unhelpful Ways of Thinking

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
4 min

The Pandemic “Shoulds” and Other Unhelpful Ways of Thinking

Despite the reopening of most businesses and greater flexibility with respect to our social lives (here in Atlantic Canada, at least) many of us are still wading through a plethora of emotions triggered by the pandemic. Our circumstances are unpredictable. Work likely feels different. Even when you’re able to spend quality time with loved ones and engage in hobbies that normally help you to unwind, you might be conscious of a little voice in your head reminding you that yo

3 Things Great Leaders Understand About the Transition to the New Workplace “Normal”

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
3 min

3 Things Great Leaders Understand About the Transition to the New Workplace “Normal”

A friend recently said to me that if she had learned one thing from the pandemic, it was to appreciate the mundane aspects of her job. She went on to explain that pre-pandemic she sometimes found herself frustrated and bored when work was rolling along uneventfully. For the past three months her work circumstances have been about as unpredictable as they could be: she’s been laid off, re-hired, worked from home, had her designated job tasks change significantly, has seen lo

Mistakes We Make When Talking About Mental Health at Work

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
3 min

Mistakes We Make When Talking About Mental Health at Work

American philosopher Elbert Hubbart once said, “The greatest mistake a man can ever make is to be afraid of making one.” If you’ve spoken about mental health in your workplace – whether sharing struggles of your own or offering support to a colleague – you may have found yourself overanalyzing the conversation afterward: Should I have said that? What if they think ‘XYZ’ now? I wish I’d said ‘A’ instead of ‘B’… Our own uncertainty and worries about saying the wrong thing all

The Workplace Wellness Weekly Blog’s Most Popular Articles So Far

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
2 min

The Workplace Wellness Weekly Blog’s Most Popular Articles So Far

Happy Wednesday! This week’s blog post is a celebration our most well received articles since starting the Workplace Wellness Weekly six months ago. Life looks pretty different today than it did in January but our commitment to psychological health and safety in the workplace is as strong as ever! We appreciate our growing audience. If there's a topic you think we should write about, please let us know by reaching out to hello@elizabetheldridge.com. 1. 3 Ways Leaders Can

Feed Your Resilience by Practicing Self-Compassion During the Pandemic

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
5 min

Feed Your Resilience by Practicing Self-Compassion During the Pandemic

Hello, my friends! This week’s blog is somewhat personal for me, as I’d like to share with you a concept I’m working on myself right now. Being kind to ourselves doesn’t sound like it would be all that difficult to do. In fact, it’s reasonable to assume we’d be more liberal with our kindness, and that it would come more easily when directed inwardly rather than toward others who might be saying or doing things that grind our gears. In reality, it tends to work the opposit

Conversation Navigation: 6 Concrete Ways to Discuss Mental Health at Work

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
3 min

Conversation Navigation: 6 Concrete Ways to Discuss Mental Health at Work

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Working from home sure hasn’t changed how quickly a week seems to go by. I hope that wherever you are and whatever state of quarantine or gradual re-opening your community is going through, you’re finding joy and gratitude in each day. As many workplaces in my home province (New Brunswick) are re-opening, the time feels right to explore the nitty-gritty of talking about mental health with employees who are stressed out and/or experiencing other me

4 Ways the Pandemic May Be Challenging the Mental Health of Your Employees Right Now

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
4 min

4 Ways the Pandemic May Be Challenging the Mental Health of Your Employees Right Now

If you’re in a leadership role, you’ve likely faced some brand new challenges during the pandemic between your team members being off work, working from home, working while adhering to new protocols related to physical distancing and the like, or whatever circumstances your organization is/has/will navigate. You’ve probably (hopefully!) put some thought into how your team members might be managing different stressors than you are, and acknowledging that we all manage anxieti

How Radical Acceptance Can Improve Your Mental Health During the Pandemic

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
3 min

How Radical Acceptance Can Improve Your Mental Health During the Pandemic

Happy Wednesday, friends! How’s your mental health this week? If you’re like me, you might still be finding our present circumstances a bit surreal. Here in New Brunswick we’re about two months in to the bizarre “new normal” – a world with social restrictions, total overhaul of work life and constantly evolving protocols to stay on top of. It can be tough not to let yourself be bogged down in the “what ifs”. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, how can you preserve your men

Why Empathy Is Vital for Supporting Employee Mental Health

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
4 min

Why Empathy Is Vital for Supporting Employee Mental Health

Depending on your industry, where you are geographically and other factors, you may find yourself in the midst of a workplace transition. If you’re been working from home during the pandemic chances are your daily workplace schedule has changed significantly. Here in New Brunswick, many workers are now finding themselves transitioning back to their physical work environment with new challenges to undertake related to adherence to public health measures in the workplace (e.g

10 Free Resources to Help Your Organization Manage Mental Health During COVID-19

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
4 min

10 Free Resources to Help Your Organization Manage Mental Health During COVID-19

Happy Wednesday, my friends! If you live in New Brunswick (like me) this week has been a special one for you, with the exciting news released on Friday allowing families to expand their social isolation “bubble” to include another household. While this decision was a difficult one for some, I hope happiness outweighed the stress and that getting to see and hug some of your loved ones gave a mental health boost to all who’ve been able to safely open up their bubbles. I’ve ha

Honouring Canada’s Day of Mourning for Lost and Injured Workers

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
4 min

Honouring Canada’s Day of Mourning for Lost and Injured Workers

"We remember those who died, or were injured or made ill, from their work. We commit to protecting workers and preventing further workplace tragedies.” This week’s topic is a somber but important one. This Tuesday, April 28th is Canada’s National Day of Mourning, dedicated to remembering those who have lost their lives or sustained injuries in their workplaces. Nineteen years ago, parliament passed the Workers Mourning Day Act which officially marked this day "to remember

Struggling with Your Mental Health? Remembering These 5 Things Might Help

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
3 min

Struggling with Your Mental Health? Remembering These 5 Things Might Help

Chances are, your life today looks vastly different than it did a couple of months ago. As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc in Canada and most other countries in the world, these wildly new and rapidly evolving circumstances are taking a toll on us in many ways – socially, financially and with respect to our mental health. Many Canadians who hadn’t previously experienced mental health problems are now struggling. People who had been effectively managing long-term mental h

Self Care: A Worthwhile Investment

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
4 min

Self Care: A Worthwhile Investment

Anyone feeling a little more stressed out than usual these days? You’ve heard of self care. You’ve heard of resilience. But what do these terms really mean, in a practical sense? Engaging in regular self care is a proactive approach to wellness and a vital component of a good “mental health maintenance plan” – which in turn builds resilience. Think of self care as an investment in your mental health. The idea is much the same as when we make a financial investment: we i

3 Ways Leaders Can Support Their Teams During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
4 min

3 Ways Leaders Can Support Their Teams During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hello out there! Despite ongoing stressful circumstances I hope you’ve been able to define the “new normal” we’ve been hearing about, and what that looks like for you. The beautiful spring weather we’ve been getting a taste of here on Canada’s east coast has been a good reminder for me that although much is uncertain right now some things – like the cycle of the seasons – remain unchanged. Today I want to talk about leadership and the implications of these chaotic times on

Traps to Avoid While Working from Home

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
5 min

Traps to Avoid While Working from Home

I hope you’ve all fared as well as possible this week. I know you’re going through major and very sudden changes in your work and personal lives – I’m right there with you. The days have been challenging and I’ve found it hard not to fixate on the myriad outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic. My businesses offer in-person group training and involve a good deal of travel so it’ll be a while till things return to normal in my work life. The financial and psychological wellbeing of

Managing Stress, Panic, Fear and Anxiety Amidst Uncertainty

Elizabeth Eldridge

Nov 18, 2022
4 min

Managing Stress, Panic, Fear and Anxiety Amidst Uncertainty

A lot has certainly changed since my last post just one week ago. The global pandemic and the anticipation and unknowns about what the spread of COVID-19 will look like in our Atlantic Canadian communities has everyone feeling unsettled at best and completely panicked at worst. Many of us are feeling helpless and at the mercy of things beyond our control, which further contributes to the overwhelm. The major disruption to routines – maybe your kids are now home with you al

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