As a team manager or an HR professional, spotting when an employee isn’t doing great can be tricky. Especially when you have your own workload to deal with.
It’s easy to miss the signs or to misunderstand them. Here are three signs to look out for in employees.
1- They are tired
They look tired. They say they are tired. They arrive late. Repeatedly. This can seem like an obvious one but too many managers discard it as under the pretence that “life is busy, people get tired”. Someone who is regularly tired might be so because of stress. Looking tired might also be a sign of them being demotivated.
2- Their behaviour has changed
They are usually chatty and they have gone quiet. They usually have their lunch in the kitchen but have started to eat at their desk. If it feels like they have been withdrawn for weeks, it’s unlikely they are engaged in their work.
3- They have outburst of negative emotions
They get angry, teary or very frustrated. While these emotions are normal in working life, a happy and healthy employee should generally manage their emotions well and avoid outbursts.
If any of these signs are happening over and over, the employee in question might benefit from support. Remember, happy and healthy staff are always more productive.
If you notice a change, it’s always worth having a quick chat, in a private place. It’s important to let them know that you want to support them. They might decide they don’t want to share their worries and concerns, but they’ll know your door is open.
If they open up and you have a conversation, you’ll gain great insight on what could help them. Maybe they just needed a chat, maybe it’s something at home that you have no control over (you might have an Employee Assistance Programme you can remind them of), but it might well be that they need extra support at work. And once you know what’s not right, you can start thinking about how to get them the help they need, through support, mentoring or training.