We’ve celebrated the holidays, said good-bye to 2020, witnessed more political unrest, inaugurated a new President, and (many of us) have entered the winter doldrums of January and February, all while continuing to endure a pandemic. Our most recent Community Conversation aimed to address the multitude of emotions tied up in each of these events and how they’re affecting our mental health and our teams’ mental health.
“Continuing to Care for Your Team—After the Holidays and as We Enter 2021” shared valuable insights from panelists Kathayoon Kahlil, PhD, formerly of the Oregon Zoo; Randy Kyle, Vice President of People and Culture at the Oakland Zoo; Scott Terrell, DVM, PhD, Director, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks and Resorts; and Cheryl Owens, Manager, Wellness Strategy, Walt Disney World; and was moderated by Jackie Ogden, PhD.
We opened the session by acknowledging that everybody is feeling isolated and stressed due to the pandemic, furloughs, and a continued new way of working/responsibilities. Our panel highlighted tips and resources to cope:
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Communicate, communicate, communicate. Foster a sense of openness to discussion of issues to lessen the stigma. Explain that “it’s okay to not be okay” and in doing so you’ll give others permission to feel and share via a “caring” conversation.
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Reflect inwards. Don’t forget to breathe. Pay conscious attention daily to your mind, body, and spirit. Acknowledge and appreciate your and your team members’ “whole person”—who you are at home, your personal life, etc.—especially now as it affects our work lives so directly. Give yourself and others permission to show emotions. Holding back is exhausting and detrimental to everyone—it’s okay to cry! There’s no need to pretend that everyone (or you) is okay.
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Continue to lead with your heart—especially now. It’s okay to show your vulnerability. Transparency’s important, especially now. You may even have to “be tough to get people to be nice.” Take time to engage one on one.
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Use your existing resources. Take advantage of your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and ensure they’re ready/capable of delivering appropriate services. However, not everybody has an EAP, and not all EAPs are created equal. If this is your situation, ask your HR representative to check out local resources, or resources through insurance your zoo/aquarium provides to your employees, and report back to your employees.
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Randy Kyle shared two of the Oakland Zoo’s favorite resources (click on the title to access the file):
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Click here to access a compilation of Resources to Manage Today’s Mental Health Challenges—wellness and self care websites, books, surveys, and apps that you may find useful.
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We thank our panelists for their time and encourage you to heed their advice. Be well and take care of yourselves and your team.
