
31 January 2025
When considering ways to enhance work performance, it’s essential to recognise the connection between performance and mental health. Employers play a key role in shaping this relationship through thoughtful work design and prioritising employee well-being.
Improving work performance boosts team effectiveness, energising and supporting employees. This leads to greater productivity, motivation, engagement, and job satisfaction. Managers play a role and have an influence on employee mental health and productivity. By fostering a supportive environment with clear expectations and open communication, managers can empower employees to perform at their best.
To enhance work performance, effective communication can be utilised to strengthen relationships and promote alignment through the following strategies:
Social and emotional support: Implement strategies at both organisational and individual levels to provide social and emotional support. Establish peer networks, such as mentoring programs, buddy systems during on boarding, or employee resource groups (ERGs), to foster meaningful connections. Providing mental health resources, such as counselling or stress management programs, can further cultivate a culture of care.
Decision-Making and fair treatment: Promote inclusivity and fairness with clear policies, manager training on equitable practices, and a confidential employee reporting system for addressing concerns. Enhance transparency by evaluating performance review processes to ensure they are fair and balanced. Assess metrics like pay equity, promotion rates, and hiring sources to identify disparities.
Recognition and career development: Regularly recognise employee achievements through programs such as monthly awards or peer shout-outs. Create career growth opportunities by developing clear advancement plans and mentorship programs that provide transparent pathways for progression.
Role clarity: To improve work performance, clearly define roles, responsibilities, and performance goals. When expectations are well-articulated, misunderstandings are minimised, allowing team members to concentrate on their top priorities and work more efficiently and confidently.
Accommodating schedules: Plan shifts and allowances with the flexibility to swap or adjust shifts as needed. To offer more predictable schedules, companies are exploring creative scheduling strategies to enhance work-life balance.
Cross-functional collaboration: Equip teams with the tools and support needed to collaborate effectively. This promotes creative problem-solving and shared responsibility. Establishing cross-functional goal-setting assists in managing workloads, aligning priorities, and building a collaborative culture where teams work together toward shared success.
Work-Life boundaries: Encourage healthy work-life integration by urging employees to disconnect and recharge during their time. This approach boosts productivity and focus during work hours. Leaders play a vital role in modelling these behaviours, and offering flexible working arrangements further supporting this balance.