Hi guys, talking about mental health issues is really cool too!

Consciously or unconsciously, men are taught from a young age that they should be strong and tough. As a result, they often find it difficult to admit when they have mental health problems. We do see that the taboo is slowly starting to fade a little. But in the so-called ‘tough guy professions’, there is still a lot of work to be done.

By Myrtille van Hout

Don’t use your own resilience as the standard
Everyone has a different level of resilience in life. As an entrepreneur, your resilience is often very high; otherwise, you might not have succeeded in building your business. That’s why it’s important not to use your own resilience and toughness as the standard when talking to an employee who is struggling psychologically. Observe and listen without judgment; it’s important that your employee feels taken seriously.

Talking shortens absenteeism
If an employee comes to you to discuss their complaints, give them your attention and understanding. Because if you talk about it in the right way, you can shorten the period of absence—it may not have to last for months. But if your employee feels ashamed and withdraws completely, you could be a year down the line.

Break the taboo
Anyone can experience psychological problems at some point. That’s why it’s important to proactively address mental health. Learn about the risk factors and symptoms, and make them a topic of discussion in the workplace. If you can break the taboo within your own team, fewer men will end up with, for example, burnout. If an employee does drop out, make sure you keep encouraging him to come to work; maintaining contact is very important. Because the longer someone stays at home, the higher the threshold to return.

Create suitable work
As a case manager, I encounter the challenge that, for example, in construction or civil engineering, it can be quite difficult to create suitable work for reintegration. An office employee can start again with a few hours a week. But if someone is working on a project on location at the other side of the country, that’s not possible. Still, I advise coming up with something that will get the employee back to work. The tip I usually give: let the person think about it themselves—they often know very well what will work.

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