By Holland Cooke
Consultant
LAS VEGAS — You could have heard a pin drop when TelevisaUnvision president/regional radio GM Sabina Widmann said “This pandemic was the earthquake, and now we’re living in a tsunami, the mental health crisis in America.”
Because “what we do in radio is SO much about the people, about connecting,” this Great Resignation we’ve been reporting-on hits home. In her experience, “money is not the end-all for most employees.” How they FEEL is Issue One. “If you ask someone how they are, they might answer ‘Not so good.’”
Her recommendations:
- Establish remote work boundaries that help employees clearly distinguish work life from personal life. She doesn’t email employees after hours, “because they’ll be answering me at 10:00 pm.”
- Train managers and supervisors to lead with empathy and emotional intelligence.
- Enhance Employee Benefits with Mental Health and Well-being Options.
- Embed Mental Health and Wellness into Your Company Culture. “We force employees to take vacation in that year.”
- “Know the signs if an employee or co-worker is struggling with their mental health and take action.”
“Focus on employee retention, less on hiring.”
Holland Cooke is author of the E-book “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books and “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download here. HC is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow him on Twitter @HollandCooke