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Health in the Workplace

Guðbjörg
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Empathy and compassion

**Resilience at Work by Canva

Presentation – Compassion & Empathy by Guðbjörg Eggertsdóttir

Empathy is the heartbeat of a healthy workplace—and a transformative force in leadership, collaboration, and culture. Let’s explore how it can be activated in your workshops and team sessions:

💞 What Is Empathy in the Workplace?

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings, perspectives, and experiences of others. In a work context, it means:

  • Listening deeply without judgment
  • Recognizing emotional cues and unspoken needs
  • Responding with care, not just solutions
  • Creating space for vulnerability and authenticity

🧠 Empathy’s Impact on Teams

  • Boosts Psychological Safety: People feel safe to speak up, take risks, and be themselves.
  • Enhances Collaboration: Reduces conflict and builds trust across roles and cultures.
  • Improves Leadership: Empathetic leaders inspire loyalty, creativity, and resilience.
  • Supports Mental Health: Empathy buffers stress and fosters belonging.

🛠️ Empathy Activation Tools for Your Workshops

Here are some bilingual, metaphor-rich tools you could use:

  1. Empathy Mapping Canvas

Visual tool to explore what a person feels, thinks, says, and does in a given situation.
„Hvað hugsar hún? Hvað finnur hún?“

  1. Metaphor Card Prompts

Use cards like:

  • “Empathy is like a bridge…”
  • “Empathy feels like a warm wind…”
    Invite participants to reflect and share stories.
  1. Role Reversal Rituals

Guide pairs to swap perspectives:

  • “You are now the team member who felt unheard—what do you need?”
  • “You are the leader facing pressure—what support would help?”
  1. Empathy Journaling

Printable or digital prompts:

  • “Today I noticed…”
  • “I felt connected when…”
  • “I wish someone had asked…”
  1. Emotion Wheel in Icelandic & English

Help teams name and navigate emotions with a bilingual visual tool.

Here are several compelling real-world cases that highlight mental health challenges and responses in the workplace:

🧠 Real-World Cases of Mental Health in the Workplace

  1. Burnout in India’s Tech Sector
  • Context: India’s IT and corporate sectors have seen a surge in burnout cases, especially post-pandemic.
  • Challenges: Long hours, lack of work-life balance, and inadequate mental health support.
  • Impact: Rising anxiety, depression, and suicide rates among professionals aged 15–29 A.
  1. Mental Health Discrimination in the U.S.
  • Findings: In 2021, nearly 30% of ADA charges were related to mental health discrimination.
  • Common Conditions: Anxiety and PTSD accounted for 60% of these cases.
  • Types of Discrimination:• Direct: Explicit bias against employees with mental health conditions.
  • Indirect: Systems that unintentionally disadvantage those with mental health needs.
  • Disability-related: Disciplining behavior linked to a diagnosed condition B.
  1. The “Toxic Workplace” Debate
  • Insight: Overuse of the term “toxic workplace” may dilute its meaning.
  • Concern: Mislabeling discomfort or conflict as toxicity can obscure real abuse and hinder constructive feedback.
  • Call to Action: Promote emotional maturity and distinguish between discomfort and harm C.
  1. Global Workplace Mental Health Summit
  • Highlights: Experts emphasized that loneliness is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
  • Recommendations:• Normalize seeking professional help.
  • Address digital addiction and screen overuse.
  • Implement workplace counseling and suicide prevention programs D.
  1. Best Practice Case Studies (HERO Report)
  • Organizations Featured: Cigna, Lockton, Hennepin County, and others.
  • Strategies Used:• Mental health training for managers.
  • Integrated well-being programs.
  • Use of digital tools like meQuilibrium for resilience tracking E.

Let’s co-create a transformative workshop on Mental Health in the Workplace—designed to activate reflection, resilience, and strategic change. Here’s a bilingual, metaphor-rich structure tailored for your facilitation style:

🌀 Workshop Title

“From Stress to Strength: Mapping Mental Health in Our Work Ecosystem”
„Frá álagi til styrks: Kortlagning geðheilsu í vinnuumhverfinu“

🧭 Workshop Flow (2.5–3 hours)

  1. Opening Circle (20 min)
  • Welcome and intention setting
  • Metaphor card pull: “How does mental health feel in your workplace?”
  • Bilingual check-in: “One word in Icelandic and English that describes your current state”
  1. Mapping the Terrain (30 min)
  • Visual mapping of workplace stressors and supports
  • Use icons for: workload, relationships, autonomy, recognition, safety
  • Invite participants to place themselves on a “mental health landscape” canvas
  1. Case Reflection Carousel (40 min)
  • Rotate through 3 real-world cases (e.g., burnout in tech, discrimination, loneliness at work)
  • Use metaphor inserts to explore emotional, systemic, and strategic layers
  • Prompt: “What would healing look like here?”
  1. Resilience Rituals (30 min)
  • Co-create daily or weekly rituals for mental well-being
  • Include bilingual prompts: „Hvað styður þig?“ / “What supports you?”
  • Visualize routines using printable cards or digital layouts
  1. Leadership & Culture Shift (30 min)
  • Reflect on emotional intelligence, influence, and inclusion
  • Use a systems map to identify leverage points for change
  • Invite teams to design one “micro-shift” they’ll commit to
  1. Closing Integration (20 min)
  • Group reflection: “What will you carry forward?”
  • Optional: guided meditation or breathwork
  • Final metaphor card pull: “What does a healthy workplace feel like?”

🧰 Printable & Digital Tools We Can Build Together

  • Visual mapping canvas (stressors/supports)
  • Bilingual metaphor card inserts
  • Ritual design cards
  • Leadership micro-shift planner
  • Case study reflection sheets

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