Why this matters
Social intelligence involves modeling and leading supportive, safe and inclusive interactions at work. This is important during times of stress or high demand.
These are some benefits of social intelligence at work:
- Stress at work doesn’t necessarily lead to absence
- Employees reach out for help earlier
- Employees demonstrate civility and respect
- Teams can manage times of high demand
- Employee engagement increases
Suggested actions and resources by statement
- I refer employees experiencing distress, mental health issues or disabilities to appropriate resources in the organization or community.
- Referring employees to resources. Words to use when referring employees to mental health resources for a variety of reasons.
- Mental health resource list | PDF. A fillable mental health resource list organizations can complete and share with employees.
- Psychosis and how to help in a crisis. How to help someone experiencing psychosis until professional help arrives or the crisis resolves. Learn about warning signs, symptoms, de-escalation and how to be supportive and safe.
- Health resources. Tools and resources for managing your own health and wellness. Included is information for helping others too. Find credible information about managing well-being and mental health-related concerns.
- I support the accommodation needs (formal or informal) of employees experiencing distress, mental health issues or disabilities.
- Supporting employee success. A process where employee and employer develop solutions that support productivity and well-being. Supporting Employee Success is for any employee, including those needing accommodation.
- Accommodation strategies. Support productivity for employees with mental health issues. Use this whether they’re at work or returning to work. This helps engage employees in solutions related to their performance and well-being.
- I am comfortable when employees share their emotional or personal concerns with me.
- Emotional triggers. When we’re triggered, our reactions may be difficult for us and others to handle. Learn how recognizing your reactions to emotional triggers can help you plan how to address different situations.
- Communicating with emotional employees. These strategies can help you have supportive conversations with employees. It can also avoid triggering negative reactions.
- I’m effective at dealing with employees’ emotional reactions, even when I have high work stress.
- Communicating with emotional employees. These strategies can help you have supportive conversations with employees. It can also avoid triggering negative reactions.
- Respond to those who are emotionally distressed. Our own emotions, including frustration, guilt or pity, can impact our ability to respond to someone in distress. Learn to recognize and manage your reactions.
- Use your strengths to manage stress. During times of stress, it's usually easier to use your strengths instead of your weaknesses. Identifying your strengths and learning how to use them to deal with challenges helps build resilience.
- Managing stress. Learn how to manage your reactions to stress and protect your well-being.
- Employees can easily access me if they need someone to listen.
- Communicate to your staff the times that you’re available to them.
- Listening to understand for leaders. This approach can help you understand the perspective of someone who is upset.
- I keep my team motivated and positive, even when stress or pressures are high.
- Team building activities. These team-building activities can help improve team effectiveness. Leaders and team members can learn how to resolve issues and support each other.
- I take active steps to create a work environment that is inclusive for everyone and free of stigma and discrimination.
- Implicit bias. Learn to identify and understand implicit bias, microaggressions and intersectionality. Bias can lead to poor morale or discrimination. Recognizing bias is the first step to eliminating it.
- Stigma reduction plan. How to identify and address potential discrimination and promote inclusivity. Engage your workforce to support psychological safety for all.
- Discrimination prevention and inclusivity. Address discrimination and promote inclusivity through your policies and processes. This creates a positive environment and supports all employees to thrive and succeed.
- I actively strive to facilitate respectful and non-judgmental discussions about mental health in the workplace.
- Evidence-based actions for psychological and social support. Actions and responses that need only a small investment of resources or cost.
- I encourage solution-focused discussions about issues that affect work relationships and morale.
- Evidence-based actions for civility and respect. Actions and responses that need only a small investment of resources or cost.
- During times of high work stress, I remain positive in my language and attitude with my employees.
- Connect with your team. You may find it challenging to connect with your team in a meaningful way. These ideas and activities take just minutes a day to make a positive connection.
- I motivate all of my employees to do their best work and achieve their job goals.
- Performance management. Resources for supporting performance in a psychologically safe way, even when mental health is an issue. These strategies focus on solutions that also support employee well-being.
- I help each employee foster a sense of purpose and meaning in their work.
- Organizational culture. Questions to help leaders develop a psychologically safe organizational culture.
- Connect with your team. These ideas and activities take just minutes a day to make a positive connection.
- What drives behaviour? All human behaviour is an attempt to meet a perceived or actual need. Understanding this helps us look beyond the behaviour and become curious about the need trying to be met.
- During times of high work demands, I work even harder at keeping my employees motivated and engaged.
- ABCD’s of distressing. A team-building activity to help reduce stress and increase focus.
- Use your strength to manage stress. During times of stress, it's usually easier to use your strengths instead of your weaknesses. Identifying your strengths and learning how to use them to deal with challenges also helps build resilience.
- Employee stress prevention process. Understand how chronic mental stress is defined and how to recognize hazards. This tool provides strategies for reducing risk to protect both employers and employees.
- Hybrid teams. In a hybrid team, some employees work on-site and some work remotely. Read more to learn how to balance and effectively support the success of both sets of employees.
- Resilience. A tool to help you bounce back after a health, personal or work crisis. This resource helps you develop healthy coping strategies to deal with life's challenges.
- I notice when an employee is disengaged, and I try to help resolve the challenges they are facing.
- Supporting employee success. A process where employee and employer develop solutions that support productivity and well-being. Supporting Employee Success is for any employee, including those needing accommodation.
- Identifying employee issues for leaders. Approach work issues with a focus on solutions instead of problems.
- I facilitate development of interpersonal skills, in addition to the development of technical job skills.
- Emotional intelligence workshop. This workshop helps participants understand their own emotional triggers. They explore the functions of emotions. They’ll also reflect on when behaviours are a symptom of emotions and think about how to respond more effectively to the emotions of others.
- Evidence-based actions for growth and development. Actions and responses that need only a small investment of resources or cost.
- Emotional intelligence for employees. Activities to increase your ability to manage your reactions and control how you impact others. Building your emotional intelligence can help reduce stress.
- I find opportunities for employees to utilize their personal strengths at work.
- Recognize strengths. An activity to help team members think about and articulate the strengths that others bring to the team.
- Leveraging team wisdom workshop. Help your team members connect with each other practically and effectively. Then work together to address obstacles and learn from each other.
- I have a strong understanding of what makes each of my employees feel appreciated for their efforts.
- Recognition strategies for leaders. Learn how to express respect and appreciation to your employees.
- Evidence-based actions for recognition and reward. Actions and responses that need only a small investment of resources or cost.
- Recognition preferences form | PDF. Use this form to help your employees describe how they like to receive recognition.
- I recognize efforts and successes in ways that are meaningful to each particular employee.
- Recognition strategies for leaders. Learn how to express respect and appreciation to your employees.
- Evidence-based actions for recognition and reward. Actions and responses that need only a small investment of resources or cost.
- Recognition preferences form | PDF. Use this form to help your employees describe how they like to receive recognition.
- I am aware of how my stress and frustration can impact others at work.
- Self-awareness for emotional intelligence. Improve your ability to accurately identify your emotions. This helps you to understand why you react the way you do, and recognize the impact you have on others.
- Emotional intelligence for leaders. Use the activities provided to improve emotional intelligence. This helps when leading, managing or supporting employees.
- Monitor your impact on others. Your mood affects others, whether you wish it to or not. Strengthen your relationships by being aware of your impact on others.