Mind’s line manager guidance during coronavirus

Throughout the pandemic, there has been a continual flow of new issues for line managers to consider: from the practicalities of working at a distance, to altered team dynamics, to mental and physical health worries, to the considerations around returning to workplaces. Mind has produced this detailed guide for their line managers, to help them in supporting themselves and their colleagues through a very unusual year.

It includes sections on:

• the organisation’s core values;
• managing remote teams and working flexibly;
• role modelling, managing your own stress and developing as a line manager;
• managing through change, and effective communication;
• prioritisation and workload;
• challenging conversations around organisational change, redundancy, furlough and bereavement;
• supporting carers and parents;
• creating an inclusive environment;
• practicalities around sickness absence, recruitment, requests for permanent homeworking and annual leave;
• and more.

As this was an internal document, it contains a lot of references to Mind’s internal documents and services. However, there is also a lot of advice and tips that will be useful in other organisations – and we have shared it here as an example of the topics you might cover in a guide for your own colleagues.