2. How to improve employees' resources?

Well-being can be supported by consciously increasing employees' resources, such as work engagement, competence, the sense of capability and opportunities to recover. In addition, the individual resources of employees can be supported by considering their career stage and life situation. Supervisors can improve the resources of their employees with their own approach along with studied methods.

These practices can help you improve your employees' resources:

A sense of capability means believing in success in a certain situation and task. A sense of capability is based on competence and successes. It can also be supported by feedback from others and by learning from others' successes.
Beliefs of capability are vulnerable and need to be re-affirmed after an experience of failure.
In order for a supervisor to support an employee's sense of capability, they must be aware of situations that may potentially destabilize it. Such situations may include, for example, a mistake made by an employee or a task that is too demanding in relation to the employee's competence and any critical feedback received because of this.
Good communication allows the supervisor to be aware of situations that affect the sense of capability. It also helps that the supervisor, through a personal, is aware of what failure and uncertainty feel like.
Failures occur in all workplaces and for everyone. There is no need to be afraid of failure in a psychologically safe work environment where employees can safely present ideas, ask for feedback, provide honest feedback, co-operate, take risks, and experiment. Supervisors can improve safety by setting an example of honest conversation.
The sense of capability is also reinforced by the examination of previous adversities and situations of change: what were the means to overcome them?
Expertise is central to the sense of capability. One of the tasks of the supervisor is to ensure that the expertise of employees match the requirements of the job.

Working time practices must allow for recovery. As a supervisor, your position is at the interface between the working time practices used in your organization, the accomplishment of work goals and the individual circumstances and needs of your employees.
Ensure that the hazards and risk factors caused by working time are analysed and identified in your unit. If they cannot be eliminated, ensure that their significance for the health and safety of the employees has been assessed. Your organization's HR experts, occupational safety officer and occupational health care service provider are good partners in this, in addition to your own supervisor.
Find out about your organization's working time practices and flexibilities , such as flexible working hours, part-time work, different types of leave and remote work. Your organization's HR experts are good partners in this, in addition to your own supervisor.
Talk about issues related to working time, work objectives and well-being at work with the employees, for example, in regular meetings of your unit – “What kind of working time solutions contribute to the fluency of work and well-being at work? What can we influence, considering our organization's practices? What do we want to agree on? Which practices are common to all and in which situations can we agree on individual solutions?” The results of the discussions, such as ideas for development, must also be put into practice.
Use the results of studies and guides on working time and health to support you. Discuss and agree on good and suitable ways to take breaks from work. Try the agreed practices for a few months or half a year. Arrange a new meeting to discuss experiences in terms of fluency of work and well-being at work. - “What have we learned? What do we want to become established? What do we want to change?”
If necessary, make suggestions to upper management and HR specialists to improve your organization's working time practices.
Monitor whether employees are accumulating overtime. Regularly discuss with each employee their individual thoughts and needs related to working time and recovery from a working day/shift, for example, in a performance appraisal. Consider the possibilities of using flexible working times, promoting recovery and time management from the perspective of fluency of work, occupational health and work life balance.

At what career stage is the employee? And what is their life situation like? The circumstances surrounding each employee vary between individuals. People at different stages of their career and life have different strengths and expectations for work as well as different needs for support.
As a supervisor, when you understand the changing wishes and goals of employees regarding their careers and life situation and are interested in their individual situations, it is possible to provide the right support and find the best solutions. This may also uncover hidden sources of motivation, enthusiasm and resources.
Most employees want to influence their own careers and are motivated to find solutions that suit their own situation and promote good work performance. Effective solutions are in the interests of both the employee and the employer.
Possible change phases in an employee's career and life include, for example, the start of a young person's work life, balancing work and family life, additional qualifications, change of a job description, changes in work ability, ageing and retirement.
It is good to discuss the different stages of an employee’s career and life cycle together, for example, in regular meetings or development events. Possible themes may include, for example: “What kind of steps have you taken in your career and life? We are all at different stages in our careers and lives. What should we agree on in order to have the necessary skills and motivation for work? What can you do yourself? How can you help others? What do you expect from others? What can the supervisor or employer do?”
Considering our work now and in the future: how do we ensure that the skills of employees at different stages of their careers are utilized and their skills strengthened whenever work changes?
As a supervisor, you can discuss issues related to an employee’s career and life situation with each employee, for example, in a performance appraisal. In addition, you can show your interest and initiate discussions related to the content of work, coping at work, expertise and motivation at other times during work, when you are alone with an employee.

Examples of questions
“You've been working with us for a few months now. It would be interesting to hear what kind of observations you have made about your work. Has something felt difficult or is there anything I can help you with?”
“It's been great having you back at work after your family leave! How have you felt about returning to work?”
“You have completed your studies while working. I would love to hear your thoughts on whether we could find ways to use your new skills in your work.”
“You're back from your job alternation leave. I would be interested to hear how you are doing, what is it that motivates you at the moment?”
“You have told us that you will retire next autumn. Would it be okay with you if we discussed at our next unit meeting what you have learned during your career and what have been your most important observations related to your work? We could consider how these 'gold nuggets' could be used.”

Work engagement is energy, dedication and immersion. The experience of work engagement is linked to mental health. Work engagement is created both as a result of good management and from the actions of employees, such as work adjustments.
By improving work resources, it is possible to lay the basis for work engagement. As a supervisor, you can stir up a discussion about what employees perceive as resources and how these can be improved. Different things can be meaningful to different employees. As a supervisor, you are best able to strengthen employees’ well-being when you are aware of their thoughts and sources of resources . Examples of resources include flexible working time, common goals, knowledge sharing, professional development and inspiring career prospects.

Continue to the “How to identify mental health risks” section.

2. How to improve employees' resources?

These practices can help you improve your employees' resources:

About us

Our operations

2. How to improve employees' resources?

These practices can help you improve your employees' resources:

Support the sense of capability

Make it possible to recover from work

Support career management and expertise

Reinforce the experience of work engagement