Vanessa Botha

Vanessa (BCom Hons, University of the Witwatersrand) is the Training Manager at Conflict Dynamics. In this capacity, she manages client relationships and marketing and is also actively involved in the design and development of our training materials. She also facilitates a number of our training courses and workshops. She is an experienced consultant in the areas of Labour Relations and Learning and Development and was previously a part-time lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand’s Business School and Faculty of Commerce for 17 years.

The year 2022 is drawing to a close and most of us are no doubt feeling the effects of what has been a tough year on many fronts. In the workplace, November and early December are very often a time of greater than normal stress as businesses try to make the most of the last few productive weeks of the year before the “Great South African December Shut-Down”. Managers and their teams are typically under pressure to fit as much as possible into this time period and so one might argue that this is not the time to be considering “soft” matters such as workplace wellness.

Over the past few years, and particularly in light of a global pandemic, workplace wellness has become a matter of much research, debate and high-level decision-making. The general well-being of employees, particularly their mental and emotional well-being, needs to be top of mind for any manager or supervisor who wishes to maintain a productive and goal-oriented working environment. The remote working debate, time off for mental health purposes and the scourge of workplace bullying and harassment are just a few of many matters which have moved from traditionally “personal” or “private” issues to falling squarely within the ambit and responsibility of anyone who manages one or more staff members. 

You may not have the time, capacity or energy to factor employee and team wellness into your schedule for the next few weeks but hopefully, some well-deserved downtime is on the horizon for you. And that may just be the opportunity you have been looking for to pick up a good read on this topic which is growing exponentially in relevance in the post-Covid world of work.

Of course, deciding what book to read on this important subject matter is yet another task that most managers and employees will not have time for currently, so we have simplified this for you by providing a list of five recommended books. Each of these books could play an important part in bringing a greater focus onto workplace wellness for you personally and/or within your area of influence, and what better time to be equipped with insight into this topic than at the beginning of a fresh new year!

So, here are five great reads to consider if you are wanting to learn how to personally work, and support a team, in a healthier way.

1. Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace: A Practical Guide for Employers and Employees by Gill Hasson, Donna Butler

This book received a coveted “Highly Commended” status in the UK’s 2021 Business Book Awards. It provides guidance for both employers and employees on promoting positive mental health and supporting those experiencing mental health challenges in the workplace. The book addresses the range of issues surrounding mental health and well-being in work environments and provides all role players with informative and practical assistance. Specifically the book:  

• Explains why understanding mental health is important as well as its impact on businesses and employees;
• Discusses why and how to promote mental health in the workplace and the importance of having an effective 'well-being strategy';
• Provides guidance on managing staff experiencing mental ill health;
• Addresses dealing with employee stress and anxiety;
• Features resources for further support if experiencing mental health issues.

Mental Health & Wellbeing in the Workplace is a valuable resource for those in the workplace wanting to look after their own physical and mental well-being, and those looking for guidance in managing staff with mental health issues.

2. Improving Mental Health in the Workplace by Navlika Ratangee (Editor)

This book is a collection of articles by South African experts in the field of mental health, and other associated fields, each of whom have been carefully chosen to share their insights on a specific area of knowledge and experience.

We are all very aware of how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed our lives from what we once knew them to be. Unfortunately, the changes experienced by many as a result of the pandemic have not been just physical, but also very much mental and emotional in nature. This book, therefore, starts with this reality as an explanation of why a spotlight urgently needs to be placed on mental health in the workplace.

The first part of the book focuses largely on how the workplace has responded to the current mental health pandemic, what trends we are seeing now and what we can expect to see in due course. The book then also deals with the fact that mental health is not an island, i.e. that well-being is holistic and has multiple dimensions. It then moves on to discuss coping mechanisms and finding a way forward with mental health in the workplace.

One of the contributing authors of this work is Dr Angela Whitford Du Plessis, who is a longstanding and highly valued member of the Conflict Dynamics panel of facilitators.

3. Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen

Some conversations can be exceptionally tough to have in the complex setting of the workplace. Confrontation, criticism, and other subtle dialogues can be significant curved balls which can leave us and others feeling unheard and dissatisfied.

In Difficult Conversations, the authors leverage their decades of research at the Harvard Negotiation Project to lay out a practical framework for tackling those conversations which we fear. This book provides a step-by-step approach to having tough conversations with less stress and more success. Amongst many other extremely useful pointers, the book provides guidance on how to:

• Decipher the underlying structure of every difficult conversation
• Start a conversation without defensiveness
• Listen for the meaning of what is not said
• Stay balanced in the face of attacks and accusations
• Move from emotion to productive problem solving

4. Stop Overthinking: 23 Techniques to Relieve Stress, Stop Negative Spirals,  Declutter Your Mind, and Focus on the Present by Nick Trenton

“Overthinking” – something that almost all of us fall victim to at some point in either our personal or work lives (or both). This book by Nick Trenton covers how overthinking is linked to burnout, stress, and increased anxiety.

In the workplace, employees can often find it difficult to focus on work due to turmoil in their personal lives, workplace harassment and/or bullying or mental illness. It is extremely important to be able to clear one’s headspace and filter out unwanted thoughts so as to be able to focus on one’s professional and personal responsibilities. To this end, the author provides constructive and practical suggestions on how one can stop overthinking in its tracks and work to focus on the present via visualisation techniques and various coping strategies.

5. Beating Burnout at Work: Why Teams Hold the Secret to Well-Being and Resilience by Paula Davis

Burnout has become one of the most prevalent workplace concerns of our time. For leaders in the workplace who want to support their people, tackling such a big issue can sometimes seem insurmountable.

In this book, author Paula Davis provides a framework to help organisations prevent employee burnout. She outlines exactly how managers and team leaders are uniquely positioned to prevent and reduce burnout within their teams and she offers practical solutions for recognising burnout, responding to the signs effectively, and creating sustainable changes within teams that reverberate throughout the organisation.