Understanding Emotions and Developing Emotional Health
almostThe State of Emotional Well-being in the Workplace
Gallup's State of the Global Workforce 2024 report provides a stark insight into the emotional state of employees worldwide:
41% experiences stress daily (Europe: 37%, UK & NI: 40%).
21% experience daily anger (Europe: 15%, UK & NI: 40%).
22% feel sadness daily (Europe: 17%, UK & NI: 27%).
Additionally, a survey by McKinsey’s Health Institute revealed that almost one in four workers (22%) globally exhibit symptoms of burnout.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines burnout as a ‘syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed’. It identifies three core dimensions of burnout:
Energy depletion or exhaustion
Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism
Reduced professional efficacy
What is Emotional Health?
The Centre for Emotional Health defines emotional health as:
"The set of skills and beliefs that shape our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It is affected throughout our lives by our relationships and our experience of the relationships around us."
Good emotional health involves being aware of, understanding, and effectively managing the full range of our emotions.
Building Emotional Competencies
The Institute for Public Policy Research and the Centre for Emotional Health outline seven core social and emotional competencies that contribute to emotional well-being:
Self-Beliefs: Understanding your own skills, abilities, value, and worth.
Self-Awareness: Recognising your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
Self-Regulation: Managing your emotions, thoughts, and actions effectively.
Self-Agency: Believing in your capacity to influence your life and environment.
Beliefs About Others: Understanding and trusting others’ intentions and responses.
Social Awareness: Perceiving others’ thoughts and emotions, and recognising the impact of your actions.
Relationship Skills: Building and maintaining positive relationships.
Supporting employees in developing these competencies can lead to:
Reduced workplace conflict
Improved well-being
Lower absence rates
Enhanced satisfaction and engagement
Enhancing Psychological Flexibility with the ACT Matrix
Dr Kevin Polk, a clinical psychologist, developed the ACT Matrix, an evidence-based approach to enhance psychological flexibility. This is the ability to act in ways that align with personal values and goals, even when faced with difficult thoughts or emotions.
The ACT Matrix, created by Dr Kevin Polk
Research highlights psychological flexibility as the most critical skill for emotional well-being and mental health.
The ACT Matrix supports individuals in:
Managing anxiety, stress, and burnout
Navigating challenging situations
Building personal and professional relationships
Resolving conflicts
Career development
Empower Your Team
Investing in your employees’ emotional health is not only beneficial for them but also for your organisation. It fosters a positive, engaged, and resilient workforce.
If you’re interested in supporting your team to develop their emotional health, please get in touch to arrange a free discovery call.
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