Facilitating Teams Support
The majority of staff at work gain support from line managers, teams, colleagues, community groups and faith leaders to stay well.
Useful links
NWL Keeping Well resources for line managers
Government guidance – line Manager’s guide to support people with mental health problems
West London – COVID-19 staff health and wellbeing support for managers
Together in mind – Self care tree for staff
BMJ article: Managing teamwork in the face of pandemic evidence-based tips
RCPscyh paper: Sustaining Work-Relevant Mental Health Post COVID-19 Toolkit
Enhanced National Support Service
Top Tips for Blue Light Team Members
Top tips for Managers and Team Leaders
Encourage peer support/ buddy systems/ regular team huddles and reflective practice including shift reflection (Ragoobar, 2020).
During the pandemic, teams may be overwhelmed by high patient volume, scarce resources and challenging cases. Therefore, it is important to:
1. Recognise wins and successes to have a ‘collective efficacy’ that team can succeed current conditions.
2. Support teams to sustain shared roles and priorities by sharing common understanding of key elements.
3. Acknowledge and recognise the contributions of those working ‘behind the scenes’ to help them stay engaged and help prevent working in silos.
4. Build and sustain psychological safety to which team members can speak up or admit a mistake.
5. Emphasise and promote team mutual monitoring: the situation, team performance and teammates.
Case study: North West London – Keeping Well – Check in and out
Case Study: North West London – Keeping Well Conversation Cafes (CC)
Case Study: West London Trust – Reflective Practice
Useful links
Reflective practice – Ragoobar, 2020
Coaching and mentoring for team managers to build effective team cultures.
Useful links
Coaching and mentoring during Covid-19 guide
Promote REACT mental health conversation training for managers, to enable them to support staff through compassionate, caring conversations about mental health and emotional wellbeing as well as resources, toolkits and guidance including ‘check-ins’ and check out with each individual within the team in a structured, psychologically safe way, at the start and end of shifts.
Useful links
NHS People – support for leaders – resources, toolkits and guidance
Ensure support for team leaders who also need respite/backfill and acknowledgement/support from their leaders for psychological wellbeing to be fostered and maintained.
Links with local, embedded psychologists who can in-reach to teams to provide easily accessible support to team members.