Navy Unveils New Mental Health Playbook

The importance that employers place on workers’ mental well-being has gradually increased in recent decades.

The coronavirus pandemic that arrived in early 2020 quickly took mental health awareness in the workplace to another level altogether, with workers everywhere suddenly forced to juggle professional and personal responsibilities in a way they never had before.

From the organizational perspective, a mentally healthy workforce “starts with the climate our leaders create and how you lead the people in your care,” according to the United States Navy’s new Mental Health Playbook, a new 26-page document designed to help Navy leaders in preventing, mitigating or addressing mental health issues among the military members under their command.

The manual stresses that this effort should begin well before mental health issues occur, and emphasizes the need for leaders to “become comfortable with the idea of preventative maintenance for our people” with regard to mental health. To that end, the playbook outlines the three roles that each leader must play.

For example, leaders should set conditions, building a climate of trust and respect with open, two-way communication, and challenging conduct and poor leadership that creates a toxic climate, according to the Navy playbook.

Leaders should also work to recognize mental health issues, using active listening skills and pursuing conversations that move beyond professional performance, as well as watching for behavioral changes and consulting with non-clinical and clinical experts.

And, in the event that an individual is in need of mental health assistance, leaders must “get people the care they need, and keep them in the team.”

Self-Care Comes First

Spotting the signs that an employee is experiencing mental distress can be difficult, of course. The new Navy playbook offers some guidance on identifying and responding to employees’ mental health-related concerns.

While noting that there is no single pattern to indicate that a situation requires a clinical response, there are signs that leaders can use to determine when one is necessary.

For instance, negative emotions are normal in some situations—when an employee is dealing with personal relationship problems or is upset over being passed over for a promotion at work, for example.

“But, when negative emotions or anxiety clearly get in the way of normal functioning at work or home, the person may benefit from professional care,” according to the playbook, which also offers a number of tips on having conversations with employees struggling with their mental well-being.

For example, the text advises using appropriate language that doesn’t perpetuate the stigma surrounding mental health, and minimizing phrases like “you are just having a bad day.” On the other hand, the guidebook encourages asking questions like, “How are you feeling?” “What support do you need?” and “Can I help you?”

Noting that stress “is part of the job,” the playbook also urges organizational leaders to tend to their own mental well-being, so they can be at their best for their reports.

“While we may be managing our stress and assisting others with theirs, if we do not take care of ourselves, we won’t be able to help take care of others.”

An Ounce of Prevention

As Federal News Network recently reported, the U.S. military is in the midst of a push to increase its focus on mental health, “after several years of studies and reports showing increasing levels of reported suicides and sexual assault within the military.”

And, the Navy playbook arrives on the heels of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military released 82 recommendations. The implementation of those recommendations was part of the basis for DoD’s request for $637 million in funding for sexual assault prevention in the 2024 budget request, Federal News Network’s Alexandra Lohr noted.

As Lohr reported, Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Lt. Gen. Maria Gervais recently spoke at the Association of the United States Arm’s Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, Ala.

There, Gervais pointed out that Army Secretary Christine Wormuth has signed an integrated prevention strategy aimed at training Army leaders to “set a climate within their commands that helps prevent sexual assault,” Lohr wrote.

According to Gervais, the Army now begins working on behavioral issues during basic training. In addition, a program started during the coronavirus pandemic covers sexual assault prevention with soldiers during their first two weeks of basic combat training, with Gervais saying she thinks the program is reducing incidents of sexual harassment and assault.

“One of the things I’m really excited about is the prevention strategy, because it will allow us to start focusing on prevention versus the responsive piece, which we have to do,” Gervais said at the symposium.

“But I think as we take this, we can institutionalize inside our training base, inside our leader development programs, or professional military education, and stitch it throughout every echelon.”