Over the last decade or so, people from around the world have come to realise how valuable the link between social relations and health is. For example, a 2018 study published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Psychiatry reveals that loneliness has been a particular focus of international research across communities and cultures. Recent studies have shown that individuals who suffered from loneliness and poor social support had higher risks of mortality due to a number of factors like obesity, physical inactivity, coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension and even chronic pain. These studies prove that though loneliness is largely a mental health concept, its bearing on physical health is immense.
The reason is simple: if you don’t have a support system, you’re probably going to be unable to deal with the biggest stresses in life. This stress can impact behavioural, physiological, hormonal, immune and even genetic functions, and negatively impact sleep quality as well. The COVID-19 pandemic has only further highlighted the urgent need for this link between social support (or its lack) and people’s wellbeing. A 2021 study, also published in BMC Psychiatry, suggests that those who had systems of social support in place during the pandemic and its many related lockdowns, protocols, etc. presented with more psychological resilience and physical fitness.
As we look forward to a post-pandemic world now, it’s important that we take these learnings into account and understand how to create social support systems for the future. These social support systems need to be created for each major sphere of our lives. As women, the need to create social support systems—especially a sisterhood that guarantees that we all have each other’s backs—is also critical. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is A Social Support System?
It’s easy to mistake a social support group with a social support system, but the differences between the two are many and you need to be clear about it. According to the Mayo Clinic, a support group is usually a structured or formal group of people, led by an experienced mentor or mental health professional, to guide people through crises or addictions. A social support system, on the other hand, is more of a network. This network might consist of friends, family, colleagues, peers or any other individuals, but isn’t necessarily formalised or led by anyone.
But the best part about a social support system is that it can be developed over years, especially in conditions where a crisis or stressful event hasn’t yet emerged. In that sense, a social support system is like life or health insurance. You invest in the support system consistently, form a lasting relationship, and this provides you with the comfort of knowing that when you need them, they will be there. The social support system, therefore, also keeps you strong when you’re doing well and when you’re not.
Benefits Of A Support System At The Workplace
A workplace is a unique setting, and the social support system you have in place there must meet all those unique requirements. For example, a social support system at the workplace must not only include people who work in the same department, or employees working at the same level, but across levels and hierarchies. Most workplaces have human resource departments which can also mediate in building these support systems—which brings an added feature that other units like friend or family circles, or even cultural communities don’t have. Also, since workplaces are more formalised, support systems created within those can tend to be much more reliable.
The following are just some benefits you can reap by building a social support system at the workplace:
• By encouraging and appreciated hard work and a job well done, the system can improve your confidence and self-esteem levels.
• The system can encourage people to speak up about issues and problems faced en masse, and thereby make the workplace smoother and more employee-friendly.
• By opening up discussions about monetary and workload issues, this support system can also help you navigate through financial and mental health stresses better.
• Having such a system in place can help enhance team spirit and morale, making workplace units work more cohesively, efficiently and with a greater sense of achievement.
• Employees with a good social support system at the workplace tend to have better job satisfaction, and they tend to keep productivity up for longer because they feel supported.
• This type of a support system highlights achievers (not only those who meet targets but display more supportive behaviour), which can set good examples for newcomers and positively influence existing teams. Finding a mentor from these pools can become much easier.
• This support system also helps your career grow by creating a network you can go to for further job referrals and support.
How To Build A Workplace Support System
Building a social support system at the workplace not only requires you to be good at your job but also be able to work as a team, now and in the future. Often, the bonds formed while occupying the same workspace can transcend those formed within families, simply because workplaces are where we tend to spend large amounts of time with cohesive and complete growth in mind. These social support systems at the workplace matter even more for women and other marginalised groups, because we also have to consider the glass ceiling and the obstacles it places.
Women having each other’s backs at the workplace can go a long way in making these spaces safer, more accepting and efficient too. What’s more, they can help mentor other women who want to make breakthroughs in similar or other fields. Wondering how to build a social support system at the workplace? The first thing you need to do is consider the four Ws:
• What do people in your workplace need the most amount off support with? Narrow this down and prioritise keeping your own needs and the colleagues’ needs in mind.
• Who should be a part of the social support system? Do you need more mentors specialising in a wide variety of jobs?
• Where do you seek help? See if the support system needs to meet physically and regularly to be able to provide help or can it exist virtually (and can therefore expand beyond the physical limits of a workplace).
• When should this support system take action? It’s best not to let a crisis spiral out of control, which is why keeping a check on priorities and soft areas is important.
Keeping these considerations in mind, here are a few things you can do to build a social support system at your workplace.
• Take an initiative: Workplace bonds can take time to develop because there may be a level of awkwardness in the beginning. So, volunteer your help where you can and be social. This can help break the ice and reveal what sort of support systems already exist and which ones need to be created afresh.
• Communicate: Staying in touch is a key aspect of building this type of a social support system. You might be too busy to engage in long conversations over lunch or coffee, but do keep the lines of communication open and let them know you are there, and you care.
• But don’t overdo it: While communicating to assure people you have their backs is important, don’t flood them with too many communications. This can be overwhelming and counter-productive.
• Don’t be competitive: A bit of competition might be good, but having a sporting spirit is even more important. When others succeed, appreciate their success instead of feeling jealous. Showing appreciation for their success will help you succeed because they will support you in your tasks, appreciate your wins and help your career grow as well.
• Listen: To support someone in the workplace, you need to be a good listener. Actively listen to what your peers have to say, and this can help you play a larger role in supporting them, while also ensuring that they listen to your needs when you put them forward.
• Be available: All relationships are two-way streets. If you expect help, then you must be available to provide it yourself to others as well.
• Accept help: Pride is a good thing to have, unless it gets in your way. If someone is offering you help, accept it unless it comes with too many strings attached. You never know even with tasks you already know how to do, because you might just end up learning something new.
• Respect limits: Your social support system is also made of humans, and all of us have our limits. Learn to tailor your expectations and don’t make them too unrealistic. Setting and respecting these limits will also help you stick to your own personal, moral, financial and other limits.
• Know when to leave it: It’s a harsh fact of life, but fact it is—not all relationships are meant to last forever. If a workplace relationship within the support system has turned more stressful than helpful, it’s time to take a step back.