Hidden drivers of unmet KPIs: What General Managers must know about workplace mental health
- Alexander Laugomer
- 5 days ago
- 11 min read
Why do capable teams sometimes falter despite your best efforts? As a General Manager, you might be grappling with rising sick days, slipping productivity, or employees who seem disengaged. It’s frustrating when targets are missed and no business strategy seems to fix the slide. Discover what might holding your team back—and how to turn things around mental health challenges.
Before you chalk it up to poor work ethic or market conditions, consider this: the hidden driver of underperformance in your team could be unaddressed mental health struggles. In many cases, what looks like “just not trying hard enough” is actually an employee quietly battling stress, anxiety, or burnout beneath the surface.
This post explores how mental health can silently erode performance and what you, as a leader, can do about it. It’s a relational, empathetic look at an issue that’s too often swept under the rug – aiming to raise awareness and inspire action rather than offer a quick corporate fix.
The hidden link between workplace mental health and performance
Underperformance isn’t always about skills or effort – wellbeing and business performance are deeply connected, even if the link isn’t always obvious. Research consistently shows that untreated mental health issues are directly tied to declines in productivity, attendance, and retention.
The cost of ignoring employee mental health
Ignoring employee mental health doesn’t make the problem go away – it makes it go underground, where it often worsens. When leadership is purely output-focused and never inquires about wellbeing, employees get the message that they should just “push through” issues like chronic stress or burnout. The result? More sick days, lower productivity, and higher turnover.
Employees with anxiety or depression average 4.6 more sick days per year than those without those conditions. ibiweb.org.
They also tend to be less engaged at work, which can snowball into errors and customer service slip-ups. Over time, these individual struggles add up to significant business costs.
A new approach to leadership
Many organizations take a reactive stance on mental health. They offer support (like an Employee Assistance Program) but only tend to mobilize once an employee is visibly in crisis or performance has plummeted.
As a General Manager, you might recognize the pattern – you don’t hear about a problem until a team member is on the verge of burnout or about to go on extended leave. By then, projects have already suffered and the individual is much harder to help.
Proactive leadership means addressing mental health before it hits critical levels.
It’s the difference between checking the oil in your car regularly versus waiting for the engine to seize.
Shifting from a reactive to a proactive mindset starts with recognizing mental wellbeing as part of your mandate, not an HR-only issue. Think of it this way: you wouldn’t ignore early signs of a major client relationship souring; you’d intervene to fix it. Similarly, if you sense an employee is struggling, intervening early is key.
Unfortunately, proactive measures are often overlooked – one workplace expert noted that companies “could be doing much more to identify potential issues early on”, rather than just helping people return after a breakdown. This means routinely checking in on how your team is doing, not just what they’re doing. It means creating an environment where discussing workload stress or emotional strain is normal and not seen as a weakness.
Don’t let that be a reason to shy away; let it be motivation to get ahead of the curve. Educate yourself and your line managers about mental health, stress management, and available resources. By spotting and addressing challenges early, you can prevent minor issues from exploding into full-blown crises that hurt both the employee and the business.
In practical terms, this could mean adjusting someone’s workload for a while, setting clearer priorities, or encouraging them to use a personal day to recharge – before deadlines are missed or medical leave is needed. The goal is to support your people upstream, not just pull them out of the rapids downstream.
Early warning signs: Recognizing the unseen struggles
One reason mental health-related underperformance stays hidden is that the warning signs can be subtle. As a leader, part of being proactive is learning to recognize those early indicators that someone on your team might be struggling. It’s not about playing therapist; it’s about being an observant, caring manager.
Here are some signs and patterns to watch for:
Changes in behavior or mood: Has a usually upbeat employee become withdrawn or irritable? Are there noticeable mood swings or a drop in enthusiasm? A persistent change in demeanor can be a red flag that something is off.
Declining work quality or focus: You might see a dip in an individual’s usual standards – more mistakes, missed deadlines, or difficulty concentrating. If a normally meticulous team member starts letting details slip, don’t rush to label it laziness. It could be that anxiety or depressive thoughts are consuming their mental bandwidth.
Increased absenteeism or lateness: Regularly showing up late, taking more sick days, or frequently “missing in action” online can signal trouble. Often, people experiencing mental health issues have a harder time with morning motivation or feel the need to take mental breaks. Remember that many will still drag themselves into work even when unwell.
Physical signs of stress: Sometimes mental strain shows up in visible physical ways – an employee might look constantly fatigued, mention headaches or back pain, or you notice they’ve been stress-eating or losing weight. Chronic stress can manifest in the body, and while you’re not a doctor, these outward signs paired with other changes could indicate the person is under serious.
Social withdrawal or team conflicts: An individual who stops participating in team chats, avoids calls, or isolates themselves during office hours may be struggling internally. Conversely, someone’s stress might flare up as conflicts or out-of-character outbursts with colleagues. A normally patient person snapping at others or a sociable person now silent in meetings are both notable shifts.
Mental health is a leadership responsibility, not just HR’s job
Traditionally, many companies have treated mental health as the domain of HR or occupational health providers – something outside of a manager’s purview. But that mindset is changing, because it has to.
General Managers and team leaders have a direct impact on workplace mental health, for better or worse.
Day to day, your behavior and expectations set the tone. Are you the kind of leader who sends emails at midnight and expects instant replies? Do you celebrate all-nighters and “heroic” overtime efforts? Or do you model balance and understanding? Your team is taking cues from you about what’s acceptable and whether well-being truly matters or not.
The truth is that leadership and mental health are intertwined. When managers ignore the human side of work, employees often feel disposable and unsafe, which elevates stress. On the other hand, when leaders are compassionate and open, employees feel supported and are more likely to thrive. In other words, tending to mental health isn’t a touchy-feely extra – it’s a core leadership skill that builds trust and resilience in your team.
It’s also important to realize that managers often shape or alleviate the very pressures that cause burnout. Tight deadlines, unclear expectations, constant fire-fighting, and lack of recognition – all these common workplace issues drive stress levels high. While you can’t eliminate all stress from work (nor should you), you can ensure that people aren’t being pushed past healthy limits on a regular basis.
Often it’s about balance: enabling high performance without sacrificing well-being. Simple practices like making sure people take their vacations, not glorifying 70-hour workweeks, and checking in on workloads go a long way.
Front-line managers have the most immediate responsibility here, but as a GM you can set policies and norms that prioritize health along with results.
Perhaps most critically, don’t leave mental health to HR alone. Yes, HR can provide programs and expertise, but the daily culture is set by leaders like you. If an employee is struggling, they’re far more likely to open up to a trusted manager than to call an HR hotline. By embracing that role, you can catch problems earlier and create a team dynamic where supporting each other is part of how you do business.
Breaking the stigma and opening up conversations
Even when leaders are willing to engage, one big barrier remains: stigma. Many workplaces have an unspoken rule that mental health is a private matter not to be discussed. Employees fear being seen as “weak,” or worry that admitting stress could stall their career. This culture of silence is dangerous. It leads to situations where issues fester until they explode.
To turn this around, General Managers must champion a culture shift: from stigma to support, from hush-hush to open dialogue.
How do you start breaking the stigma? Normalize the topic of mental health in everyday work life.
This can be as simple as leaders bringing it up in a supportive way. For example, mention in meetings that it’s been a stressful quarter and remind folks that it’s okay to speak up if they’re feeling overwhelmed. Share a story (if you’re comfortable) about a time you felt burnt out, or how you handle pressure – showing that even leaders deal with these challenges. When you, as a GM, acknowledge stress and mental health openly, you send a powerful signal that it’s not a taboo subject. It tells your team, “We’re all human here, and it’s safe to talk about what’s really going on.”
Another key is to encourage honest check-ins and listening. Make it routine to ask your direct reports how they’re doing beyond the project updates. And when someone does open up about a personal challenge or admits they’re struggling, respond with empathy and support, not judgment. Thank them for trusting you with that information. Work together on a plan – maybe they need a lighter load for a week, or a day off, or help prioritizing tasks.
By handling these conversations with care, you chip away at the fear that keeps others silent. Over time, these small interactions build a culture where colleagues look out for each other. Team members will start to emulate this behavior too, offering help or lending an ear when they notice a peer is not at their best.
Lastly, provide visible resources and reinforcements. Ensure everyone knows about any mental health benefits your organization offers (counseling services, therapy sessions, mental health days, etc.), and frame them positively. It’s not enough to have an Employee Assistance Program – you should periodically remind the team it exists and endorse using it. If your company has wellness workshops or mental health training, encourage attendance by leading the way (e.g. “I’m going to this stress management session, join me if you can”).
By consistently talking about and normalizing these tools, you further erode the stigma. Remember, changing culture takes time, but every open conversation and supportive response moves the needle. And the payoff is huge: a workplace where people feel safe to seek help early, rather than hide their pain, is a workplace where problems get solved before they derail performance.
Taking action: Steps to support your team’s mental health
Awareness is the first step, but it must lead to actionable changes. General Managers have the authority to influence policies and daily practices that support mental health. Here are some concrete steps and strategies to consider:
Educate and Equip Your Managers: Make sure those who lead teams are prepared to handle mental health issues empathetically. This might involve training sessions or workshops on mental health awareness. When managers know how to approach someone who’s struggling and what resources are available, they’ll feel less “out of their depth”and more confident being proactive. Consider introducing mental health first-aider programs or partnering with experts to coach your leadership group.
Normalize Work-Life Balance: Set an example that it’s not only okay but expected to maintain healthy boundaries. Encourage taking lunch breaks, discourage after-hours emails, and remind people to use their vacation days. If employees see their GM occasionally unplug or prioritize family time, it sends a message that they won’t be penalized for doing the same. This helps prevent burnout by ensuring recovery time. Remember, 76% of employees report at least one symptom of a mental health condition often exacerbated by overwork – so your stance on balance makes a difference.
Implement Regular Check-Ins: Create a structure for routine one-on-ones or team meetings that include a wellbeing component. This could be as simple as starting meetings with a quick “temperature check” round, or scheduling monthly chats that focus on how the team is coping (not just project status). Regular check-ins build trust and give you predictive insight – you’ll catch stress buildups or morale dips early. In one study, nearly 40% of global employees said no one at work had asked if they were okay since the start of the pandemic, and those people were 38% more likely to say their mental health decline. Simply asking can make a big difference.
Foster Peer Support and Openness: Encourage team initiatives that promote connection and reduce isolation. This might mean setting up peer buddy systems, launching an employee-led wellness committee, or even just starting conversations about mental health on internal forums or chat channels. When colleagues support each other and share experiences, it lightens the load on any one individual. It also reinforces that seeking support is normal. You can facilitate this by giving people time and space – for example, allow a bit of social time in meetings or sponsor group activities that aren’t work-related.
Review Workload and Expectations: Periodically take a step back and assess if targets, deadlines, and KPIs are realistic and healthy. Chronic excessive workload is a fast track to burnout. If your business is facing intense pressure (for instance, year-end crunch or a big product launch), acknowledge it and communicate a plan for relief afterward. Balance high-demand periods with adequate downtime. Additionally, be mindful of distributing work fairly – ensure it’s not always the same “reliable” people picking up the slack, as they might be silently drowning. Adjust goals when circumstances change (like understaffing or personal emergencies) to show that well-being matters as much as results.
Make Mental Health Part of the Leadership Agenda: Include wellbeing metrics in your management discussions. This could involve tracking indicators like employee satisfaction or burnout risk through surveys, and then taking action on the findings. When planning quarterly goals or reviewing performance, discuss the team’s morale and stress levels alongside sales or productivity numbers. By formally making it a topic of concern, you institutionalize the idea that supporting mental health is everyone’s responsibility, from the C-suite down to line managers. This also helps in shifting the mindset company-wide from reactive band-aids to a preventive, health-focused culture.
Each workplace will have its own unique needs, but these steps offer a starting framework. Even small changes, done consistently, can create ripple effects. The key is to treat mental health support not as a one-time initiative or a box to tick, but as an ongoing leadership priority woven into how you manage and care for your team.
Lead the change: A call to action for General Managers
Underperformance can no longer be viewed in isolation from mental health. As a General Manager, you hold the keys to addressing this hidden driver of so many workplace challenges. The conversation is no longer about whether employee mental health impacts business outcomes – we know it does, conclusively. It’s about what you will do with that knowledge. Will you continue with business as usual, reacting only when things break? Or will you lean in, with empathy and foresight, to create an environment where your people can bring their best selves to work?
This is a call to action to lead with both head and heart. Start by reflecting on your own approach: have you inadvertently been overlooking signs of distress on your team? Begin changing that today by reaching out and listening. Rally your management team to prioritize wellbeing, just as you prioritize revenue and growth. Advocate for resources if they’re lacking and model the openness you want to see. By making mental health part of the daily dialogue and strategic decisions, you’ll not only help prevent underperformance – you’ll build a more loyal, engaged, and resilient workforce.
The hidden driver of underperformance doesn’t have to stay hidden. When you address the human factors behind the metrics, you unlock a level of potential and productivity that no amount of pressure or micromanagement could ever achieve. In the end, supporting mental health in the workplace is smart leadership. It’s about valuing your people as whole human beings and recognizing that when they thrive, the business thrives.
So take up the mantle: champion mental wellbeing as a core business priority. Your employees are counting on you, and the success of your organization may well depend on it. Now is the time to act – one conversation, one policy, one brave change at a time – and lead the charge toward a healthier, higher-performing future for your team and your company.
