The second Tuesday in March was My Whole Self Day.  The Day, which started seven years ago, encourages workplaces to come together and celebrate the diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives that make teams stronger.  It now has over 200 organisations involved.

To mark My Whole Self Day, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England released some new research showing that employees know exactly what they need to thrive at work, with 92% of employees say it’s important to bring their whole self to work.

To see someone as a “whole” we need to recognise them as a complete individual with unique experiences, needs, and identities beyond their professional role; rather than just seeing them as a work-horse or a production resource. Taking such an holistic approach acknowledges an individual’s physical, emotional, mental, and social wellbeing.

There are tangible benefits to an organisation which recognises and encourages individuals to bring their whole selves to work.  MHFA’s research shows that 31% of those surveyed said that by not being able to bring their whole self to work, their productivity is impacted, 34% said it impacts their mental health and 36% said it impacts their engagement, while 16% said they hold back ideas and suggestions.  When people feel accepted and supported, they are more engaged and motivated, leading to higher retention and loyalty.  Recognising an individual’s needs and providing flexibility to meet those needs, helps prevent burnout and increases job satisfaction.

People Management magazine, which is provided by the HR professional body, CIPD, undertook some research in partnership with Attest, into what was negatively impacted if an individual was unable to bring their whole self to work.  43% said their happiness was negatively impacted, 38.2% said their wellbeing, 34.8% said their productivity, 31% said their engagement.

In the same research, People Management magazine asked respondents if their organisation encouraged them to bring their whole self to work.  The results showed that 82% of respondents worked in an environment where being their whole self was encouraged but only in certain settings, or actively encouraged; while the remaining respondents were unsure or said that being their whole self was discouraged.  Whilst these statistics provide a positive view of organisations, suggesting that they do generally encourage individuals being their whole self, both MHFA’s and People Management magazine’s research do point to some worrying differences in responses from those with protected characteristics.  In the MHFA research, only 41% of women felt they could bring their whole self to work, and 55% of men felt they could; whilst among those aged 18-24, the figure is only 29%.  48% of those aged 25-34 said they would be likely to leave a company if they felt unable to be their authentic self, with 30% of those aged 55 to 64 agreeing.

These statistics show the importance of organisations encouraging individuals to be their whole self.  So how can mentoring help this?

The mentor can encourage the mentee to be their authentic self, without fear of judgment, enabling them to be open and honest about how they feel.  To enable this, the mentor needs to reciprocate by being authentic themselves, demonstrating that being their whole self is not only acceptable but preferable.   With the mentor being their whole self, they show empathy towards the mentee, building trust and rapport.  This in turn, encourages the mentee to speak openly, setting realistic objectives and asking for help and support where they need it most.

To facilitate this, the mentor should be curious to learn about the mentee’s perspectives, strengths, needs and interests.  As the mentee opens up, the mentor should practice active listening to ensure they fully understand the mentee’s objectives, views and feelings.  This will strengthen the mentor-mentee relationship, supporting the mentee in achieving their goals and bringing positive outcomes for the mentor too.