Flynn Company’s Minneapolis branch workers have always stood by their motto: “Safety before all else.” Even during COVID, when all 37 other branches discontinued their annual Safety Day, the Minneapolis branch manager, Matthew, refused to cancel this crucial event for his workers.
To Matthew, safety means addressing the elephant in the room and ensuring everyone is on the same page and fully informed about safety protocols. This year, he identified mental health and suicide as the pressing topics he wanted to address. With the help of Cindy Ericson, the HR United States Regional Manager for Flynn, I got to share CSPP resources and speak with their workers about mental health and suicide.
The day was filled with equipment demonstrations, safety awards, and employee recognition. I was the first to speak, and during this training session, I received a challenging question that I have heard many times before: How do you ask a supervisor if they are suicidal?
Asking someone in a higher position can feel like a major boundary crossing, and the fear of retaliation or anger is very real. In an industry that celebrates toughness in leadership and sidesteps vulnerability, asking a supervisor if they are thinking about suicide can feel like a daunting task.
Here’s what I recommend: if you feel unable to ask the question yourself, find someone who can. Seek out a peer or someone in a similar position to your supervisor and share your concerns. Not everyone feels comfortable asking the “suicide question,” but you can always turn to someone you trust to do so.
Even though my life revolves around suicide prevention, I continue to learn just how nuanced this issue is. Workers frequently ask questions that make me pause and think, Hmm, I never considered that before. Everyone’s experience with suicide and mental health is different, which is why it’s so important for industry workers to speak up and ask questions—chances are, others are wondering the same thing.
A big thank you to Matthew and Cindy for hosting CSPP in Minneapolis!
