Page 3 - March 2022 Track N Times

FEATURE STORY

It Is OK to Not Be OK. It Is Not OK To Do Nothing About It!

By: Scott Diercks, Director Rail Grinding

Reflecting on the past year one good thing can be said, 2021 was

much better than 2020 – which many deem the worst year in re-
cent history. That, however, may be damning with faint praise.
Yes, the past twelve months did bring some good news. Indeed,
for a moment in early summer it seemed that COVID-19 was in
the rearview mirror. However, it isn’t.
Unique challenges continue to be present in the global supply chain
community leading to shortages in supplies to keep everything run-
ning. The highest inflation in four decades continues to drive up
cost impacting all consumers. Labor shortages, political polariza-
tion, vaccine mandates, Canadian/US trucker protests, war in
Ukraine, raising fuel prices, and the list can go on and on….

The chaotic world around us certainly can increase anxiousness and place strain on mental health. Logically, under
the current environment, even more importance needs to be placed on discussing mental health openly with our
teams to offer support, empathy, and guidance. Recently, polls indicated that 50% of people are comfortable dis-
cussing mental health issues. Sadly, many polls also indicate that employees worry about retaliation or firing for
seeking mental health assistance. In short, many are reluctant to talk about mental health issues and internalize their
problems that ultimately lead to increased stress.

The work environment in the rail transportation industry in itself can increase exposures to stress with extended
travel, long hours, looming deadlines, and high intensity work. No matter what capacity you work in, or area of our
business, stress has an opportunity to affect your work and physical wellbeing.

I’m by no means a mental health expert; however, I have worked with many individuals that struggled with issues
over the years. I can say I know that those who have taken proactive steps to manage stress and improve their well-
being tend to be happier team members and garnish greater success over their careers. As with most things, the
first step with any problem is recognizing there is one. The second step is to take action to improve the situation.

Some common signs to recognize poor or strained mental health:
• Decline job performance and productivity
• Loss of engagement with one’s work
• Poor or strained communication with coworkers
• Loss of physical capability and daily functioning
• Absenteeism.

On a recent trip to the field, I noticed one of our best workers on our team was not his usual self. This employee is
well known for being upbeat, social, and highly engaged – but he clearly was not. With simply reaching out and ask-
th
ing if he was OK, he let us know it was his son’s 16 birthday and he wished he was home to spend time with him to
celebrate it. His son’s birthday combined with some workplace stress was influencing him.

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