Resource library
What to say when someone is struggling, small ways to show you care, and short reads and talks on looking after a team.
Picked for how your team feels
In Lollipop, this part picks itself from how your team has been feeling in their check-ins. It counts how many people named each feeling, never who said what, and each manager sees their own team.
Pick one to see what helps with it.
For people who felt overwhelmed
Example: 4 people said they felt overwhelmed in the last two weeks, up from 2.
Before you talk
A few minutes that help.
Watch
Napo in... When stress strikes
A language-free cartoon on common causes of stress at work, like heavy demands, low control and lack of respect, made to start a team discussion.
Watch
Doing what matters in times of stress: an illustrated guide
A short introduction to WHO’s free illustrated guide of practical skills for coping with stress, available in many languages.
Watch
How to make stress your friend
A health psychologist on how the way we think about stress changes what it does to us.
When you talk
What helps, and what to avoid.
What to say
“There seems to be a lot on your plate. How can we help lighten the load?”
Recognizes heavy workload and offers support.
“I can see you’re feeling overwhelmed. What’s weighing on you most right now?”
Acknowledges overwhelming feelings and invites sharing.
What not to say
Fixing too fast. Skips over listening and may feel controlling.
Instead of “You should talk to HR”
Try “Do you want to vent or talk through options?”
Instead of “Just try meditating”
Try “I’m here to listen first”
Try this
Remember remote workers’ emotions
Check in with a “just because” message: “Been thinking about how you’re doing this week, no agenda, just checking in.”
Notice when they show up anyway
“I know you’ve had a lot going on. I see that you’ve still been showing up. That doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Afterwards
Something small that shows you noticed.
Something to do
Late start or early finish permissions
Schedule flexibility for various life circumstances
Costs nothing
Something to do
Mental health app subscriptions (premium meditation, wellness apps)
Digital wellness support and resources
Costs nothing
Something to do
Hobby supply surprise based on observed interests: art materials, running gear, cooking tools
Personalized gifts based on their personal interests
To go further
A read, and the research behind it.
Read
Active listening: five habitsWhen someone on your team opens up, the way you respond shapes whether they’ll ever do it again.
The research
Understanding the burnout experience: recent research and its implications for psychiatry (opens the source in a new tab)Burnout means exhaustion, cynicism and feeling ineffective, driven by mismatches in workload, control, reward, community, fairness and values.
The research
OSH Pulse 2025: Occupational safety and health in the era of climate and digital change (opens the source in a new tab)Of over 28,000 European workers, 44% face severe time pressure, 34% feel unrewarded for their effort, and 29% report work-related stress, depression or anxiety.
Everything in the library
Every conversation starter, gesture, talk, article and study a manager has in Lollipop, by kind and by topic.
Conversation starters
“I sense there might be some tension with the team. How are things feeling for you right now?”
Conflict at work can be really draining. Let’s talk about what’s happening and how we might be able to improve the situation.
“I noticed you seem a bit distracted today. Is there something on your mind that you’d like to talk about?”
Sometimes when we’re distracted, it helps to share what’s weighing on us. I’m here to listen if you need someone to talk to.
“It seems like there might be some challenging dynamics happening. What’s your experience been like?”
Workplace conflicts can affect our whole day. I’d like to understand your perspective on what’s been happening.
Gestures
“Love notes” jar from colleagues
Jar filled with supportive notes from coworkers
Costs nothing
Access to a financial advisor or budgeting workshop
Provide financial planning resources and support
After-school program funding
Support families with childcare needs through program funding
Ask their opinion on important decisions
Value their input and include them in meaningful discussions
Costs nothing
Behind-the-scenes acknowledgment for usually unseen work
Recognize and appreciate work that often goes unnoticed
Costs nothing
Bike repair and maintenance service
Support transportation needs through bike maintenance
Videos
Brené Brown on empathy
The difference between empathy and sympathy, and why a reply that starts with “at least” rarely helps.
Brené Brown on blame
Why we reach for blame when something goes wrong, and what it costs the people around us.
I had a black dog, his name was depression
A short animated film about what depression feels like from the inside, and that it can be treated.
Articles
- Active listening: five habits
When someone on your team opens up, the way you respond shapes whether they’ll ever do it again.
- Communication pitfalls: what not to say
Even supportive managers say things that shut down honesty. What to watch for, and what to say instead.
- Body language: small signals, big impact
Twelve non-verbal cues that can make people feel dismissed or unsafe, and what to do instead.
- A retention turnaround: How one team reduced burnout signals without cutting headcount
How one customer built an early-response loop that connected wellbeing signals to manager action, improved retention, and reduced burnout risk before it became a crisis.
Research
- Guidelines on mental health at work (opens the source in a new tab)
WHO’s recommendations for workplaces, covering changes to how work is organised, mental health training for managers and workers, and support for returning to work.
- Mental health at work: policy brief (opens the source in a new tab)
A practical plan for employers and others to prevent work-related mental health conditions, protect mental health at work, and support workers who have them.
- The U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being (opens the source in a new tab)
Five essentials for a healthy workplace: protection from harm, connection and community, work-life harmony, mattering at work, and opportunity for growth.
Quick insights
Creating judgment-free zones
People take interpersonal risks, admitting a mistake, raising a worry, saying they’re stuck, only when they believe it won’t be held against them. Across 136 studies, psychological safety is consistently linked to teams learning and performing better, though the effect is moderate rather than decisive.
Try this: Make the invitation explicit and low-stakes: “If something’s getting in the way, including something I’m doing, I’d rather hear it than not. No pressure either way.”
Sources: Frazier et al., 2017; Edmondson, 1999
Gratitude boosts retention
Employees who receive meaningful, high-quality recognition are significantly less likely to leave, one large study found they were 45% less likely to leave within two years.
Try this: Make space every Friday for team members to shout out one another. It builds a culture of appreciation that sticks.
Sources: Gallup, 2024; Gallup & Workhuman, 2024
Icebreakers
If you could pick one theme song for yourself, what would it be?
What’s your favorite junk food?
What’s something small that always makes you laugh?
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Team exercises
Snowball fightShare anonymously, then go meet the person behind the facts. This high-energy activity turns vulnerability into laughter and surprise.How to run itHide
What it is: Participants write three interesting facts about themselves on a piece of paper, then crumple it up and toss it across the room.
How to run it: After a 60-second “snowball fight,” everyone grabs a paper and finds the person it belongs to. Each participant introduces the other using the fun facts.
You’ll need: Paper, pens.
Blind spots explorationInvite others to name what you might not see in yourself. This reflective activity encourages growth, vulnerability, and insight.How to run itHide
What it is: Group members offer caring observations about what they believe a peer may not be fully aware of, related to fears, passions, opportunities, etc.
How to run it: Write the prompt on a flip chart: “I see someone who… From a caring motive, I encourage you to explore…” Group shares observations for 4 minutes. The subject adds anything missing. No discussion or defense allowed. Sheets are posted for later reflection.
You’ll need: Flip chart paper, markers, timer.
Silent castle buildingBuild the tallest structure you can, without saying a word. This silent collaboration exercise strengthens nonverbal communication and teamwork.How to run itHide
What it is: Teams use only paper and tape to build the tallest and most creative structure they can within 20 minutes. No talking allowed. Judging can be based on height, creativity, stability, or teamwork style.
How to run it: Divide participants into small teams and give each group a stack of printer paper and a roll of tape. Set a timer for 20 minutes. Once time is up, invite the group to silently observe each structure, then debrief as a group.
You’ll need: Paper, tape, timer.
Every manager gets the set for their own team
Lollipop sends your team a short check-in, then shows each manager the set for what their people said, with this whole library beside it.