Mental health leadership in the propane industry

When I asked propane industry leaders for their insights on the topic of mental health, Conger LP Gas President and CEO Dan Richardson had a lot to say.

“Mental health is an issue that affects our industry and every other industry as well,” Richardson says. “I personally have had many conversations with employees about issues causing a strain on them mentally.”

Richardson spends a lot of time with his employees, and many of them have been open with him about their mental health. How does he get his team to open up? By asking questions.

“I ask the employees about their families, you know, about their kids, about their significant other or spouse, and most of them will open up and tell you things,” Richardson explains. “Especially if you try not to talk so much, but sometimes just listen.”

Asking team members about their lives is important to Richardson, and he sees that effort pay off in how his employees respond.

“The biggest thing is, I like to get to know our employees a little bit more,” he says. “I like to know how many kids they have, what kind of things they like to do. Just talk to them on off-work issues, and I think that resonates with most of them. Like, ‘Hey, he’s not just interested in me for what he can get out of me.’”

Richardson says that he sees more people in the propane industry opening up about what’s happening in their lives.

“There’s a lot more these days,” he says. “People would never talk about issues at home. It’s kind of hard to separate home and work, and with what we do, if you’ve got somebody who’s really distracted because of what’s going on at home, you’re asking them to work with a hazardous material. And if they’re not focused, some not-so-good stuff can happen.”

▶ Stories from Conger

Richardson’s employees have shared many stories with him, and he described some of the challenges they’ve faced:

⦁ An employee whose daughter went into unexpected labor at 24 weeks.

⦁ An employee whose child had died.

⦁ An employee whose child attempted suicide.

⦁ Two employees who became caregivers for their sick spouses. While working at Conger, they also had to take on significantly more of the household duties.

⦁ An employee who lost their spouse and found help in a local hospice group.

⦁ An employee who helps care for their aging mother while also helping to maintain her home and property.

⦁ Two employees who have had marital issues and sought counseling.

For Richardson, the recommendation to seek counseling is huge. While he says he is open to listening to anyone who wants to talk, he is not a trained mental health professional. He recognizes the importance of talking to someone who specializes in providing mental health care. And he’s referred some of his employees to a local counselor.

“I try to have face-to-face conversations with our employees, just to check in with them and make sure everything is OK,” Richardson says of his team members who were going through marital issues. “It was obvious after a few minutes of conversation that both were distracted and struggling. Our church provides space for a trained and certified counselor. I recommended him to them and provided contact information. I am very pleased to say they both contacted him, and as a result, their wives also made appointments. I saw a noticeable change in both of them, and both confided that their discussions included issues beyond their marriages to other issues. They still make appointments occasionally and said they would recommend their counselor.

“The list goes on,” Richardson says. “All these situations create mental health needs for our employees. Yes, mental health is a big issue in our industry.”

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