It’s a twist to the tail that almost no one saw coming, but opening things up again is proving more complex in some cases than going into lockdown did.
Returning to work is a case in point. Anxiety is sky-rocketing over this.
Workforce reentry comes with a lot of operational and logistical planning. Employers are shouldering an incredible amount of responsibility.
At the same time, it’s key to recognise the importance of employees’ emotional and psychological wellbeing too. If employees are not supported in managing their mental health around returning to work, companies have zero chance of functioning at productivity and engagement levels that are similar to pre-Covid levels.
Anxiety in an age of uncertainty
Anxiety is a universal experience right now. No matter where you are in the world, there are many uncertainties to deal with on a daily basis. This environment contributes hugely to people feeling high levels of anxiety.
One of the areas in which many people are experiencing the most anxiety is related to work.
While no one wants to time travel back to March when lockdown came into being, there’s no doubt that the virus is still with us. People know that going back to work in an office or building carries a risk.
On the other hand, working from home has not been without its challenges too. Or risks for that matter.
Working from home is a vastly different experience for individuals. Someone who has a senior role that’s easily transferred online and with a home office is not experiencing the same frustrations as a person in a flat or house share with four others and limited space.
Many people have also had to manage childcare responsibilities while transitioning to a work from home environment. The pressure has been immense as this FT article details. Some indicators also show that a dip in morale happens among workers the longer working from home goes on.
Rather than the choice being a stark either work from home or return full-time to work, other options may be on the table. Finding a compromise will go a long way to helping staff, and employers, manage anxiety.
Enter two new terms into the world of work…
Agile working and split working regimes
Governments across the world are introducing some kind of physical distancing advice. Reducing the numbers of people in a space helps to keep the rate of new infections low.
Companies can use this principle too.
Introducing an agile working policy in your organisation means that both remote work and working in the office happen. Perhaps staff work three days a week in the office and two days a week at home.
Senior teams will have to figure out the best approach for their staff, but agile working comes with four key benefits:
- It’s not a cure all tactic, but it works with health guidelines to have as few people in one space as possible.
- Implementing an agile working practice shouldn’t be too onerous. It’s a matter of reworking schedules, rather than having to invest in products and services.
- Staff benefit from the advantages of working from home, such as no commute.
- Teams can enjoy the camaraderie and brainstorming that comes with being in an office with their colleagues.
Split working regimes also deliver these benefits.
When you implement a split working approach, you ask separate teams or individuals to come into work on separate days. Again, the point is to ensure as much space as possible between people by reducing the number of staff you have on your premises each day.
So, for example, you might have your Finance and Marketing teams “on site” Mondays and Tuesdays. And then your Operations and Sales teams in your office on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Perhaps you implement a company-wide work from home day on a Friday.
One word of advice is to maintain open communication with your entire team. No matter what new way of working you want your company to test, collaborate with people. It might not be possible to please everyone, but making an effort to at least listen to people will go a long way to build reassurance.
Senior teams must be visible
Employees are looking to their leaders like never before to help them navigate their way in this current environment.
One of the key ways to impart confidence in your staff is to be available.
This doesn’t always have to mean you need around in person. Looking after your own physical and mental health by setting up and maintaining healthy boundaries is essential.
Find ways to communicate accurate, timely information and be transparent. This may be through a Zoom call the whole company logs into at a set time. Perhaps you communicate through private groups set up on Whatsapp or on social media platforms. Or you make use of a company newsletter that goes out on a regular basis.
All of these tactics can be incredibly pragmatic in helping you keep in touch with your team. Make sure you allow time and create channels for your staff to ask you questions. Two-way communication is key.
Then, make time for 121 calls when you can with various team members, and/or be in the office as frequently as possible so that your team can see you lead.
Be aware of the signs of distress
While people have different challenges to deal with, it’s no exaggeration to say that everyone is experiencing elevated stress levels at the moment.
Keep an eye out for the distress your employees might be feeling. You want to have support systems in place to ensure that the distress and anxiety your employees might feel doesn’t become overwhelming. Online therapy can help, as one option.
Your staff won’t always come to you to say that they’re feeling anxiety. Signs that they are could include fatigue (sleeping problems are rife presently), snappiness and lethargy. Prioritising emotional intelligence training for your executive and management teams will help leaders shoulder the emotional responsibility for your staff’s wellbeing.
The power to practice good self-care
There’s a lot out of your (and everybody else’s) control at the moment.
That makes the items that remain within your control become even more important. Fortunately, four self-care practices remain the strongest tools you have to withstand the challenges that come with Coronavirus.
These are:
- Maintain healthy sleep patterns
- Prepare healthy food for yourself
- Take time to exercise daily
- Keep in contact with friends, family and loved ones
Several people are now saying to me that they are letting some of their earlier good habits drift. They have gone back to staying up very late and feeling low on energy the next morning. Naturally, exercise is then not a priority due to tiredness and next steps inevitably involve reaching for coffee and biscuits/choc to get through the day.
Maintaining a steady schedule with these four health and immune system supporters remains essential for mental health and immune function, especially as we may have spikes or a second wave of virus.
Therapy is also a strong way to support yourself.
If you’d like to explore how therapy might help you now and as the recovery phase gets underway, please feel free to chat with me. I’m working across all online platforms. More details on online therapy can be found by clicking the link.
I’m contactable via call or email, and my contact details are available here. I’d welcome having an exploratory chat about how I might help you.
In summary, while busy with all the planning to guard your employees’ physical health, make sure you keep a focus on their psychological health too.
Anxiety about returning to work can exacerbate existing health conditions, and lead to some unhealthy habits such as relying on tobacco or alcohol to cope. All of these situations impacts work performance negatively.
Identifying what you can do to help is the right thing to do.
It also makes business sense. How companies treat their employees during this challenging time will be key to strong brand reputations for years into the future.