Employees’ Mental Well Being During COVID-19
While states are starting to reopen their economies and employers are thinking about how to safely bring people back to work, many of us are still working from home and have been living under some version of “shelter in place” for the better part of the past three months. So, is it any wonder that we are starting to see a rise in the emotional challenges that employees are facing? Mental health is now becoming top of mind for many employers.
With the COVID-19 pandemic still very much alive, employees are feeling uncertain and stressed and are experiencing significant change. With schools and day care centers closed, many employees find themselves having to home school their children, while also providing care for elderly parents. Many are concerned about the stability of their jobs. Others are concerned about coming back into an office environment.
So, how can you tell if your staff is experiencing crippling levels of stress and anxiety? There are usually signs that you can look for, including:
- Lack of availability, missing meetings
- Drop in productivity
- Frequent physical complaints
- Increased anger or irritability
- Impulsivity or reckless behavior
These signs may be easier to see when working in proximity with your team, but with many of our employees working remotely, it becomes a bit more challenging. For those of you working from home, it is critical to check in regularly with your staff by phone or video conferencing.
If you do find that your employees’ mental well being is being challenged, you may want to consider providing access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as part of your benefits package. If you already have an EAP in place, it may be a good time to remind employees that the program is available to them and that their calls are confidential.
It’s also important to let employees know that it’s fine to express their anxiety and that HR and management are all there for them. Just listening can often reduce someone’s stress level because they are sharing their concerns.
Employees who are required to work on-site may be worrying about being infected by co-workers or customers. In these cases, you can provide support by communicating with your employees and letting them know about all the safety precautions you are taking to keep them safe (ie, reminders for hand hygiene, providing masks and gloves, keeping disinfectant wipes on hand, promoting social distancing in the office, etc.).
Employees working from home may struggle with working remotely, especially if other members of the household are also working from home. They can feel like they can’t “turn work off”. Others may feel isolated. In this case, you should encourage your employees to go for a walk, and to make sure they take a break for lunch.
What other types of support can you provide? Here are some additional ideas:
- Virtual meditation session
- Additional time off (or allowing to take time that they haven’t yet accrued)
- Virtual “get together” or “game night”
- Videos or “chats” from leaders that are empathetic and let employees know that they understand what people are going through
We have recently worked with clients to conduct quick “check-ins” with their staff to see how everyone is doing, whether they have the support they need, what are their immediate concerns, and brainstorm how to address some of the concerns. The feedback is truly invaluable and provides employees with a way to be heard, stay connected, and to feel that we are all in this together.
If you would like more information, or have questions related to supporting the mental well being of your employees during COVID-19, please reach out to us today to see how we can.