A top university professor has warned that only planning for a ‘physical’ return to the office could have a detrimental effect on employee health.
As the lines become evermore blurred between what are safe covid practices and our responsibilities as employers – as we return to work, is there enough being done to consider employee mental health?
The idea of psychological safety has only really been highlighted during the pandemic, so it comes as no surprise that there are some organisations lagging behind. Over the past 18 months there has been a huge focus on ‘staying safe’, and whilst for the most part, social distancing measures and working from home directives have protected against the spread of Coronavirus, have we taken into account the pressure that some individuals felt working from home?
For some, going into the office is a break from a hectic homelife, so to suddenly be forced into managing everything all under one roof could very well have triggered employees to feel unsafe, unsupported and overwhelmed. Moreover, stress in the workplace has been known to contribute to lack of progression, lower productivity rates and poor decision making and problem solving.
As you return to the office, If your business practices are lacking in clarity, meaning and impact, these can all be contributing to employee burn-out, but thankfully there are steps and measures you can take to ensure a smooth and stress free transition back to the workplace.
- Revisit your business processes
- Hold an internal meeting or send out a survey to ask how your employees are feeling
- Invest in Occupational Health & Safety
- Implement more of the ‘fun’ stuff!
- Plan team activities
- Ensure your team has the correct mental health training
