Many states are anxiously preparing to reopen to provide much-needed support to our suffering economy. Employers are strategically developing plans to bring employees back to work safely. This includes giving careful thought to schedules, seating configurations, elevator usage, visitor policies, food delivery, and much, much more.
While workforce reentry certainly includes logistical and operational planning, it is not just physical well-being that employers must take into account. Equally important is how organizations will respond to employees’ emotional and psychological health —a topic that, regrettably, is often ignored or at least discussed far less frequently, unfortunately.
Anxiety is universal among all populations right now -- a natural reaction to unnatural circumstances (such as this pandemic) and a somewhat uncertain future because of it! About half of the employees in the United States are concerned if employers will call them back to work before it is safe, according to a national survey by Weber Shandwick and KRC Research. More than 50% of employees worry about the future of the company they work for and specifically their individual job security, also according to the above-mentioned survey.
Employers must prepare for these sources of anxiety and help employees to manage their state of mind or mental health. If they don't take these concerns into consideration, we will never be able to return to the engagement and productivity levels prior to COVID-19. And, the thought lingers for all of us that life as we knew it will never be the same - at work or for life in general.
Most employers will need to enhance current practices, contracting external or third-party mental health programs with a greater capacity to deal with stress, anxiety, and uncertainty “in house.” This does not mean attempting to take the place of trained mental health practitioners but rather building greater internal awareness and sensitivity toward the need to address employee concerns.
Recent research suggests that there are five critical "To-Dos" to help employees feel more comfortable and less stressed about returning from the virtual working world back to the scheduled/routine work environment we once knew as normal.
Use the following FIVE TIPS to assist in developing a new normal for your employees.
Employees need to know how these measures are being implemented, what the timeline is, and how the measures will be monitored and enforced. They also need assurance that steps are being taken to update protocols and processes as the situation evolves.
Employers who wish to reduce anxiety can discuss and align on how to handle these issues now. They should consider the following questions:
In all the planning to keep employees physically safe, let’s not forget the impact of COVID-19 on their psychological health. The anxiety generated by these circumstances can produce fatigue, concentration problems, increased use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, and worsening of existing health conditions, all of which have the potential to negatively impact work performance. Taking these five actions is the right thing to do, but that’s not the only reason to get behind them. Employers’ attention or inattention to all aspects of their employees’ well-being during this chapter will have reputational consequences for many years to come.