People First, Colleagues Second: A 360-Degree Guide to Support Employees Amid COVID-19
We’ve spent a lot of time discussing how employers can keep their employees safe during the pandemic, with a sharp focus on preventative measures in the workplace—like contact tracing. But while this method is important, as is access to protective gear, installing shield guards and staggering schedules, these measures only protect staff’s physical well-being—and employers need to think beyond that.
COVID-19 has ushered in unprecedented levels of uncertainty, and has put many people under mental distress. In fact, a recent study of 2,000 adults found that, on average, stress and anxiety levels have risen 50% in recent weeks. And these mental rigors are extending into the workplace—with 70% of workers claiming this is the most stressful time in their professional careers. Not only should employers generally care about employees’ health and wellness, but these overriding feelings of stress are impacting productivity too, as the report goes on to say that a staggering 94% of workers are losing one or two hours a day in productivity as a result. To put a finer point on that, for the average US employee, a loss of two hours daily equates to $12,000 in lost productivity each year.
Quite simply, it’s not only important, but imperative, for employers to be sensitive, flexible and, above all, proactive about supporting their workforce and giving them the resources they need to weather this unpredictable storm. At Proxfinity, the heartbeat of our business has always been human connection—fostering it, strengthening it—and we think that right now, human connection, and being people first and bosses and colleagues second, is critical. Here are some ideas you can deploy to support your staff amid COVID-19.
Be Aware
First and foremost, simple awareness and keeping an eye out for distress signals can go a long way. If someone is lethargic or irritable, it could mean that someone is in distress, and you can identify potential issues in real-time. HR departments can help facilitate conversations between managers and teams, hold training where necessary for broaching sensitive topics, and provide discussion guides and principles that address workplace pivots in real-time. By being mindful, employers can hopefully address issues before they become severe.
Be Transparent & Encourage Communication
In a time of such incredible uncertainty, communication is key. In a recent study, 55% of employees said they didn’t know if their employers had mental health programs or policies. That’s an alarming rate, so it’s crucial for employers to be transparent about what they offer staff and how and where they can access these tools.
Companies can also be proactive in their approach, issuing regular surveys to employees to identify areas of concern, stress levels and what resources they’d like access to. This lets leadership make decisions in real-time about what they can do to support employees and their specific needs.
Additionally, transparency is key when it comes to operational shifts, company updates and more, while allowing for two-way dialogue. People want to have confidence in their employers, so by being as forthright as possible about the latest company news and allowing platforms for discussion, employees will feel like a valuable part of the conversation.
Finally, it’s important to always view your workforce as people first. Showing that you care using the above tools, or doing simple check-ins with a “how are you doing?” can go a long way.
Offer Resources for a Respite Against the Chaos
Give your employees access to resources, whether internally or externally, to support their mental health. This could be a sheet of tiplines they can call, contact information for counselors or even hosting mental health professionals on-site or online so employees can set quick one-on-one appointments to ask questions and get informed. Take stock of what you currently offer and consider what you can do to make these resources more visible, and what can complement them.
This could extend to non-conventional resources as well, like mandatory breaks, offering free downloads of apps or podcasts dedicated to stress relief, meditation or improving sleep, creating boundaries to work hours, and more. Catering to their convenience by offering an array of options shows that you are invested in their mental and emotional well-being, while they have options to address a variety of issues to their preferences.
Build a Sense of Community
To stave off feelings of loneliness or isolation—whether employees are still working remote or have returned to the workplace—companies should also encourage a sense of community. This could be offering fun games to play with colleagues for an afternoon break, hosting online events and establishing forums for conversation, even pairing colleagues beyond mentor/mentee relationships as support buddies so they have an objective voice to share their concerns with. The more employers can do to bring people together, the more supported they’ll feel.
These are unnatural times, changing the very ways we live and work day-to-day. With these tips, employers can help lessen the amount of uncertainty employees may be feeling and mitigate turmoil in the workplace.
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