As we approach World Mental Health Day on the 10th October 21, we are more mindful than ever of the need to consider our mental health in all aspects of our lives.
The COVID19 pandemic has had a dramatic & life changing impact on us all & we have all had to adjust to restrictions & changes to our lifestyles we never thought we would see in our lifetime.
Comprehensive movement restrictions, lock downs, being separated from family, being furloughed, staying at home, working from home, employment uncertainty & financial difficulty; has all come as a considerable strain on our collective mental health.
Despite the vaccination programmes being rolled out globally, Covid19 cases are still rising. At the time of writing (29.09.2021) 34,520 new Covid cases have been recorded in the UK & we are now running at a cumulative total of 136,000 Covid related deaths recorded in Britain since the start of the pandemic.
With a vaccination booster programme being rolled out, flu vaccines being offered to different age groups than usual; we have to be aware that going into winter will be a challenging time for us all, with the UK Government prepared to reinstate restrictions if the NHS is overwhelmed.
Despite this, the easing of restrictions in July 2021 has seen many people return to work, children return to schools & Universities, our tourist & leisure sector open up & apart from the recommendation of mask wearing & continued antibacterial gel usage still encouraged; for the most part the new normal seems on the surface to be moving forward.
However, for many UK employees & employers alike, there are some considerable adjustments still to be made going forward, to protect staff/employee safety, morale & mental health.
Therefore, Virtually Smart have gathered some ideas to help support employees & their mental health needs.
Note: Virtually Smart Ltd do not claim to be health care professionals. The ideas here are based on a common sense approach.
Flexible working hours
For many employees who have been furloughed & or already working from home during the crisis; working full or part time flexible hours in the future could be an option going forward.
Employers across the country have for the most part seen an increased productivity from their employees during working from home periods during the lockdowns. In light of this shift in working productivity, many employers are now offering more flexible working patterns to employees, which could help them to develop a better work life balance, help ease their anxieties about exposing themselves full time to a work place & or travelling, etc & the companies can still benefit from the expertise these individuals have to offer.
Access to confidential mental health & welfare support lines
Mental health support lines have been available in larger businesses, academic organisations & Government offices for many years. Many companies offer this as a free service to their employees, but there has always been a stigma attached that even though they are confidential, can information be used to affect an employee’s permanency within a company?
With a heightened emphasis on mental health & well-being for employees becoming a priority; employers can actively seek out support lines for their staff & promote them within their businesses as a way of alleviating some of the pressures of the anxieties being felt & endured throughout the crisis.
Mindfulness
Many companies are forging forward with the use of Mindfulness. Encouraging employees to practise Mindfulness & providing guidance for this, could really help those working from home or employees returning to the workplace.
Mindfulness takes so many forms but helping staff to remain in the present & or seek ways to take a moment of peace to reflect; can have outstanding benefits to an employee’s mental health & their productivity.
Social groups
Many employers & employees started using Zoom & other platforms to remain in contact during the Covid19 crisis & although it is quite draining to be engaged online for a considerable amount of time; it also helped people remain connected.
Starting Whatsapp groups or social groups to keep employees connected & talking to each other, can help keep teams together in a more social setting & in doing so avoid the sense of isolation a lot of home workers first experienced during the first Covid19 lockdown March 2020.
Employers have a responsibility to support their employees emotionally as well as financially whether this is through the transitions to flexible working, or a full return to an employment environment. Helping employees feel connected to their work, to their colleagues & to make them feel valued; can have positive impact on their mental health.
These are only a few practical ideas which can help employees & create a more productive environment for everyone.
Written by Katy-Jane Mason on behalf Virtually Smart.
