With most people getting vaccinated, employers are asking employees to get back to the office. While returning to work was a great relief for some people, many are stressed and anxious about it. They worry about getting sick at the workplace, if extra precautions are taken at the office, will the transition be flexible, etc.
However, business leaders can gain employees’ trust by ensuring their physical and mental safety. Improvising workplace safety, incorporating huddle areas, and implementing space management solutions are some ways to manage stress in the workplace while keeping your employees comfortable.
Here are some best recommendations from top leaders to manage workplace stress and fear:
#1. Encouraging Social Connection
Social distancing does not mean giving up everything we have gained from a collaborative workplace. On top of that shifting to a shared workplace is beneficial, as it helps to foster and nurture the tribe mentality that we are all one.
Due to fatigue, you need to ensure that teams interact frequently in informal settings, such as an online success party or a music session on Fridays. People managers need to be educated on recognizing early signs of stress and dealing with it pro-actively. Senior leadership is available to anyone who wishes to contact them. You need to continuously encourage employees to prioritize mental health by sharing your own personal experiences.
– Priya Sharma, Chief Operating Officer, ZestMoney
Source: Economic Times
#2. Lead with Empathy
During a crisis, leaders may also have to deal with increased uncertainty, unfamiliar situations, or uncomfortable decisions, so it may be time to avoid depending on the boss alone for everything.
Now, it is also time for leaders to show more empathy towards their employees. They need to understand their employees and being empathic is crucial for any organization. If they do, employees will also feel comfortable expressing their concerns and fears.
– Ashish Kumar Singh, Chief HR Officer, Meesho
Source: Economic Times
#3. Communicate with Employees Frequently
The COVID-19 pandemic has upset people’s social lives, disrupting their daily activities, and forced employees to work from home. It is not yet clear when it will return to normal and what to do with it because every person’s situation is different and can change at any time.
Whether your teams continue to work from home or return to the office, it can be difficult to determine how well they are handling stress. Before explaining their duties and other responsibilities to them, ask how they are doing. Also, just don’t think your employees are okay, Make sure to communicate with them daily.
– Ajay Prasad, CEO, GMR Web Team
#4. Set Realistic Expectations
According to Robert Half research, employees have reported unrealistic manager expectations with heavy workloads and looming deadlines as a major stress factor. Increasing workloads can take a toll on employees’ mental health.
While setting realistic expectations, it is essential for managers to identify stressed-out employees to ease their deadlines and help them prioritize projects.
– Mike Steinitz, Sr. Executive Director, Robert Half
Source: Robert Half
#5. Encourage Employees to Connect with Spirituality
Impress upon employees to inculcate the habit of a 20-minute daily morning routine during which they should do something spiritual too. It can help in multiple ways, whether during a pandemic or during stressful work phases, or even when having personal issues.
Start with a religious song, move to an instrumental version of something they like, follow it up with a favorite movie song. Together these can work wonders. You can arrange a centrally managed music system with speakers all over the office to help them do this twice a day at work, they too can choose their music. You will observe that it helps manage workplace stress and improve productivity.
– Amit K. Prasad, Founder & MD, SatNav Group
Create Safer Workplace for Employees with QuickFMS Return-to-Work Solutions
COVID-19 has caused serious damage to people’s lives personally and professionally. But as the pandemic becomes more manageable and works across the country gradually return to normal operating hours, employers face the challenge of creating safer workplaces for employees to return and join. With the help of QucikFMS’s return-to-work solutions create a safer workplace for your employees.
Employers may or may not have experienced significant business changes before and after COVID-19. However, you must ensure that employees can safely return to work and continue to work as usual, to ensure that the prospects of companies continue to be bright and growth, efficiency, customer service levels don’t get compromised.
Amit Prasad is the founder and managing director of SatNav Technologies and has business interests in a wide range of IT products. SatNav Technologies is an IT products company focusing on cloud based map data products and a pioneer in GPS, FMS & LBS Technologies. The product suite includes SatTracx in-the-field location based solutions and A-mantra in-the-office facilities management solutions. QuickFMS from a-mantra is a cloud based facility management system which enhances organization’s efficiency.