Mental Health has been a real topic of conversation here at the HR Dept North Birmingham. The pandemic has undeniably put a strain on mental health for all. Most have seen this to a certain degree over the past 10 months or so, whether experiencing mental health problems themselves, supporting a loved one through, or supporting a colleague.
We have seen a wide range of issues across our client base, which has been impacting on mental health including anxiety being in the workplace, financial and family worries, home schooling, childcare issues, and feeling isolated whilst working from home. All of these things have contributed, and we know there will inevitably be people who have lost loved ones during the pandemic too, and with restrictions on funerals and family gatherings making these situations more difficult to manage.
In addition, a study into understanding society during COVID-19 by Southampton University found that one in four Brit’s reported sleep problems during lockdown, which is bound to further affect mental health.
Whether your staff are furloughed, are still based at your normal workplace or if your staff are working from home – ensuring that you maintain communication is a really useful tool to spot any early signs that your team may be struggling with their mental health. Something they may not even recognised in themselves yet.
But then what? We know it can be difficult to know what to do to support your workforce, and look after your own mental health too. Often, managers may spot signs of poor mental health in their team, but not know how to approach the subject and offer support.
Here are our top tips which may help you:
- When working from home, we know there is the temptation for people to be online, responsive, and available at all times. Whilst it’s easy for the lines to become blurred working from home, encourage your team to adopt a good work life balance and set a good example yourself. Encourage regular breaks away from the computer in addition to getting out in the fresh air during lunch breaks as well as after work.
- If your staff are still in the workplace, ensure that you share your Covid-19 Risk Assessment with them – communication really is key. For staff who have expressed a concern or who have refused to return to the office, be sure to listen to their concerns. If the problem continues, do seek advice as this can be a complicated and risky matter.
- Keeping to a routine can really help, especially when working from home – maybe start or end your day with a Zoom call or build a weekly team meet into your schedule.
- Get enough sleep and encourage your staff to do the same – there is a close correlation between mental well-being and sleep habits.
- Survivor syndrome – you may never have heard of it, but its real! You may have made redundancies or introduced recruitment freezes to protect the business, and it can leave those still working in the business having to work harder than ever, or missing their colleagues. Check in on those staff that may have lost team members during the pandemic, and remind them what you value about them. Make sure they do not suffer from burnout and stress, and know who they can turn to for support.
- Mental health awareness training can help managers spot the signs of an employee in need of support, even from a distance – or some resilience training across the workforce may really benefit. Ask us about our e-learning packages!
- Check in with your staff who are on Furlough leave and ensure they do not feel forgotten. But ensure that your communication does not lead to them to start answering work questions as any service they provide means that you are not eligible to claim Furlough! We have resources available to support Furloughed staff with their training and development whilst they remain away from the workplace, or in preparation for their return.
- An EAP programme will likely costs less than you think and has been an essential support service for many over 2020. Get in touch for a quote, and to find out more about how this could benefit your staff when they really need it.
We hope these tips help you and please do get in touch if you think any of our services may assist you and your business.
