According to a recent survey, one in three respondents stated that their mental health declined upon returning to work post-pandemic. Since the pandemic, there has been a greater need for mental health consideration from employers and business leaders.
Why Is Mental Health Such An Important Consideration For Employers?
If you’re unsure why mental health matters in the workplace, take a look at these top reasons to consider employee mental health a priority:
- Increasing job satisfaction – if your employees feel that their employer has their best interests at heart and takes care of their mental well-being, they will be more satisfied with their working environment.
- Increasing productivity – if your employees are happier, they are more likely to be productive. Anxiety can cause rumination and physical symptoms that make it difficult to focus. Implementing anxiety-relieving practices can help ensure stress doesn’t impact employee productivity.
- Reduces staff turnover – if your employees are unsatisfied or unhappy in their job or workplace, they will be more likely to move to a different job. Taking care of employee mental health can reduce turnover rates and help you to reserve recruitment costs.
In addition to these benefits, taking care of employees’ mental well-being is simply the right thing to do. Your employees spend much of their life in your workplace, and you are responsible for their safety and well-being at work, making it a comfortable and pleasant environment.
How To Help Your Employees Manage Their Re-Entry Anxiety
Now that you know why taking care of employee mental health in the workplace is essential, let’s discuss your options for making it more pleasant for employees – reducing re-entry anxiety.
Consider Flexible And Remote Options
After working remotely for so long, it could be jarring for your employees to wake up early, commute to work, and wear formal attire daily. With remote working, your employees will be used to casual clothing, great lie-ins, and a self-led approach to their daily tasks.
If you want to make the transition to in-office work smoother, consider implementing flexible and hybrid work options. Hybrid work allows employees to enjoy working from home while accessing office resources. And they can still enjoy those great lie-ins.
Flexible working hours can also help employees feel more freedom in their daily routines. If they like the freedom of choosing their working hours, this doesn’t need to change for in-office work. Allowing your employees more autonomy in their in-office schedule will put them at ease when returning to work.
Invest In Wireless Access Control For More Convenience
Wireless access card systems are one of the most hygienic security technologies that can decrease your employees’ worries about contracting coronavirus at work or losing their physical credentials.
The system operates touchless. Users are granted downloadable access credentials for their mobile devices, allowing them to enter using Bluetooth, WiFi, and cellular communication. To unlock the door and enter the office, the user needs only to wave their hand across the reader, triggering remote communication for entry.
Are your employees feeling anxious about returning to the office? Staying in touch with how your employees feel can help you craft a strategy to make your employees more comfortable in the office.
Keep reading to learn how to create a welcoming and comfortable work environment, manage your employees’ reentry anxiety, and maintain productivity.
This entry method eliminates the need for users to touch a button or pin pad to enter, significantly lowering the spread of germs at your building’s entrance. You might also consider opting for antimicrobial surfacing for any railings or elevator buttons your employees need to use to navigate your office.
Communicate National Guidance To Your Employees
The national guidelines on coronavirus are subject to change, and keeping your employees aware of these guidelines can help to ensure all employees are adhering to them.
For instance, some employees may need to be aware of the guidelines, putting others at risk. This could cause a dispute and increase workplace anxiety. So, ensure all employees know their responsibilities regarding national coronavirus guidelines.
Offer Free COVID-19 Testing
To ensure your employees feel safe at work and reduce the potential spread of coronavirus, you should consider offering free COVID-19 test kits at work, along with temperature readings.
An outbreak in your office could cause much of your workforce to be absent, leading to poor productivity. So, it’s in your best interest to provide testing for employees.
Provide Managerial Staff With Sensitivity Training
An inconsiderate word from managerial staff can seriously impact employees’ job satisfaction, and administrative staff must be compassionate when communicating with employees.
Consider providing your executive staff with sensitivity training that allows them to offer more support for employees struggling with re-entry anxiety.
Enhance Your Workplace
One of the best ways to make returning to work easier and less daunting for your staff is to make your workplace a more pleasant environment.
Consider increasing the amount of natural light in the office, providing more comfortable working areas, and creating a more pleasant atmosphere. You can add more plants to your office space, offer a free snack bar, and provide a wellness room for your employees to de-stress.
The goal is to entice your employees to enjoy returning to the office.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
You could implement wellness surveys to stay in touch with your employees’ mental health, needs, and job satisfaction. You can send surveys by email or even integrate them with your access control system, sending them automated surveys when they enter the building.
An idea of your employees’ mental state, job satisfaction, and what they want from their employer will give you more direction. The surveys might indicate the need for a mental health seminar or even a group retreat to help your employees get back to more social office life.
Summary
Mental health is one of the critical aspects of an excellent work environment. Providing your employees with support for their re-entry anxiety will ensure productivity doesn’t waver and improve their job satisfaction. Consider which tips in this article best suit your employees and their needs, and take action to ensure they feel comfortable and happy in the office.
