An emotionally supportive environment amidst the pandemic
The pandemic has hit us all hard. Workplaces and the workforce have both had to bear the brunt that this has brought. Ensuring the emotional wellbeing of employees, at this time, is a challenge but a necessity. Read on for some simple strategies to lay down the foundation for sound emotional health.
Emotional health at the workplace has been at the forefront for some time now. As workplace stress increased with the changing demands of the workplace, the leadership began taking steps to manage the emotional health of employees. This included emotional well-being sessions, retreats, workshops, and in some cases, even paid time off. However, the COVID-19 pandemic shook things up. Now, along with balancing the workplace pressure, the workforce is also struggling with personal issues. Furthermore, most of the interventions for emotional wellbeing are either irrelevant at this time or cannot be executed. This has led to higher stress levels, anxiety, and depression. And this does not only have an impact on the personal life, but also the productivity of the person in the workplace. However, ensuring this can be a challenge in the current times. A few strategies that can help in ensuring the wellbeing of employees are as follows:
Create an empathetic environment
Employers at this point need to step back and relook at the work culture. There is a need to first look at a person as an individual who may have suffered due to the illness, may have lost someone important to him or her, or may have just been impacted by the overall environment. Empathizing with employees is imperative to lay down the first step to creating a work environment where a person feels that his or her emotional well-being matters and s being prioritized.
Assign time for conversation
Sometimes all that a person needs to maintain emotional stability is an opportunity to vent out and talk. Offering employees a space where they can have a conversation without being judged can be extremely helpful in reducing stress and anxiety. Creating a peer support group may help or assign a psychologist who would offer a neutral and nonjudgemental space may also help.
Give space
In these times, it is important for superiors to trust their employees and to offer them the space to work while managing the constraints that remote working has brought along. The productivity of an employee is largely dependent on his emotional well being and giving a person flexibility can go a long way in making them feel empowered. This empowerment then translates to a positive work environment and offers a happier space.
Overall, it is fairly well established that an emotionally healthy workforce is happier, more engaged, and definitely more productive.
And therefore, taking a few steps towards ensuring an environment that is conducive to emotional well-being, can benefit the organization in the long run.
