The UK government’s roadmap to lifting lockdown has had some time to percolate, and in some quarters, the conversation has now turned to the country’s return to the office.
Back in February, the prime minister Boris Johnson predicted that workers would return to the office in a few short months, and that prediction, coupled with the gradual reopening of retail and hospitality which begins in earnest next month, looks likely to spell the end of the current, prolonged phase of working from home which so many have gone through this past year.
Though some are keen to get back to work, others may be experiencing anxiety about this upcoming change.
If you’re a business owner, employer or manager, then it’s your job to make this return to work, and your operations within the confines of the ‘new normal’ workplace, as smooth and stress free as possible. If you’re wondering how to manage this return to the office, then here are 6 tips for managers to help reduce workplace stress.
FOCUS ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Occupational health focuses on the physical and mental wellbeing of employees in the workplace. Its aim is to prevent work-related illness and injury and promote the health and wellbeing of all employees. A dedicated OH department provides guidance, training and continued support for employers to support their workers’ wellbeing, and is essential for any forward thinking company hoping to thrive in the ‘new normal’.
In a post-pandemic world, motivating workers to put their own mental health above all else is going to be incredibly important, so let them know that they can approach you, or the HR or OH department, should they need additional support.
It’s important during this process to make sure employees know that they won’t be judged should they be feeling stressed or anxious, and that your confidentiality is guaranteed.
Employers who value their staff should offer stress relieving solutions, such as free or discounted therapy sessions, provided by a professional, if possible. Hold regular mental health awareness days where experts come in to share information, as well as speakers that share their own experiences. All of this creates a culture of openness and inclusion which is vital to a harmonious, healthy workplace.
Having an employer that understands the importance of personal wellbeing and mental health takes the stress off employee shoulders, and considering how stressful the return to work after lockdown might be for some, is essential to guarantee your staff’s welfare.
PROMOTE WORKPLACE MINDFULNESS
Leading on from focusing on occupational health, many of the world’s most successful companies are increasingly promoting mindfulness in the workplace as an essential tool in raising staff morale. In fact, Google even has a Head Of Mindfulness, who cites the practice as akin to a ‘fitbit for the mind’, opening the door to ‘’loving kindness which is at the heart of business success’’, as the Guardian reported back in 2014.
Many other successful multinationals have since followed suit, with Apple, Nike, Microsoft and so many more all cultivating a culture of mindfulness and hosting regular meditation sessions for staff. And you know what motivational slogan writers love to say; ‘’happy staff, upwards graph’’. Actually, we just made that up, but it kinda works, don’t you think?
Mindfulness meditation apps such as Headspace and Calm are giving employers the opportunity to focus on the health and well-being of their employees via guided meditations and wellbeing advice, as well as hosting regular team sessions featuring talks from professional speakers, with many companies now offering subscriptions as part of their package of perks when joining the team.
As Cnbc writes ”For employers, it gives them a way to help ensure their employees mental health. Quantifying how much stress and mental illness costs companies is challenging because it includes direct costs like medical visits and indirect costs, such as lost productivity”. Moreover ‘workers, especially millennials, are demanding more wellness benefits from their employers. Buying meditation subscriptions can be an attractive opportunity for companies”
OFFER FLEXIBILITY
The pandemic has shown us that employees can work from home. A survey of over 1,000 British workers by the Institute of Leadership & Management revealed that flexible working can be an important way to reduce stress and increase general wellbeing among the British workforce. With so many companies having to be increasingly nimble and dexterous to adapt to an every changing climate caused by the global pandemic, the tools are now in place to facilitate home working for the foreseeable future.
Offering flexibility for staff and autonomy over decisions regarding whether or not they return to the office or continue working from home could hugely relieve employee stress in your company. Some companies are planning to adopt flexi-time working full time, while others intend to split office and home working so employees can enjoy the benefits of both. Figuring out just how to manage a remote workforce in the ‘new normal’ certainly isn’t easy, but by offering flexibility, you’ll likely have a more committed team on side.
Whatever your company is planning, do first check out these tips on how to encourage a productive flexible working environment for some really useful pointers.
ENCOURAGE A WORK-LIFE BALANCE
When deadlines are looming, it can be tempting for staff to work way beyond normal hours – especially when they’re working from home where boundaries have become increasingly blurred. While this may be necessary on the odd occasion, regular overworking can result in burnout and have a detrimental effect on employee morale.
Encourage your team to come to you if they are struggling with their workload instead of expecting them to tacitly work beyond their hours. In doing so, you can find an alternative which suits all parties; the last thing you want is demoralised, exhausted employees.
Earlier this year we wrote about the rise of the workacation. As a knock-on effect of the global pandemic, and for those desperate for a holiday but still keen to keep the coin coming in, it looks likely that Britain’s workers will be increasingly combining work and travel, taking back control of that work/life balance by focusing on living the latter to its full potential whilst getting the former done in a new, exciting location.
Though it might sound an out-there suggestion a first, allowing employees to complete their work from abroad could provide new motivation and inspiration for staff, and prevent that much-dreaded burnout we mentioned.
If you’re looking for the perfect holiday form template for your team so that they can submit their holiday requests via email or print out, TonerGiant offers a clearly laid out, downloadable holiday request downloadable form that’s ideal for making it easy to request holidays.
Simply download the document file which are available in a handy Word document, PDF or Excel file versions, and fill it out on your device or print out the PDF and write inside the boxes; it couldn’t be more simple. Download the form here.
SUPPORT PARENTS
Parents have had it particularly hard this past year, facing so many unique challenges during the pandemic. Even before the outbreak, there were stressed out parents working for companies everywhere.
Dozens of studies have been published in recent years highlighting the greater need for company support with childcare, and emphasising the importance of company understanding and flexibility regarding employees with young families.
Indeed, Employee Benefits highlight that only three in five (61%) working parents said they thought their employer did a good job at supporting them, with just over half (55%) having a ‘’flexible working arrangement in place”. They also reveal that ‘’three-quarters (75%) of working parents suffer stress and anxiety as a result of their work-life balance management’’. This, we agree, has to be improved.
Despite the introduction of shared parental leave as a legal requirement in April 2015, women are still bearing most of the responsibility for childcare. We know that mothers who have children and a full-time job experience significantly elevated stress levels, with a study by www.dpgplc.co.uk on supporting mothers in the workplace finding that:
- 54% struggled to balance their time between childcare and work,
- Over half (52%) felt guilty at spending so much time away from their children
- One-third (33%) struggled to cover costs of childcare.
As Forbes highlights, “Mothers in the workforce aren’t going anywhere, and their motherly experience can be of extraordinary benefit to employers. In fact, 91% of working Americans from a recent survey said mothers bring unique skills like communication, multitasking and remaining calm under fire, to leadership that others don’t…That’s why it is time for employers to welcome moms in, not shut them out.”
It makes sense, then, for employers to make an extra effort to create a workplace where flexibility is encouraged to alleviate the stress of your cherished staff.
STRIVE TO MAKE YOUR OFFICE THE ‘BEST PLACE TO WORK’
From ‘The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For’ to the ‘Best Workplace™ Awards’ by Great Place to Work, there are loads of awards out there for employees to show that their company is a great place to work. Receive this kind of recognition, and you can hope to attract the most open minded, creative, hard working and credible employees for years to come.
Indeed, according to Healthy Work Insights, employees at companies which qualify for such accolades are ‘’happier, more efficient and more engaged”. They go on to offer 6 criteria which are regularly listed as essential components of the most desirable workplaces. These are:
- Having a stimulating environment of work
- Positive social relations at work
- Enriched content of work
- Agile organization of work
- Promoted access to learning
- Balance between professional and personal life
It’s important to foster an environment where employees feel they can give their best. To reduce staff stress levels, it’s vital that you make your workplace one of the best places to work by channeling these positive, far reaching attributes.
THE BOTTOM LINE
As employers around the world experiment with bringing their employees back to offices, now is the time to make some fundamental changes to the office environment and your company culture, so your business is ready to flourish in a post-COVID working world.
And if you’re seeking more advice on the more physical side of things, then check out our article on 5 IDEAL tips for redesigning your workplace in a post-COVID world. Good luck and we’ll see you on the other side!
*This article is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment given by a qualified health professional. Instead, this article only provides information, not advice. For any medical enquiries, always consult your GP first*