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Taking Care of Employee's Mental Health & Safety During COVID-19

Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen a surge in mental health problems. People from all over the world are experiencing severe or mild issues, including increased anxiety, panic attacks, and the fear of losing jobs and loved ones.

 A study published in KFF says more young people (aged between 18-24) are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorder. And young adults are more likely to report substance use and having suicidal thoughts as compared to adults.

 Probably because most of them are the sole breadwinners in their families. Or they are supposed to contribute a significant chunk of their monthly expenses.

 If you are an employee, chances are you have never felt this kind of uncertainty before. You know you can lose your job at any moment. Only in the United States, more than 200,000 small businesses have been closed.

 Even big firms had to lay off their employees. This uncertainty is the same everywhere, whether you are being paid $20,000 per month or less than $5000, job security is less than 10%.

 In such circumstances, it’s the employer’s responsibility to take care of the employee’s health. Every employee is an asset for an organization and mental health problems stop employees from performing at their best.

 Here’s how you can keep your employees happy, confident, and feel secure:

 1.Follow SOPs at Your Workplace

One thing every employee fears is catching the virus at the workplace. When an infected employee attends the office, he can end up infecting hundreds of other employees unconsciously.

 Follow SOPs to ensure peace of mind for all of your employees. Maintain social distancing and ask sick employees to work from home. Anyone having a runny nose or cough shouldn’t be allowed to enter the office.

 Avoid physical meetings at any cost; you don’t need to interact physically when you have the Zoom app available.

 If you are hiring new employees, get them screened from a visa medical center to make sure they are healthy.

 2.Have One-to-One Meetings

Does one of your employees seem down these days? Maybe he has lost a loved one during the pandemic, or maybe he’s going through personal issues. Don’t hesitate to reach him out in person and have a candid conversation.

 As an employer, you ought to know what’s causing a decline in his performance. If it has something to do with the increased work stress, assure him that you are happy with his performance.

 And if it’s something to do with his personal life, tell him you are ready to offer him paid leaves -- or whatever you can do to help the cause.

 Sometimes a little pat on the back, a few words of encouragement, and a dose of motivation suffice. Employees are found more productive and super fast when they get a fair appreciation for their hard work.

 3.Review Workload

Managing employees’ workload in the pandemic is more important than the normal days. It’s understandable that employers expect employees to work more because they had to let go of some employees due to the current situation.

 However, that doesn’t mean you can expect 10 employees to cover the work of 20 employees. In fact, with increased workload and mental health problems, an employee’s working capacity is going to decline.

 Regularly review the workload of every employee and make sure they are assigned tasks based on their capacity. Set realistic goals or else you might end up losing your most valuable employees, which will ultimately affect your business.

 4.Schedule Refreshment Time

It can be stressful to think about what's happening outside. Though some countries have reopened, some are still witnessing thousands of new cases on a daily basis. And you and your employees are regularly bombarded with news about new cases and fatalities.

 Schedule some refreshment time in the office. You and your employees can indulge in sports that can be played with SOPs and unwind. Don’t let it just be about work but introduce some fun activities to cheer up your employees.

 5.Promote Learning

Every employee wants to grow. If an employee is not learning new things in his job, he eventually sees himself stuck at one level. No matter how unstable your business is, never compromise on employees’ growth.

 Keep investing in the skill development of your employees. Virtual seminars have become a norm today, you can hire trainers and encourage your employees to excel in their fields.

 This way, they will be more focused on work and have less time to worry about other things. Learning new things is also a source of happiness, it gives us a sense of accomplishment.

 Also, this investment will bring your employees closer to the company.

 6.Talk Positive & Spread Hope

Studies suggest positive talk can make you feel better. Moreover, personality traits such as optimism and pessimism can affect your mental health and mold your personality.

 Some people are too optimistic, regardless of the fact how lofty their goals are. And eventually, they end up achieving those goals. This has a lot to do with their tendency to think positively in all circumstances.

 As an employer, if you think and talk positively, your employees will follow in your footsteps. This positivity in current times is the need of the hour.