The uncertainty caused by new ways of working is one of the main causes of stress and uncertainty – and stress and uncertainty create an environment in which anxiety, anger, depression, sleep problems and other psychological consequences multiply. These psychological consequences have always existed, only the coronavirus pandemic has further “flared up”. That employees have faced unprecedented conditions for doing their jobs, and employers with employees who have been “bursting at the seams” in recent months is already old news. According to research by Mind Share Partners, the mental health of as many as 42% of employees has drastically deteriorated since the emergence of the COVID-19 virus. And therefore, there is no point in doing any in-depth diagnostics – let's focus on solutions.
The other day, I shared a lengthy interview with my dear mentor from college, an excellent clinical psychologist, on social media. The title itself says: "The mental health of Croatians is serious and worrying!" Numerous companies have recognized this problem and decided to do something about protecting the mental health of their employees, and raising awareness of this ever more important topic will be the main goal of this article.
Build a "check-in" culture
Constantly checking in on how our employees are doing is finland whatsapp data more important than ever – especially now that we’re working from home and in virtual teams. In larger systems, it can be a real challenge to take care of people even when they’re physically present. Qualtrics and SAP conducted a study and found that out of all the employees surveyed, 40% of them were never asked how they were doing. Sometimes a simple “how are you?” is enough to get you started. But don’t stop there: ask open-ended questions and show interest in your people’s problems and stories – even if you can’t help directly. Various psychological questionnaires can also be of assistance, especially if you work in a large company.
Communication and flexibility
We can't even begin to address mental health issues if we don't know exactly what's going on, and that's where communication comes in. It's crucial in these uncertain times, when our sense of (job) security is shaken and when some unpleasant change lurks around every corner. By not communicating, we leave people to create their own (most often false) truth, which becomes a source of unnecessary stress for them.
When you build a culture of open communication, you will be able to identify problems much more easily and quickly – and you can then solve the problems you identify. Often, managers screw up because they assume or think they know what their people need – without even asking them. Let’s not make that mistake. Some managers have been so trusting of their employees that they have given them so much flexibility and allowed them to set their own work schedules, so that the excessive amount of work would not cause them stress and tension.