Successful businesses have happy, healthy employees. 

We spend an average of 50 hours a week at work, so it’s natural that we want to spend that time in an environment where we feel comfortable, valued, and cared for. If work is pure stress, it can cause us severe problems, both mentally and physically. 

Being under excessive pressure at work can impact our performance negatively, leading to fatigue, anxiety, and time away. Inevitably, these symptoms have become more prominent as a result of COVID-19.

As we grapple with the pandemic and its fallout, it is more important than ever for employers and employees to find new ways to work and interact with each other while taking better care of everyone’s health and wellbeing.

Look after yourself and others

Adjusting to new ways of work such as flexible and remote working and the use of satellite offices can have an impact on our wellbeing. However, we can all cultivate wellness by developing better habits.

Keep your immune system strong by prioritising personal hygiene and limiting physical contact with other people. Integrating physical and mindfulness activities into your working day eases pressure and increases the production of endorphins. If circumstances allow, go outside for a brisk walk and some fresh air.

If you’re a manager, remember you are the first point of contact for many employees and have an important role in their wellbeing. Check in regularly with employees and be available for them, while watching out for signs of distress and fatigue. You should also encourage employees to sharpen their skills with online training, which serves as a good distraction by focusing on learning rather than problematic work issues.

The steps outlined above have implications for the way in which companies can support employees and help them to maintain their health and wellbeing.

Tracking employees’ wellbeing

Companies should review their wellbeing strategies and expand assistance programmes to ensure employees have full access to the support and practical resources they need. For example, Starbucks is offering 20 free therapy sessions to each of its employees in the United States.

Returning to the office

To help employees gradually return to the workplace, companies should communicate new guidelines and protocols effectively, a study by research organisation the Conference Board suggests. 

Tesla’s Return to Work Playbook offers clear guidelines on social distancing and workspace norms. CLP provided personal protective equipment and sent caring kits to employees as a great way to start the move back to the office. 

Technology and workplace design are also vital to prioritise employee health, comfort and safety in the office. Amazon created its own tool, the Distance Assistant, that uses depth sensors and AI-enabled camera to track human movements and gives off a signal when employees are less than 1.8 metres from each other.

With health and wellness becoming a priority worldwide, companies are rapidly upgrading measures to help and safeguard their employees. During and after the pandemic, employees should develop better habits to cultivate wellness, and companies should create customised solutions to support employee wellbeing for the good of everyone.