Why creating a safe space for emotions at work needs to be part of your post-COVID reopening plan

Every state has announced a reopening plan, a welcomed move for some following the nationwide coronavirus quarantine period. As officials chart the path forward, business leaders are able to implement their plans for bringing teams back to the office. But with the coronavirus threat still looming over us, creating a safe environment for staff is a top priority.

Preparing your company to safely reopen is more than just disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizing stations around the premises. Protecting your team’s emotional wellbeing needs to be a top priority, too. COVID-19 has not only impacted individuals’ physical health, but their mental health, as well. Employers need to account for this when they reopen, which is why having a plan in place to promote mental health and awareness is crucial.

Designing a psychologically-healthy reopening plan

There are certainly silver linings that have emerged from this experience and will help carry us through a successful transition.

Yet, there’s evidence – including an increase in telemedicine use for anxiety and an uptick in corresponding prescription claims – to suggest that our focus needs to be on addressing employees’ wellbeing and creating a culture in which it’s “okay to not be okay,” so long as we access the tools provided by the workplace to heal. As companies refine their return-to-work plans, there are several components leaders need to consider:

1. Acknowledge how much has changed. To start, company leadership needs to acknowledge the drastic change that’s occurred, and that it is scary for employees and their families. Our typical routines, whether it be work and school schedules, social interactions, spending habits or self-care practices, are different.

Encouraging company leaders to be authentic and demonstrate empathy toward their workers is one step employers can take to promote emotional wellbeing at work.

Another step is to review work hours and policies that provide employees with as much flexibility as possible to accommodate changes, as well as shore up those benefits that assist working parents and caregivers.

2. Seek input from all employees. Make it a point to actively seek input from as many employees as possible on a regular basis, which will in turn help the employer determine what makes their employees feel most secure.

Surveys and town halls are two methods, but one-on-one conversations are invaluable. Managers and company leaders should be equipped with the skills they need to build rapport with employees and have difficult conversations.

Employees need to be able to safely express how they are feeling. Promoting a culture of tolerance and respect where people feel valued and peers also feel compelled to support one another is paramount.

3. Watch for fatigue, signs of anxiety and depression. Continue to promote technology, like virtual counseling sessions and meditation apps to help employees practice healthy habits, but also, be mindful that most people are experiencing some level of “pandemic fatigue.”

This happens when declines across multiple domains of our wellbeing – social, career, physical, etc. – leave us feeling drained, which in turn leads to less effective coping mechanisms. Employers need to be cognizant of that, and check in on employees regularly because they may be hesitant to ask for help.

Leaders should work with their Employee Assistance Program to learn what signs to look for and how to make referrals so they can actively get their employees the help they need.

Consider providing communications campaigns with links to support resources around a range of topics such as depression screening, healthy sleep, domestic violence, substance abuse and financial wellbeing.

4. Don’t ignore trauma. While mental health concerns have risen among many employees, it’s critical to acknowledge that the fight for racial justice during this time is weighing heavily on black colleagues and has a significant impact on their emotional wellbeing.

It’s normal to experience strong emotions, including worry and fear, after acts of violence have occurred; however, the repeated violence against black citizens and institutional racism amidst the coronavirus pandemic, in which black people have been disproportionally impacted, is traumatic.

We need to seek to understand what black co-workers are feeling and acknowledge the grief, pain and anger. Employers must respond with meaningful resources and take actions that enable healing and change for us and future generations. This may include encouraging employees to take inventory of their inclusivity and look for ways to diversify in daily work and life, as well as practice compassion visualization and form employee resource groups for ongoing support.

5. Seek outside help and robust resources. In fact, having a professional on site is something that employers should strongly consider when creating their post-COVID reopening plans.

Arrange for a counselor to set up in the office for individual appointments. This can help facilitate conversations of small groups of employees to discuss coping mechanisms or tips for staying connected during this time.

Employers should consider making virtual visits an option for employees as well, especially for those wanting a bit more privacy. If the company has a wellbeing coordinator, they can help promote mental health and self-care resources through communication campaigns and other programming, such as meditation, yoga, social and community building activities.

Also consider enhancements to the physical space – something as simple as optimizing lighting, providing quiet spaces, plants and healthy snacks could go a long way and help in boosting employees’ wellbeing.

If you walk away with nothing else, let it be this: Remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Instilling a mentally healthy workforce takes time and effort. It’s a result of ongoing strategic efforts to provide a range of services within a culture that encourages employees to be authentic and vulnerable. It’s important to remember that employees are not machines and cannot thrive in an environment that treats them as such.

Emily Noll, MS TWCC is National Director, CBIZ Engagement & Wellbeing Practice. Her focus is on helping organizations create the conditions for a healthy workplace culture. She earned a specialized license in Building Thriving Workplace Cultures and is a long-time member of the Wellness Councils of America.  Emily is a subject matter expert in wellness program compliance and is actively pursuing a compliance certificate from the Center For Health & Wellness Law, LLC. Emily was invited to participate in the inaugural Wellness Study Group hosted by the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers to discuss market insights and leadership that will shape this industry moving forward.  Prior to coming to CBIZ she was the National Director of Wellness and Employee Assistance Programs and holds a masters’ degree in Organizational Counseling.