Creating stability for employees as the Delta variant redefines return-to-work
For many people, the immediate sense of safety from COVID-19 they felt after getting vaccinated is depleting.
A year ago, we thought the wide availability of the COVID-19 vaccine would be the turning point that would return us to “normal life” and bring us back into the office. With the emergence of the Delta variant and the resulting uptick in cases, employers have difficult decisions to make around how to best keep their workforce safe – weighing various options from mandating vaccines to extending remote work. Many are adjusting return-to-work policies to be more hybrid-friendly, which presents new challenges. Not to mention the new vaccine mandate and what enforcement looks like for companies with more than 100 employees.
According to the Gartner report How Hybrid Working Can Transform the Employee Experience, “nearly six in 10 of the surveyed workers who said they are more productive overall within a hybrid work culture emphasized that flexibility of hours was the most important reason for that increase, followed by a change in physical space. Since the forced shift to remote work, organizations have been greatly concerned about the potential for workers’ productivity to drop. However, in many cases, productivity has actually increased, albeit at the cost of many workers becoming stressed and “burnt out.”
Related: Let’s talk honestly about stress in the workplace
Employees’ tolerance for change and resilience is being tested yet again. HR professionals are well aware of the burn-out risk, the burgeoning “great resignation” and anxiety around the rise of the Delta variant. For many people, the immediate sense of safety from COVID-19 they felt after getting vaccinated is depleting as breakout infections surge. Here are four ways employers can support restless employees during these ever-changing times:
Offer flexibility and set clear guidelines
Presenting flexibility in working arrangements with in-office, hybrid or remote options is a great way to respect employees’ concerns about returning to work. It’s important to note that hybrid work creates complexities around a multitude of factors like internal communications, equitable promotion opportunities and even equal face time during meetings where some people are in the office with colleagues and others are remote.
Management should develop and communicate policies that pledge to maintain a level playing field among all employees—remote or not—when it comes to meetings, workloads, reviews, promotions and more and emphasize a “return at your own pace” attitude.
Cultivate a quality hybrid workplace
Employees have been seeking meaningful work and supportive environments for years— the pandemic has made it clear these are no longer desires, but requirements for retention. More than 25% of employees are planning to leave their current jobs, and employers are struggling to fill open roles. Employers should rework their onboarding and transition experiences to ensure that they go as smoothly as possible. Developing a personalized action plan can help employees navigate transitions with ease. Setting measurable goals and check-ins will help employees discuss any ongoing struggles with management so that they feel heard and secure in their work performance.
It goes without saying that company culture took a hit this past year, and the siloed nature of remote work left many feeling isolated. Brainstorm engaging ways to promote wellbeing and camaraderie with a hybrid workforce and look for feedback where available to refine these offerings. While many factors of remote work have been challenging, it has also created some positive change in the future of work. This past year has been a case study in the laissez-faire management style, and it promoted flex hours and open communication about wellbeing.
Continue to foster an environment where employees are aware that their personal life will always be respected, or employees will find that elsewhere. Employee retention and satisfaction are very complex and interconnected and tracking these should be at the forefront of every return-to-work strategy.
A curated, personalized experience is vital
Employees want total wellbeing support during every stage of life and now is no exception. Management should review their benefit packages to ensure that they are offering a suite of benefits that can be adjusted to ensure relevance for each member of the workforce. Employees are struggling with pandemic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the recent Mental Health Index. Risk of PTSD has increased 36% since February, and 55% since the start of the pandemic. Many employers are doubling down on mental health and resiliency solutions due to the prolonged stress brought on by the pandemic.
Additionally, family planning and fertility benefits are becoming more mainstream with employers across the country seeking to demonstrate inclusivity and attract or retain talent. As women become mothers later in their career and same-sex couples or single people seek to have children, there has been greater interest and expectations for these benefits.
With more benefit and resource options than ever before, 80% of employees report not knowing where to find what’s available to them. For employers to ensure that their workforce is aware of and utilizing the resources available to help them, it’s critical to provide a single destination that’s easily accessible. Top-shelf employee engagement platforms also leverage consumer data and predictive analytics to only serve-up the programs individual employees and dependents will benefit from the most – making them feel supported and valued.
Go virtual with wellbeing
Digital health and wellbeing programs have rapidly increased in popularity as employers replaced some of the in-person wellness experiences with virtual programming to support social distancing. Employers should continue offering these benefits so employees who feel uncomfortable with in-person care can continue their journeys. Not only are digital health and wellbeing resources helpful for remote and hybrid workers, they can be easy to integrate into a busy routine since they do not require any additional time commitment for commuting to a fitness center or other facility.
More emails aren’t the answer
Communication and promotion of available programs can be difficult since remote workflows become heavily email-focused, which is often not the most effective channel. Many employees are feeling inundated with the amount of information they receive now and increasing volumes of company-wide announcement emails fall into that category as well. While employees may be aware of the program itself, they may not be familiar with where to access it, or who to reach out to for enrollment.
Especially when it comes to enforcing vaccine mandates or verifying COVID tests, leveraging text or automated voice (IVR) calls are a scalable, more immediate and welcomed alternative to email. Employers taking a multi-channel approach with a combination of email, text message and manager communications are driving up to 55% greater employee awareness and engagement with health and wellbeing benefits.
With the Delta variant upending thoughtfully developed return-to-work plans, many employees are experiencing renewed levels of stress and anxiety. While what comes next is unclear, what is clear is that the employee/employer relationship is continuing to evolve and it is essential for organizations to supercharge efforts to make them feel safe and supported as we enter another area of uncharted territory.
Jonna Graulich is associate vice president of market solutions employer & health services at Welltok.
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