Strategies to help employees and teams thrive post-pandemic

The last 18+ months have taught us many things including how critical wellbeing and resiliency are not only for individual employees but to organizations and businesses. The stress, isolation, and shift for many employees to work remotely due to the pandemic has taken its toll. Nearly half of full-time American workers indicated that they suffer from mental health issues, a significant increase since 2019.

At a recent employer conference, Pam Hannon, an HR and benefit design leader and Midwest Business Group on Health Board Chair, offered insights for employers tasked with the wellness and wellbeing of their workforce during these especially trying times. The lessons learned can be applied to workplaces that choose to be flexible with work-at-home or hybrid options where limited social interaction continues.

We have all heard flight attendants tell us to put our own oxygen mask on first. This not only applies when flying but to many aspects of our lives and is critical to those tasked with improving the health and wellbeing of their workforce such as HR and benefit managers. It is important to schedule activities and time to protect and improve your wellbeing, and this can be as simple as creating a weekly wellness planner.

Hannon offered a wide range of recommendations that are beneficial not only to those in the workplace, but are helpful for families, students, and most anyone else who may benefit from a wellness boost.

Protect your well-being both physically and mentally

• Keep up with regular physicals, routine vaccinations and exams that are critical to preventing diseases and identifying problems in the early stages.
• Eat well to boost immunity and reduce inflammation as it’s important to feed your body and your brain.
• Get enough sleep and create a routine to ensure you don’t give up sleep to pack more work into your day.
• Journal your plans and worries. By writing things down, you can break them down into pieces and plan for how you will manage each concern.
• Find an activity you like and put it on your schedule with things you enjoy and give you the energy and physical wellbeing you need.
• Unplug with meditation or yoga. While it’s often hard for type A’s to do this, the results are worth the effort.

Develop resiliency

• Learn to reframe situations. Avoid the 3 Ps – personal, permanent and pervasive and seek out resources and help when needed.
• Manage your stressors. Notice and defuse unwanted thoughts; find your own techniques to manage stress; develop self-acceptance and self-compassion.
• Identify strengths and values. Clarify what matters to you, identify and use your strengths, invest in friendships and connections.

Practice self-compassion and cultivate compassion

Compassion is the sensitivity to suffering in yourself and others with a commitment to alleviate and prevent it. Strong compassion can improve psychological health and wellbeing, and resilience. Self-compassion is making sure we are recognizing that we need to give ourselves a break.

Practical ways to cultivate compassion include: treat yourself with same kindness you might extend to others; develop empathy for others and actively listen to their perspectives; volunteer, reach out to others and practice random acts of kindness; forgive others and yourself; and silently wish others well, happiness and freedom from suffering.

Increase your experience of engagement

• Take in the present moment. Be active. Develop a new skill or hobby – stretch your brain.
• Join a group, create art or poetry, explore a museum or travel.
• Volunteer, take on a challenge.
• Create a “Someday I will…” journal and keep a notebook of favorite quotes, learnings, plans and goals.

Maintain strong connections and networks

• Create high-quality genuine relationships which can lead to a better work environment.
• Be genuine, open and honest and focus on being grateful for better connections. Research from the Harvard Business Review found that when you become more genuine you get more help from and develop better partnerships with co-workers in the long term.
• Get creative in developing connections in a virtual environment. Grab coffee, lunch or a drink and start your camera, practice active listening, and ask questions to spark conversations, but limit controversy.

While these strategies are primarily focused on building individual resilience, Hannon also offered insight for those who manage teams and practical tips to incorporate these strategies into organizations.

Create great manager conversations

• Connect personally first to learn what your team may want to share.
• Ask for guidance on your top three priorities. Are they aligned with team/leadership goals? What is missing/could be added?
• Ask for feedback – prompt with specifics. How do you think I handled…? Do you have suggestions for…? What is something I can improve?
• Discuss development and career goals/aspirations and learn what you can do to improve and/or excel in your career.
• Inspire your team with your thought processes. Present recommendations and invite conversation. Co-create a vision and work with your team to make the idea theirs. Don’t fret if your idea is rejected – sometimes it just isn’t the right time, or the organization isn’t ready for it.

Make connections part of the culture

• Put people first by providing leaders training to build skills that engage and lead teams.
• Allow all employees to have a voice at the table and seek employee feedback, especially from those that may be hesitant.
• Spotlight desired behaviors with achievement awards and public recognition.

Lead by example

• Inspire inclusion and diversity.
• Focus on engagement and model the behavior.
• Share good and bad news openly.
• Leverage data, the market and external insights to drive needed change.

Strengthen inclusion

• Solicit others’ thoughts on key issues before sharing your own; don’t bypass the hard issues; consider a “confidential” feedback portal; acknowledge differences and solicit suggestions to learn “from the other side.”
• Rotate hosts and allow them to run the meeting; encourage creativity.
• Brainstorm a list of topics the team would like to address.
• Invites peers and internal guests to connect and share.
• Use the “5-minute warning” to acknowledge efforts and accomplishments.

Create fun team connections

For employees still working remotely, organize coffee/lunch chats; bring your child, pet or musical instrument to a work meeting; schedule an event to cook, workout or participate in a book club discussion.

Once back in the office, create a social/break corner; set out puzzles, games and flip charts with markers; hold a group stretch or brief office walks; place random messages on Post-it notes and leave in meeting rooms, break areas and workspaces and encourage everyone to make it a point to stop and say hello.

These practical recommendations are important to not only build resilience for individuals, but also organizations. As we enjoy the holiday season and look to the start of a new year while continuing to navigate the impacts of the pandemic, it is important to continue to foster resiliency for employees and employers alike.

Cheryl Larson is president and CEO of Midwest Business Group on Health.