As most of Australia’s East Coast transition back into lockdown due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers and employees are moving back into remoting working arrangements.
These arrangements take a strain on both business owners and their employees and it is important that during these trying times, employee wellbeing is a critical focus for all businesses.
Common Feelings
Whilst in lockdown and working remotely, common feelings that employees may experience due to the lockdown include:
- feelings of isolation or disconnection;
- employees being unable to ‘switch off from work’;
- difficulty with motivation and commitment to work;
- insomnia and sleep problems; and
- feelings of uncertainty regarding performance at work, including feelings of general anxiety towards employment.
It is important that both employers and employees take steps to manage and promote wellbeing in the workforce during these uncertain times.
Tips for employee management and wellbeing
Whilst there is no ‘one size fits all’ model for dealing with wellbeing, the below are some general tips to help your employees maintain a safe and productive employment relationship during the pandemic and to assist with any ongoing feelings of anxiety or disconnection.
Maintain a routine and structure throughout the day
a) Employees should attempt to maintain an ‘as normal’ structure as much as possible during this time to maintain clarity and assist with working from home.
b) Setting up a routine with a regular start time, break time and end time will help manage working from home as well as preparing employees for the eventual return to the office after the pandemic.
c) Having a structured routine may assist in separating work from home life as well as providing clear disconnection for when work starts and ends.
- Your employees should attempt to mimic at home as best as possible the hours worked when in the office. For example, if an employee’s office hours are 9am to 5pm, employees should attempt to work those times as much as possible.
Stay connected with co-workers and friends
d) Whilst working from home, employees are unable to interact on a day-to-day basis with colleagues. Interaction with colleagues assists employees to remind themselves that they are not isolated.
e) Employees should try stay connected where possible with co-workers and friends during this period.
f) Utilising programs such as Zoom, Facetime, Microsoft Teams and Skype should be used to help employees stay connected with their co-workers as well as maintaining social interaction during these uncertain times.
Exercise and physical activity
g) Working from homes means many employees are spending more time inside and not getting out and about.
h) Commuting to and from work every day provided many employees with a disconnect from work by travelling to/from their job. This also meant that people were getting out and about in the fresh air.
i) Whilst working from home, employees should take time to go and sit outside for at least 10 to 15 minutes or go for a short walk to help maintain activity and breathe fresh air.
j) Going for a short walk in the morning, on a lunch break, after work, or sitting outside under a covered area to undertake work if possible is recommended to help employees get out and about and break up the monotony of isolation, but subject to the Federal and State Government’s restrictions that are in place of course.
- Any exercise that employees engage in should comply with Government rules and social distancing policies.
Mental health
k) Many employees are finding it hard to disconnect from work, and are feeling added pressures from their job or are worried about their performance at their job during this time.
l) Your employees should attempt, as much as possible, to maintain a work/life balance where employees give themselves adequate time away from the computer screen and time to themselves to help manage mental health.
m) The physical act of logging off from your computer and going home every day from the office provided a mental trigger for many people to disconnect from their work. This should not change just because an employee is working from home. It is not advisable to keep your computer logged on 24/7 at home.
What can Marsdens do for your business?
If you are a business looking for guidance regarding your workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, please contact Aaran Johnson or Simon Kumar (contact details below) to discuss how Marsdens can help you.
The contents of this publication are for reference purposes only. This publication does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Specific legal advice should always be sought separately before taking any action based on this publication.
