Lockdown Guidance for Employers - Mental Health

On 6th January 2021, England officially entered a third full-scale lockdown, alongside similar measures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As with the previous two lockdowns, employees should only attend the workplace if they are unable to work from home. For much of the working population, this therefore means that employees should return to their work from home set up. Schools will also be closed during this period for all except the children of Keyworkers, meaning working parents will also face the responsibility of caring for and educating their children during the day.

Many employees may be feeling a sense of pressure, confusion or despair and it is therefore important to make adjustments in order to not only help employees but allow them room to express these concerns. Due to the closure of schools, any employees who are parents may need special adjustments to be made to their working hours to allow for childcare.

Now, more than ever, employees’ physical and emotional wellbeing should be of the highest priority as it will ensure that employees remain capable of performing their roles and responsibilities effectively. The most effective way to safeguard employees’ wellbeing is by regular communication.

It is difficult to predict how different employees will react to the change of circumstances - for some, there may be no change and they will thrive with working from home, for others, it may take some extra support for them to become comfortable with the adjustment. Being adaptive and innovating new ways to prioritise employee wellbeing will help to secure brand longevity and keep employees motivated during this challenging time. This should provide a roadmap for a smooth transition back to the office once lockdown restrictions are lifted.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is likely to leave a lasting mark on those for whom mental health has suffered during this time. A report from Mind UK suggests that more than half of adults reported that their mental health had suffered in the period of the first national lockdown. For many, this may be the first time they are experiencing mental ill health which may lead to them feeling alone and unable to cope. Prioritising and facilitating discussions about mental health has therefore never been more important.

There are some practical tools employers can utilise for their workforce as a whole, however, and can start to roll out suggestions for good practice and give employees the tools to help them cultivate positive habits.

1. ROUTINE – One of the most positive tools for promoting good mental health is having a work-day routine. This routine should include a similar waking and bedtime each day, a structured work day and down time in either the morning or the evening so that the employee is not always contactable when they should be resting. Having suitable boundaries in place can lead to increased productivity during specified working hours.

2. SUNLIGHT – A recent study found that those who spent time outdoors, and particularly in sunlight, before noon, experienced a positive effect on their sleeping habits. This is due to sunlight regulating human physiology and behaviour and assisting the body with maintaining a precise schedule. Given that lockdown 3 is taking place during winter, employees will find it more difficult to find time in the day to experience natural sunlight but they should be encouraged to walk before starting the workday or during a lunch break or similar.

3. EXERCISE – Regular exercise, which can include walking, running, HIIT workouts, yoga or weights training, is proven to improve mood, concentration, sleeping patterns, cognitive function and helps alleviate symptoms of stress, low self-esteem and social withdrawal.

4. LIMIT NEWS INTAKE – The media we consume daily is having an impact on the way we think, behave and our emotional capacity. Striking a balance between staying informed and obsessing over breaking news is essential to productivity. Unfortunately, much of the news which is reported at the moment appears in the form of disaster reporting and this is negatively impacting mental wellbeing. Employees should therefore be encouraged to limit the time spent reading or watching the news to once a day, if possible.

5. SILENCE NOTIFICATIONS – For many, use of their phone is essential to the job they perform and it is therefore unrealistic to expect employees to totally silence their phones. It may, however, be useful to encourage employees to take time away from their phones or certain applications to help with their mental wellbeing, with particular reference to social media apps including Instagram, Twitter and WhatsApp. Having a phone-free or social media-free evening following a busy work day may help employees relax fully and reset prior to the next work day.

6. REST – Many UK employees found during the previous two lockdowns that they were working far more hours than they would if they were in the office. This is often a tension of availability and productivity and could mean an improvement in the Feedback Loop is required. Managers should actively encourage employees to have time away from work during the evenings and at weekends, which can include the extreme of placing the mobile phone and laptop in a separate room to avoid the temptation to over-work, along with introducing the boundaries mentioned in 1-5.

The above intentions may not all need to be covered by managers with employees, but it is appropriate to have a holistic conversation with employees to ensure their mental health is not being negatively impacted by the workplace or by the external climate of lockdown.

Managers should strive to communicate regularly with their employees. This will make it easier to recognise any tension or anxiety and address this before it becomes unmanageable. Both team calls and one-to-one calls are essential to keeping employees motivated.

Employers or managers may not be the correct people to support employees through a mental health crisis and it is therefore important to be able to point those who are struggling in the right direction. Where possible, employees should be encouraged to contact their GP for help and guidance relating to their mental wellbeing. Please contact us for a list of available resources to assist your employees with their mental wellbeing.

If you have questions regarding further support for employees, please contact us via our contact page.