Our world is experiencing an extraordinary health emergency. Our well-being enables us to live our lives, each in our unique way. COVID-19 is literally taking this away from us. For each person on Earth these are challenging times, where we try to cope to the best of our abilities. In the last couple of weeks there is a lot written on the relationship between employer and employee in these unprecedented times. We are not just working from home. We’re working from home in a pandemic. If things feel different it’s because they are different.

In this blog we want to underline the importance of paying attention to the overall well-being of employees. Not only in critical times, but as an approach that is deeply rooted in our (company) culture of care. In our opinion both employer and employees bare the responsibility to support well-being. As our sense of well-being should transcends the hierarchical relationship in building a positive workplace.

Communication and empathic leadership are vital, in any context. Appropriate communication and leadership style are imperative in high-velocity settings. As organizations we need to ensure that the right leaders are at the helm to both communicate directives and provide needed encouragement during times of crisis. Having impartial and supportive supervision structures in place can be a tremendous help. Promoting effective people management to ensure all employees have a regular conversation about their health and wellbeing with their line manager, supervisor or organisational leader. Invest in training and support line managers in effective management practices. Being available, in the present moment, can help maintain good working relationships and build mutual trust. 

Take a look at our tips below on how you can support well-being in teams. Do not forget yourself in this process, practice self care everyday.

How you can contribute to your team members well-being;

It is clear that taking a whole organisation approach to embedding wellbeing into an organisational culture is key to achieving maximum impact. Wellbeing should be positioned as a strategic boardroom issue supporting thriving people, thriving business and thriving communities.

Let us all support each other.

Sources

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/textbook-of-disaster-psychiatry/pandemics-health-care-emergencies/478824C480288A8935798FBF151D96FA/core-reader

https://www.gallup.com/workplace/263510/manage-remote-employees.aspx

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Pamela_Douglas4/publication/44568839_Preparing_for_pandemic_influenza_and_its_aftermath_Mental_health_issues_considered/

https://www.mind.org.uk/media/25263166/how-to-implement-the-thriving-at-work-mental-health-standards-final-guide-online.pdf