For many, returning to the workplace may bring a sense of relief and a welcome change of scenery. For others, the long term isolation from colleagues, routines, connections and activities, and a loss of identity through enforced changes in roles and working practices has left them feeling overwhelmed and anxious. No wonder that many businesses are unsure how to best support the wellbeing of their employees during this next phase of the pandemic.

Workplace wellbeing consultant Gareth Siggee from RCS shares his expertise and advice on how we can protect our wellbeing and mental health at work as we adjust to the new ‘normal’ and re-build our resilience.

Firstly, what do we mean by ‘wellbeing’?

There are many different elements that make up our overall wellbeing and for each of us the balance of those elements is unique. Knowing how to identify when you or an employee’s wellbeing and mental health is at risk and being able to take action early can help avoid things becoming or feeling worse. Signs and symptoms of poor mental health are not always visible to others and individuals can find them hard to talk about or even accept they are happening.

For employers it can be even harder to identify if somebody is struggling, or to put support in place if working from home. Therefore, support should be offered as a preventative and easily accessible approach offered to all employees, for example through
access to an Employee Assistance Programme or local support services.

Wellbeing culture

Developing a culture within workplaces that makes people feel safe, comfortable and confident to talk about their mental health is the best way of supporting employees through the challenges of this pandemic and the transitions back to a physical workspace. Establishing and maintaining strong trust-based relationships between managers and teams will help enable employees to raise concerns and ask for support.

Empathetic management is required to support employee concerns and to provide or signpost individuals to appropriate support. Managers also need to be open to discussions around adjustments to roles, resources or working arrangements to support employees back into the workplace.

Wellbeing Champion training

Consideration of promoting supportive roles within the organisation like wellbeing champions or change champions can establish pathways for employees to access support through their peers. Sometimes individuals may not want to talk about mental health concerns with their direct line manager, therefore offering alternative route ways to support can be an important factor in providing workplace wellbeing support to employees.

RCS offers free Wellbeing champion training bi-monthly, the next date being 11th June – find out more here.

Sally, founder and CEO of Life Seeker CIC attended RCS’s online webinar on Positive Thinking for the Workplace. She says,

“I found Gareth’s presentation really useful and although it highlighted several topics I’ve previously touched on in my own field of work, the way the content was presented and structured for teams and team leaders to refer back to was invaluable.

Wellbeing in the workplace is a hugely important area that we must make the effort to prioritise if we and our teams are to thrive, not just survive. The work RCS are doing to educate individuals and workforces is vital for creating a more resilient Wales.”

Wellbeing support strategies

It is important that we don’t forget management and supervisory staff. Managers can also experience stress, anxiety and vulnerabilities especially if they are putting in place increased levels of support for their teams. It is important that employers provide support, training and guidance to managers to address their own wellbeing concerns whilst they are supporting others to maintain theirs. Employers could consider implementing some of the following strategies to support staff:

• Offer coaching, mentoring and awareness training about developing a good work-life balance
• Encourage employees to create effective boundaries between work and home, take breaks, use leave, maintain routines (start and finish times, lunch breaks). Consider using home time checklists to encourage employees to reflect on their day, check in with a colleague and consider their own wellbeing before they finish work for the day
• Ensure managers are trained to look for signs of poor mental and physical health and wellbeing
• Employers can also provide a sounding board for employee wellbeing; provide a survey, seek feedback and provide open forums for sharing concerns and identifying possible solutions or support
• Develop wellbeing champion roles as a resource to support employees, promote good wellbeing and actively engage with teams
• Consider training some employees with mental health first aid and encourage openness to discuss wellbeing and mental health concerns
• Consider developing a ‘Time to Change’ action plan that explores steps an organisation can make to support mental health at work and reduce stigma

RCS Wales is an award-winning company based in North Wales which offers specialist workplace wellbeing services aimed at helping individuals and workplaces to thrive. They deliver a range of fully-funded (that means FREE) services in Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, to help businesses improve health and wellbeing at work.

This includes consultancy and training support to help SME businesses look after the health and wellbeing of their workforce. The In Work Support Service is part-funded by European Social Funding through the Welsh Government.

Get in touch to understand how RCS can help your workplace:

01745 336442
wellbeing@rcs-wales.co.uk
visit the RCS website.