Leadership, Wellbeing, & COVID-19

How Leaders Can Protect Employee Wellbeing During COVID-19?

Today, employers are becoming increasingly concerned about the health and well-being of their employees as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the globe.

While the world is witnessing countries coming to offer extended support and act as a community during these challenging times, no one is immune to the plethora of mental health and well-being complications that this fatal virus can and has already caused. Uncertainty breeds anxiety and depression, and we are living in unprecedented and uncertain times, like never before. Between the massive surge in the number of COVID-19 casualties and hospitalizations, questions about whether to reopen or lockdown the businesses and economies, we just don't know what to expect next and how we all be impacted in the next few days, weeks, or months. And that's taking a huge toll on our mental and overall health, including at the workplace.

As we continue to navigate a series of personal and professional transitions over the next few weeks, months, and even years ahead of us, business leaders across the globe are likely to see employees struggle with anxiety, brain fog, trauma, loneliness, burnouts, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hypertension, and psychosomatic disturbances. So, what can business leaders and managers do to support their people (every organization's most important resources?

Include Employees In The Well-Being Conversations

One of the best ways for business leaders to protect employee wellbeing during COVID-19 is to ask employees to contribute their well-being ideas and suggestions. This will make them feel engaged, connected, and taken care of. It is important to ensure that all ideas are discussed openly.

Encourage Participation In Well-Being Initiatives

Let employees of your organization select the well-being initiatives best suited to them based on their individual and organization's overall goals to engender ownership and individual accountability. This approach will promote clarity about the role of every employee and a culture of well-being, harmony, and togetherness across the organization.

It's Okay To Be Vulnerable

Almost everyone in every organization, irrespective of their role and place in the organizational hierarchy, has experienced some kind of discomfort because of the pandemic. It is okay for everyone, including top leaders, to open up about their mental health struggles. When top business leaders and managers describe their challenges before everyone, whether mental health or otherwise, it makes them appear brave, relatable, and human. This will also help every employee of the organization to open up and feel comfortable talking about their mental health challenges.

Model Healthy Behaviors

Top business leaders need to send across a positive statement supporting mental health. For instance, they can let others know they are following a healthy test and learn approach to engage in meditation, or consume immunity-boosting foods and mindfulness. Leaders can organize online mental health sessions with a mental health coach to provide invaluable tips, guidance, and suggestions to employees.

Future-proof your workforce

No matter how stressful the scenario and the kind of disruptive forces ahead of us, humans should be at the center of every organization, irrespective of its line of business or size of operations. Human spirit dictates that the best leaders often emerge at the most challenging times and from the most unexpected places.

Stay safe and keep empowering, inspiring, and above everything else, always stay with your people. They trust you to be with them, especially now.