Over the past few months, our society was starting to open up a lot more since the COVID-19 Pandemic hit in 2020. While a few restrictions were still in place, like curfew, workplaces were finally getting back to previous ways of operation. Or at least, a hybrid version of this. While the COVID-19 Pandemic hadn’t come to an end by any means, we were cautiously returning to life as we knew it.
However, with the reported second wave of the pandemic hitting Uganda, restrictions have been announced by the President. This is in an effort to curb the spread of the infectious disease. In addition, it is still unclear if this effectively in reduce the spread or if more stringent measures will be needed.
Suddenly, for businesses, it feels like March 2020 (when the country was placed under a lockdown for the first time) all over again.
This time, however, we have the advantage of experience.
We have been here before and while it was difficult to navigate, we somehow did.
As a result, we learned a lot along the way. We learned a lot about our teams and the different ways we operate. We learned how to stay engaged and productive, especially when working remotely. We also learned how to be more considerate of our people. How to support each other as we all dealt with the anxiety and uncertainty a global pandemic causes.
Stress at work during this time is a result of a number of things. These range from job insecurity to health concerns. Financial worries are also a big stress-inducing factor.
Stressed out people don’t make for happy or engaged employees.
Some of the causes of the stress are out of our control. We are dealing with a global pandemic after all. However, reducing work-related stress is largely within our control.
In this week’s article, we look at the different ways to reduce work-related stress on our employees. How can we keep the team reassured and as a result, more engaged despite everything else going on?
Employee Engagement Defined
According to this Forbes article, engaged employees are those that are emotionally invested in committing their time, talent and energy to adding value to their team and advancing the organization’s initiatives.
Engaged employees are more attentive. They are enthusiastic about their work and the contribution they are making.
On the other hand, a disengaged employee reduces overall company morale and productivity, ultimately affecting the bottom line.
During a pandemic, there is a lot of uncertainty about the future. This can weigh heavily on team members, especially if they are isolated from other people.
In addition, as people work remotely, they tend to merge their personal and work time. As a result, they work longer hours than they ordinarily would. This could lead to burn out and an increase in stress levels.
This ultimately affects their engagement with their roles and the rest of the team.
Reducing Stress at the Workplace
The blurring of work and personal time is a significant source of job stress. This is especially so as we try to maintain productivity while working from home.
We need to be intentional about the way we work, especially when doing it remotely. Management teams need to lead by example in this regard. They need set clear guidelines and follow them, in order for the rest to follow.
Below are 3 examples of how you can do this.
1. Explore Alternative Work Schedules
The traditional 9-to-5 work day is no longer the norm as a result of the pandemic.
Businesses have had to adapt their work schedules to ensure the safety of their people. Some of these include compressed work weeks, staggered hours and flex-time.
Compressed Work Weeks are schedules where employees work more hours per day, but fewer days per week.
This gives employees more control over when they work. It also gives them larger blocks of free time, increasing overall job satisfaction.
According to ILO, under Staggered Hour Schemes, employees start and finish work at slightly different times.
This may allow them some discretion, within prescribed limits, in fixing the time when they start and finish work.
The same article states that, “once these starting and finishing times have been chosen (or fixed by the employer), they remain unchanged. Thus, these schemes should not be confused with flexitime programmes.“
Flexitime gives employees greater freedom over when, where or how to fulfill their particular roles. This is especially preferable for employees with children who find it hard to concentrate during the traditional 9 to 5 hours when working from home.
The challenge with this schedule is that the team is active at different times of the day. The usual work-personal time boundaries are blurred with emails coming in at any time during the day, night or even the weekend. This might be necessary for certain businesses or industries. However, it increases the pressure on the employees and therefore heightens their stress levels.
Clearly define what hours are acceptable for communication and hold each other accountable to respect each other’s time.
You therefore need to clearly define what hours are acceptable for communication and hold each other accountable to respect each other’s time. This leads us to the second way to reduce work-related stress.
2. Set and Respect Boundaries
Working from home and the technology that makes this possible allows us to lead 24/7 work lives with no boundaries. Constantly answering emails and the endless online meetings increase employees’ anxiety. As does the expectation that they will be available to do so outside of work hours.
However, setting boundaries, especially outside work hours, might be difficult. This is especially so for junior staff members. The responsibility to ensure boundaries are set and respected therefore lies with supervisors and managers.
In addition, set boundaries on contacting employee who have taken much needed time off work. Once again, this is the managerial team’s responsibility.
Employees usually take time off work to recuperate and come back refreshed in order to excel in their roles. We all need this. However, they can’t do this if they are still working even during their breaks.
Set guidelines on how and when to communicate to people on a break from work. This should only be in case of an emergency. (Clearly define what constitutes an emergency.)
In addition, have systems and structures in place that enable continuity with limited staff.
Importantly, deal with violations of boundaries immediately lest they become acceptable.
Standards on boundaries need to be set from the top down. Set personal limits and boundaries for yourself and communicate these to the rest of the team.
3. Offer Well-being Support
The mental well-being of everyone should be a top priority at this time. As we ensure that we remain productive and keep our businesses afloat, we shouldn’t do this at the expense of our team’s mental and emotional well-being.
In this regard, you could organize virtual social hangouts, to catch up with everyone. You could also check-in privately with each other on a regular basis. Additionally, you might consider offering counseling support to those that might need to speak to a professional. Or share a list of resources to support people facing various mental and emotional challenges during this time.
There are many more ways to reduce work-related stress during this time. We would like to know how you and your team are doing this! Let us know in the comments section below!
Importantly, stay safe!