Five Tips for Managing COVID’s Mental Health Impact on Workers

Organisations are struggling to “balance protocols and policies to restart economies with the social and people aspects of things”, as they tackle COVID-19. Brittany Brathwaite, President of the Human Resources Management Association of Barbados (HRMAB) revealed that this is a recent finding in the sixth report of the International Labour Organisation.

In her opening remarks at the third instalment of the Central Bank of Barbados and Financial Services Commission’s (FSC) 2020 Domestic Financial Institutions Conference virtual seminar series, which focused on the theme “The Psychosocial Impact of COVID-19”. Brathwaite, whose organisation co-hosted the event with the Bank and the FSC, shared five tips on how the ongoing state of uncertainty for many workers and the likely psychosocial impact can be better managed.

Ask How Workers are Coping

Brathwaite underscored that “with many persons still unemployed, some being reintegrated and others struggling or succeeding with remote work and all the nuances” it was more important to glean information on “how people were managing, enduring and getting through the day to day.”

Improve Team Interaction

The dichotomy of the workforce, that is the fragmentation of workers through remote working and onsite working has created some disparities with how workers are connecting with organisations and colleagues.” More than 24 percent of employees across the region and the Americas have said that with remote work they feel a dearth of connection with the workplace,” says Brathwaite. Despite the novelty of remote working, she advises that team interaction and connection must improve.

Engage Trained Mental Health Professionals

Many employees are fearful of returning to work. Organisations, Brathwaite reported, are implementing national protocols effectively, however she believes mental health professionals are not being utilised enough. Therefore, “we must be mindful of engaging professional who can really help “she stated.

Use Positive Reinforcement

The HR specialist shared that the refusal to adhere to national protocols and mask wearing is trending in organisations. Some individuals believe the COVID-19 pandemic is a hoax and what is seen as an obstinate or difficult employee could be “the manifestation of fear” exhibited through conspiracy theories. Even though there is no easy fix to matters such as conspiracy theorists, she recommends a gentler approach such as a referral to a mental practitioner.

Use Data for Decision Making

Figure out what suits your workplace. “It is a critical time to survey your working environment to ascertain what really are the challenges that people are going through.” Increasing employee engagement may seem to be the obvious solution but proper assessment can close the gap between “challenges and what is assumed.”