Employee well-being is the ability for individuals to address typical stressors, work productively, and reach their highest potential. During a pandemic, normal stressors that affect a person’s career, social life, finances, community connections, and physical health are heightened. Concern for a person’s health, and the health of their family becomes higher than usual. By providing a wellness program that covers all aspects of an employee’s well-being, your team members are better equipped to deal with increased stressors brought on by COVID-19.
Here are five suggestions for managing an employee wellness program while working remotely.
Encourage Discussion About Mental Illness
Openly talk about personal experiences with mental illness. As a leader, your stories promote awareness of the issue and comfort talking about it. Even if employees decide not to discuss their anxiety or depression, you’ll be helping them by showing they’re not alone. Also, email your links for benefits information, mental health support, disability coverage, family leave, and related issues.
Share Techniques for Stress Relief
Provide proven ways to reduce stress. This may include sending links to online meditation or yoga sessions. Perhaps your company will pay for apps like Headspace for Meditation & Sleep or Ten Percent Happier for Mindfulness, Insight & Sleep. Or, direct your team to free, at-home workout routines from Peloton that don’t require a bike. Helping your employees maintain healthy minds and bodies prepares them to navigate stress and uncertainty better.
Subsidize Healthy Activities
See if the company will cover healthy activities that your team members participate in. Since everyone has different interests, this may include yoga in their living room, a daily plank challenge, or learning a foreign language. Providing a bonus to maintain well-being encourages employees to take care of their overall needs.
Provide Online Learning
Give your team access to online learning opportunities. Help them keep their minds focused and expanding. Align online learning with what your employees do all day. They need to feel like they’re growing both personally and professionally.
Create Virtual Connections
Set up opportunities for your team to connect virtually. Since not everyone working remotely has a lot of social interactions, they need ways to share their experiences and emotions during the pandemic. With these unprecedented times of uncertainty and loneliness, setting up virtual groups of six to eight people for employees to join for regular interaction and a safe space to process challenges in their lives is essential. Consider hiring a professional facilitator experienced in practicing mindfulness and personal development to run the sessions if needed.
Hire Remote Employees
When you need help expanding your team, reach out to KNF&T Staffing Resources. We provide the professional talent needed to fill gaps and achieve goals for a variety of industries. Talk with us today.
About KNF&T Staffing Resources
Since 1983, KNF&T Staffing Resources has been a leading provider of staffing and recruiting services to enterprise clientele throughout the Greater Boston markets. KNF&T provides talented professionals, on a temporary and direct-hire basis, to organizations in the Healthcare, Higher Education, Financial Services, and Non-profit sectors.
Learn more and search jobs at https://www.knft.com