How are your staff?
As lockdown goes into another week people are finding it hard out there. Not just emotionally but physically too. As employers you are required to manage the welfare of your staff and this is difficult when you are not feeling great yourself. The powerful effect of stress cannot be overlooked. The stress response (fight or flight response) can be activated by psychological or mental stress which can be detrimental to one’s physical health. Combating this is a balancing act, the autonomic nervous system (the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems combined) needs to function properly and currently the nervous system is being affected by a number of things. People have been dealing with the ever-changing vagaries of stress, loss, change and uncertainty.
Yes, they may be furloughed on a rota or working from home, which sounds amazing to those who are uncertain as to where their next paycheque is coming from. But it is by no means a pleasant place to be in. As an employer you need to be looking out for the welfare of your staff too. Have realistic expectations of them and ensure that they are having realistic expectations of themselves. How long are they sitting in one position, how well are their work stations set-up? A couple of days in a compromising position is likely to be having its toll. These things add to the stress response. This is something I am used to dealing with daily in my practice and when lecturing. HSE issues advice on work -related stress and provides tools for Risk assessments as well as a Toolkit to provide helpful advice for line managers. Please get in touch if you would like further help and advice on you and your staff’s
