3+1 Ways To Help Your Employees Who Have *Return-to-Work* Anxiety

Both fear and anxiety are completely natural. Anxiety, in particular, is common when an individual transforms from one environment to other. Let’s face it, humans love routine. Talking about working individuals, it will be naive to tell that there won’t be any stress for them while returning to their workplaces.

Here are the top three reasons why employees are feeling anxious to return to the office:

• As mentioned earlier, change is spiking anxiety
• Social relationships, as well as boundaries, have completely changed
• People have got used to the WFH model and its benefits

Now, it is the duty of every company out there to address this issue at the earliest. It may not seem as easy as it sounds but we believe if done rightly, things can be made easier for employees. Of late, several steps have been already taken for the betterment of employee wellbeing including hybrid workforce, employee covid vaccination, hr policies, and much more. Similarly, employers will have to come up with some more innovative ideas and plans that will help their employees to happily return to their work.

All that said, let’s dive into the article and discuss some effective ways to help employees who have return-to-work anxiety.

Know Their Pulse First

Employers can easily find out the problems faced by their employees and solve them by knowing how they feel. Not to forget, employees will never walk to employers/HRs by themselves to discuss their challenges. This is certainly because no working individual wants to be looked weak in front of their seniors. Taking this into consideration, employers should know how their employees feel about the return by doing anonymous surveys. Using the insights, it will be easier to address the problems of anxious employees. Say, for instance, if the majority of employees say COVID fear as their reason, the company should make them understand that they are taking all necessary steps for their safety.

Allow Them To Express

When employees take a step ahead and share honest opinions/challenges- be it openly or anonymously- companies should allow them to have mixed emotions. Do not force them to feel in a certain way. Support them when they are expressing and putting forward their actual problems and return-to-work anxiety issues. Employers should make peace with the fact that employees also have both positive and negative feelings. Companies that overlook the negative feelings of their employees at this point will face more problems in the long run. On the other hand, employers/leaders who help their employees by promoting ambivalence will build a culture where employees adapt more easily to changes.

Offer Flexibility

According to a latest study, 58 percent of employees said they will “look for a new job if they are not allowed to work from home in their current position. Out of over 2000 respondents, 65 percent wish to work from home full-time even after this pandemic, while 33 percent want a hybrid work model.

So, another efficient way to help employees return to work is by offering them the flexibility to work. If not on a permanent basis, one should at least do this at the initial point of the reopening. Needless to say, offering flexibility can reap a host of benefits including improved efficiency levels. Since every working individual is fragile at present, no company should be too tough on them. Being forceful can dramatically impact the overall performance as well as engagement of employees.

Also Read: Employee Engagement Software and These Effective Tips Can Boost Your Employee Performance

Explain Them

When an individual has to do something s/he feels anxious about, s/he should be explained the good reason behind it. Now, most of the employees are anxious to return because they are not explained why is it important for them to work from office. Giving this explanation can fill the gap. To get them on board without any anxiety, HRs should communicate to them the vision of the higher management. Knowing the exact reason to return will not just lessen their anxiety but also help them to be their best selves in the office along the way.

So, these are the four ways that will help your employees who have return-to-work anxiety.

Remember, this crisis is temporary, but the team and your reputation will last. So, be a smart leader who appreciates his employees and is ready to go an extra mile for their wellbeing.