In the second episode of The Office Reset, I spoke with Dr Jo Yarker, organisational psychologist and director of Affinity Health at Work, and Lee Chambers, environmental psychologist, wellbeing trainer and founder of Essentialise about the impact of lockdown on our mental health and what organisations/managers can be doing to support their employees.
In the first part of the show, we discuss how the lockdown has impacted people in different ways, giving some people the opportunity to re-address the health-balance in their lives. Some people are taking mental health more seriously in the workplace. Many of Jo’s clients are also interested in learning how to get into better habits.
Jo on supporting your team
It’s very important to manage the individual within the team. So recognising what somebody needs at that particular moment and adjusting the workload or management style to best suit their needs so you can get the best out of your team.
Jo on how employees can communicate their needs
There’s no point in saying that I just need more support or more help. What is it that will be helpful? Specify what that is so that you are more likely to access that support.
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Line managers: still the missing pieces in the stress management jigsaw?
No one is exempt from pandemic stress: state of mental health and workplace wellness
In the second part, Lee talks about his own redundancy experience in the 2008 economic crash, how he has overcome his mental health challenges, and how he is advising his clients during this turbulent time of the covid-19 crisis.
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Lee on tackling the returning back to work scenario
Some people are not going to want to go back to the office in the current scenario. And you can’t force them, you have to communicate that coherently. Communication is key. It’s quite clear that the companies that have been quite proactive in their communication have found the workforce in a much better place.
Lee on the power of communication
You can make someone redundant and make them feel by the language that you use, that they should go in line for the scrapheap, or you can make someone redundant and empower them to go and find what they are destined to do.
The Office Reset podcast #02: Stepping up in crisis