The pandemic has been uniquely stressful for healthcare teams. With some parts of the sector shifting to remote work, that stress tended to build, having a real impact on mental health. It can be hard to manage a remote team, even more so to take care of their mental health, but there are a few steps that every employer can take.
#1 Set up a Digital Helpdesk
Companies are turning to digital solutions to manage mental health and stress. Even social media giants like Facebook are getting involved and offering a wide range of digital support. Establishing a Digital Helpdesk within your company can be as simple as giving employees a specific, remote contact to whom they can reach out. A more advanced desk will also offer stress-relieving tips and 24/7 advice.
Setting up a Digital Helpdesk gives struggling employees a beacon to which they can reach out. Letting your team know that they aren’t alone is important, and these Helpdesks serve a broader purpose. The very presence of a support network is reassuring. Working for a company that cares makes a difference. Not only are staff more likely to seek help, but they’ll feel more nurtured on a day-to-day basis.
#2 Conduct routine employee surveys
A Digital Helpdesk is a great way for individual employees to reach out, but it’s equally important to gauge the mood of the workforce as a whole. By doing this regularly, companies can chart their progress, notice any changes in stress levels and take the appropriate action before the situation deteriorates. Prevention is always better than cure, and there are few more effective ways to understand the prevailing mood of your employees than with surveys.
Surveys no longer have to be time-consuming, either. Services like inpulse.com allow employers to make truly bespoke surveys tailored to their workforce. This is a straightforward way to monitor levels of stress with the added benefit that responses can be private. For example, healthcare professionals may be more inclined to share their emotions on an anonymous survey, leading to an honest representation of the team’s mental health.
#3 Create social spaces
Just because a workforce is remote doesn’t mean that it can’t be social. Stress-relieving, remote exercise classes boomed during the pandemic, as did virtual yoga classes. Crucially (and most applicably), these all take place in a group setting. Group yogic meditation platforms are a great option for your workforce. Yoga is therapeutic, but introducing the element of remote video also fosters an element of togetherness.
Social fitness trackers are similar but more encompassing. They track individual fitness while giving staff a digital space to share achievements, workouts and motivate each other. Exercise is one of the most common methods to lower stress levels, but the group element introduces a whole new dynamic. It helps to build a remote community centred around wellness. You’ll have plenty of platforms to pick from, but anything that fosters connectivity is an excellent way to combat stress.