How To Return To The Office And Protect Your Mental Health
The impending return to office in 2022 can feel overwhelming, exhausting, and sometimes even psychologically unsafe. But it doesn’t have to be, and with the right tools, your transition back can be a relaxing and enjoyable one. Dr. Monica Vermani, public speaker, teacher, top-rated psychologist, and author of A Deeper Wellness, has some expert input on making the return to the office psychologically safe.
Back to “the new normal”?
Returning to the office, Dr. Vermani says, can make employees feel uneasy in a number of ways. They might worry about their health in possibly being exposed to COVID, they might need to adjust to time away from their children, partners, or roommates, or they could still be recovering from long-haul COVID themselves.
“Enjoyable, established new at-home routines will suddenly be completely disrupted and abandoned,” Dr. Vermani says, “and may cause huge upheavals, upset, and personal struggle for many, who may be struggling with the loss of work-life balance.”
Another issue with returning to the office is having to re-socialize after a long period of interacting only through Zoom meetings.
“After prolonged social isolation, many people feel they lack adequate social skills to return to an in-person workplace setting,” Dr. Vermani adds. “Social exhaustion and many are feeling inadequate with their ability to fit in socially or have the energy to keep up with appearances.” This is especially the case if you have a new team member who joined during the pandemic or took on a new role yourself.
“For those employees who began a position during the pandemic, and worked online, may struggle with the anxiety of face-to-face contact with people they have never met, and with whom they may not fit in or mesh.”
Psychological safety in the transition
Fostering a sense of psychological safety is key in easing the transition back to work. Without building a foundation of support for teammates, they may feel like they can’t voice their concerns about the return-to-office environment.
In an ideally psychologically safe environment, Dr. Vermani says, you don’t feel “punished, scrutinized, humiliated, or looked down upon for expressing disagreements, ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes.” Additionally, if you’re struggling with mental health symptoms, such as anxiety or depression, you feel comfortable enough to share them.
“When people feel uncomfortable talking about initiatives that aren’t working, the organization is unhealthy – unbalanced, unfair, and hierarchical,” Dr. Vermani says. “In rigid hierarchies, employees do not feel safe, respected, valued, or free to be their authentic selves. This results in a lack of commitment from employees and leads to a corporate culture that lacks the capacity to leverage the strengths of its talent, as it erodes efficiencies and productivity.”
Tips for employers
It might seem challenging to know how to implement psychological safety in the return-to-office process directly, but Dr. Vermani states that there are ways to make the transition harder than it needs to be, causing employees to feel uncomfortable.
The first thing employers shouldn’t be doing, Dr. Vermani says, is mandating an immediate return to full-time office work.
“People are creatures of habit,” Dr. Vermani says. “Just as it took time to adapt and stay home due to the pandemic, it will be a challenge to return to ‘normal’ routines. A gradual, slow, and steady plan to return to in-person work will ease people into new routines, rather than feel forced and mandated, exhausting them.”
For those who see returning to in-person work as the only option for sustained productivity, this is your reminder that hybrid work can be just as effective as in-person work when employees are given the tools they need to succeed. If you’re using one integrated project management software, like Hive, you don’t have to worry about where your employees are working – they’ll have everything they need all in one place, making communication easy whether they’re sitting at the same desk or not.
Next, employers should involve employees in decisions rather than making choices without consulting them.
“Organizations who listen, respond, and accommodate employee concerns send the message that they are committed to employee wellbeing and safety,” Dr. Vermani says. “Failing to compromise, or caving in completely to individual demands conveys a message that an organization is struggling and faltering with their return-to-work strategies.”
Lastly, it’s imperative that employers take the mental health concerns of their employees just as seriously as they’d take physical problems. Mental health issues are on the rise, Dr. Vermani says, and the symptoms of these issues “cause serious disruption in the workplace and negatively impact absenteeism, presenteeism, productivity, team cohesion, and job satisfaction.”
“Being proactive by bringing in psycho-education, mental health supports, and accommodations,” Dr. Vermani adds, “will go a long way to mitigating negative impacts.”
A team effort
Even if you’re not in direct control of how your company handles the return to work, on a smaller scale, you can control how you and your team facilitate an easy transition for each other. Dr. Vermani recommends accomplishing this by voicing your own struggles and making it clear to your teammates that you’re available to support theirs.
“Many people put on a brave face and are embarrassed by their symptoms,” Dr. Vermani says. “Consider the possibility that anyone could be struggling with this transition. If you see that they are struggling with tasks they have successfully accomplished in the past, reassure them.”
This reassurance can come in ways both big and small, Dr. Vermani says, and returning to the office with a friendly attitude can make all the difference.
“Simple things like a smile and a friendly ‘good morning,’ sharing a coffee break, helping them make a to-do list, talking about positive, light topics, or connecting during lunch breaks can go a long way to making someone’s difficult day better, and more positive.”
Even if your coworker is in the office on a day when you’re home, you can always find ways to brighten their day and make them feel secure. With Hive, you can send them a custom emoji to make them laugh – or encourage them to turn on focus mode if social burnout distracts them from a deadline.
Sharing your personal issues with the transition back can also help solidify a bond between you and your teammates. Don’t be afraid to take care of yourself, and remember that if you don’t communicate how you feel, no one can support you in the ways you need.
“You may well find that you are not alone,” Dr. Vermani concludes. “Many people are struggling with the same kind of symptoms and thought patterns. You owe it to yourself to stay healthy for all the roles you play in your work and your life.”
