Free 'Wellness in Action Plan' to alleviate anxiety around returning to work
Workplace wellbeing expert, Kate Bishop is offering a free Wellness in Action Plan for all UK employers and workers to help tackle the rising levels of anxiety felt by those returning to work after months of working from home or furlough.
With the UK returning to a ‘new normal’ and industries gearing back up after weeks of shutdown, heightened levels of anxiety are being felt by workers across the country.
A new study by Ipsos MORI found that almost half of those currently employed felt uncomfortable about the prospect of returning to the workplace, with 35% stating that the idea of heading back to their jobs made them feel nervous and anxious.
Career coach and confidence leader, Kate Bishop has been working with clients to uncover some of the complex reasons why employees are feeling so anxious about returning to work. She said: “Many of my clients have mixed feelings about returning to work. Some are looking forward to seeing colleagues again, but others are really struggling with anxiety surrounding travelling to work, childcare and the potential risk of contracting COVID-19.”
While some employees have taken physical steps to protect their staff from the threat of infection such as sanitation areas and socially distanced work spaces, it is thought that far less preparation has been carried out to protect the mental and emotional wellbeing of the workforce.
With stress and anxiety being leading causes of employee absence, Kate Bishop’s free Wellness in Action Plan has been designed to help employers allay the fears of their workforce and offer a platform for those returning to work to share their concerns.
The Wellness in Action Plan allows employers to learn from their team and asks for thoughts, feelings and concerns in order to better communicate the measures in place to ensure both physical and mental wellbeing of all staff. It is also intended to help bosses gain a better appreciation of the anxieties faced by their workforce so that further steps can be taken.
The career coach added: “By understanding the concerns of their workers, employers can create a comprehensive return to work wellbeing strategy that includes a solid employee assistance programme for those suffering from anxiety, access to occupational health experts and perhaps even inform decision-making around work patterns and the options to work remotely, to make for a stress-free transition back into the workplace.”
Kate Bishop’s Wellness in Action Plan is available to download free of charge from the website. To find out more, click here.
