COVID Fatigue is Real: How You Can Keep Employees Engaged
Gallup has estimated that employee disengagement costs the overall US economy as much as $350 billion every year. That's a staggering number, but it's hard to get motivated to tackle such an endemic problem. Instead, think about what each company loses per year: at least $2,246 per disengaged employee.
Are you checking in on your employees regularly? Do you know who has “COVID-fatigue” and who is coping well? Are you reminding your employees to “take-a-break” - literally, as in extended weekends from time to time? Knowing how your employees are doing will help you to determine who is staying engaged and who might not be as engaged as you previously thought.
The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the mental health of workers from across sectors and industries. A national poll found that 70% of workers feel more stressed during COVID-19 than at any other point in their entire professional career: 62% of workers reported losing at least one hour a day in productivity due to COVID-19 related stress and 32% reported losing more than two hours per day.
These are unprecedented times and we have to remember we cannot work “as usual” or expect our employees to simply keep producing “as usual.”
Teleworking employees are working harder than ever. Many are doing double or triple-duty as virtual teachers and/or caregivers while holding down a full-time position from home. As an employer, do you realize that more of your employees may be experiencing sleep disorders as a result of COVID-induced stress? This may also include employees who are coming into the office daily. Healthy employees are more likely to be engaged employees.
“Keeping employees engaged during this pandemic means keeping your organization’s productivity high, while looking out for your most valued asset, your people.”
How are you as an employer/manager dealing with your own COVID-induced stress? COVID fatigue/stress is a real phenomenon which can show up in many ways:
Unusual tiredness
Anxiety
Mental health issues
Shorter temper than usual with typical situations
Increased substance use/abuse
Lack of focus
Sleep disorders
Decreased productivity at work
How do we help ensure employees stay engaged, by staying healthy? Dealing with some of the stress is a sure way to help employees stay healthy, and therefore stay engaged at work.
Let’s take a look at some ways we can assist employees (and maybe ourselves, too) in dealing with this very real situation we all find ourselves in.
Take 15-minute breaks during the day, to simply quiet your mind (breathing exercises, yoga)
Choose one employee/co-worker per week and simply check-in with them, see how they are really doing
Allow your employees to take more time off than a regularly scheduled vacation
Periodically remind your employees it is okay to check in with a Mental Health professional if necessary and ensure your organization’s EAP information is available
Don’t assume everyone is okay because they are showing up at your regularly scheduled meetings
Learn who is doing well in the “new normal” environment and who may not be
Encourage your employees to engage in healthy habits like physical fitness
These strategies are for employees who may be teleworking, as well as those who are still coming into their “new normal” work environment. All may be experiencing some level of elevated stress depending on their personal environments.
Keeping employees engaged during this pandemic means keeping your organization’s productivity high, while looking out for your most valued asset, your people.
Additional Resources/References:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/managing-workplace-fatigue.html