We know that many people are starting to return to work after possibly being furloughed, or are returning to the office after working from home. Whilst so many people are eager to gain back some normality and be able to get out of the house and return to work, we know that many are anxious and have concerns about this. The return to work may prove harder than the transition to working from home, as we have become used to this “new normal”. Achieving something out of the ordinary is something we can be proud of due to our inexperience in this and overcoming any fear we had.
We have done some research and compiled some resources we have found as great advice for a safe and comfortable return back to work or the office, as well as adapting as quickly as possible with minimal stress.
- Talk to your employer – If you are feeling concerned or anxious, have an open, honest conversation with your employer and tell them how you are feeling about your return to work. Ask them what precautions are in place to ensure safety and protection from Covid-19 in the workplace. Any concerns raised should be acted on promptly.
- Talk to people you trust – do not feel you have to hide any anxieties you feel when returning to work. Chances are, others are feeling the same as you. If you ignore your concerns and push your anxieties to one side, this can lead to unwanted consequences that make the problem unnecessarily harder, such as trouble sleeping or other health problems.
- Spread joy – amongst the uncertainty and the concerns faced by many, it is important not to leave out “normal” conversations and community building strategies by encouraging “small-talk” about personal lives etc. This HBR article gives a good example of encouraging conversations about mishaps encountered whilst working from home – finding joy in the unusual situations.
- Holistic thinking – focus on the bigger picture. When focusing on the bigger picture, we can concentrate on the things we can control, rather than things out of our control. We should use this time and ask ourselves how living through this pandemic has changed us for the better and shaped us as people.
We hope this has been helpful and for more information on how to transition comfortably back to work/the office, do check out the articles linked in this blog.
If you are concerned about returning back to work or possibly considering changing your career, we offer career coaching. For more information visit our services page or contact Clare at [email protected] or on 07594946166.
