Learning from the COVID-19 pandemic: approaches to support employee health and wellbeing
Godfree, Kate ; Agate, Claire ; Bowerman, Clare ; Hardcastle, Mia ; Lewis, Rachel ; Yarker, Joanna
Affinity Health at Work, London
IOSH - Wigston
2021
46 p.
epidemic disease ; work at home ; telework ; well being ; working conditions ; employers role
Work organization
English
Bibliogr.
"Too many digital meetings, increasing workload and a lack of social connection with colleagues have all enhanced the risk of health and wellbeing problems for remote workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, new research reveals.
However, it is not all doom and gloom as employees have reported that the greater flexibility offered by homeworking has created more opportunities for recreational activities.
These were some of the outcomes from a study of five organisations during the pandemic, the findings of which are in a new report, Learning from the COVID-19 pandemic: approaches to support employee health and wellbeing, published today by IOSH.
The researchers aimed to understand the impact of the pandemic on employees, managers and organisations, look at how employers could support workers' health and wellbeing and identify barriers and facilitators to this.
They have also unveiled eight recommendations to protect employee health and wellbeing, to serve during this and any future pandemics, including senior management demonstrating their commitment to this area through regular communication, acting on feedback and sharing personal stories, and involving employees in job design and redesign.
Among the issues highlighted in interviews with employees were homeworking challenges, including physical issues caused by a lack of office equipment and mental health challenges due to a lack of boundaries, with “digital fatigue” a key concern.
Also common were increased operational demands with reports of increased workload – caused by COVID-related work and absent colleagues because of furlough or self-isolation – and an “always-on” work culture.
One employee commented that he felt his work resembled “running on a treadmill with someone throwing ping pong balls and [needing] to keep catching them”.
Reports of a lack of social connection with colleagues also featured regularly in interviews and, while organisations did have employee support mechanisms on offer, there was often a lack of awareness of these and how to access them.
Digital
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