As we enter the third month of lockdown in the UK, there is still no clear sign of when people will start returning to their offices en masse. While some offices could open as soon as July, many companies have said that their working practices may never be the same again. For example, Facebook plans to limit offices to 25 per cent capacity, with half of employees transitioning to working from home over the next 5-10 years.
With more employees working from home regularly, organisations need to be prepared to support remote working for the long haul. However, at present 67 per cent of people are reporting higher stress levels when working from home – at a time where communication is vital, companies need to do their part to keep employees engaged and well. Technology can be a major help, and SAP users will already have some resources at their disposal.
Currently, there are several free tools available during lockdown to help gauge employee wellbeing. Qualtrics is offering a free Remote Work Pulse survey to see how employees are feeling, and if they have the tools they need to stay productive. Using this results, organisations can clearly see feedback and sentiment from employees, spot areas that may need improvement, and make plans to support them effectively.
The User Group has also been providing regular mindfulness sessions, wellbeing sessions and stress and resilience workshops. Similar sessions will be run by SAP throughout June on Open Awareness (4th June) and Self-Compassion (18th June).
The World Health Organisation has also released guidance for companies to help support staff wellbeing – offering a number of helpful tips to manage employee stress, and help them stay safe while working from home. Additional free resources are also available from Calm, which has released a number of items – from online meditations to mindfulness guides – for anyone to listen too.
Communicating effectively with your teams and sharing the available resources can be a great way to support your employees during this time. In the coming months as we discover what the new normal looks like, the User Group will continue to assist members, and share helpful tools and advice to keep your teams motivated, happy and healthy.
