Industrial psychology focuses on the mental state and well-being of individuals in the workplace. And it has never been more at the forefront of employers’ minds than it is today.
In the wake of the pandemic that we have all lived through over the last couple of years, mental health is key to productivity and success.
So how do you make your employees feel comfortable about returning to physical work environments? Read on for some helpful tips and advice.
Industrial Psychology Post-COVID
We may not be completely through with COVID yet. But as the vaccination efforts are ongoing and new variants start to appear, things look positive.
At present, there have been over 4.5 billion doses of the vaccine administered globally in 181 countries.
But that is not to say we haven’t all had a rough time over the last few years. With numbers of people suffering from depression and anxiety soaring as people found themselves trapped in their homes, many people want to be as cautious as possible as they step back into real life.
In a recent survey, they found that 66% of employees are worried about returning to the workplace due to concerns for health and safety.
As an employer, you should do as much as possible to ease the transition for your colleagues. Not only will it help them to feel comfortable, but it will benefit employee productivity by having a happy and confident workforce.
Consider a Hybrid Schedule
Many employees have proven themselves capable of working with minimal supervision from home, so why completely remove that?
Obviously, there is a lot that can be gained in face-to-face settings, but for some aspects of a role, a hybrid schedule may be well worth considering.
Music in the Office
What could boost employee happiness more than music? Some upbeat songs keeping the office aesthetic positive could make a big impact and set your employees at ease.
To implement this, there are important considerations, such as whether your work is suitable for that or not. Or if everyone will feel comfortable or productive with music playing.
Maybe consider allowing employees working at a desk to have headphones and choose whether they want to listen to music.
Deep Cleaning
Commercial cleaning should be a regular practice for any business but especially with an awareness of how easily viruses can spread.
If you used to get the office cleaned every quarter, consider increasing this to once a month or as frequently as feasible. Of course, this should be in addition to small and simple measures like providing sanitizer and wiping down shared spaces after use.
Making sure that your cleaning practices are clearly communicated to staff will improve overall happiness and office safety.
Get Back To Work
It is important to keep industrial psychology and employee wellbeing a priority as we transition back to the office.
Use these tips and look for more ways to make the transition easier; it will be worth it for your business and your employees.
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