Employee health and wellness in post-pandemic times

In the current unprecedented times, HR professionals around the world find themselves facing the challenge of adapting to the changing workplace, including the challenge of bringing people back into the workplace (if at all!).

With the combined anxiety of the pandemic, isolation of remote working and fear of the new normal, employee questions and concerns will be coming in thick and fast and companies need to be prepared to answer.

What is burnout?
“Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
2) increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job;
3) reduced professional efficacy. Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”

– The World Health Organization (WHO)

The digital mental health opportunity
Workplace stress can occur based on a multitude of factors including job requirements, capabilities, resources and available support. Stress is a normal response to the demands of work. However, prolonged or excessive stress can be damaging, and in the last year the pandemic has exacerbated everyone’s stress levels exponentially.

Despite restrictions lifting in the UK and around the world, many workforces are still working from home and may continue to be remote with the introduction of hybrid working. Therefore, the need for long-term mental health support and stress management of employees has to be a priority for employers.

With at least 45 million American adults living with a mental health illness, the need for mental wellbeing is not a ‘nice-to-have’ but a ‘must-have’.

Telemedicine may have been in the headlines for the last few years, but it took a global pandemic to shine a light on the true potential of digital healthcare. Telemedicine is no longer restricted to the medical profession, it now offers a unique opportunity for employers to support employee wellbeing while reducing healthcare costs, increasing productivity and boosting employee engagement.

Technology can bring mental health services to employees in remote areas, those working shifts or at night. These services are accessible and scalable depending on the demand and circumstantial need.

Leading your team into a post-pandemic world
Employers who are able to get ahead of the burnout curve will be in a better position than their competitors. Not only will employees be healthier and happier, but they will be more productive and deliver a high quality of work as well as experience a reduction in unplanned absences.

Wearable technology can provide continuous monitoring and/or spot checks of stress levels. Monitoring your stress over a period of time allows you to see patterns and gain valuable insights into your health and wellness. Through HeartKey®’s EKG technology, employers and employees can accurately monitor stress levels over a period of time to help mitigate and manage what our bodies are going through, enabling action to be taken in reducing overall stress.