Employers are being bombarded with safety recommendations and guidance as worksites that were forced into temporary closure begin to reopen. Meanwhile, as the pandemic has taken an extraordinary toll on emotional wellbeing worldwide, addressing employee mental health is a vital element of a successful return-to-work strategy.

Over the past several months, staff working remotely, furloughed or on leave have been managing constant, competing demands — balancing work and family or coping with isolation, along with the added uncertainty of when it will end. Many employees will be returning with heightened levels of stress, anxiety and fear, or emotional health issues that already existed and have been exacerbated.

Fostering a mentally healthy workplace can ease the transition and aid the process of re-acclimating. Intentional efforts to reduce stigma and encourage access to care will help employees feel valued, supported and respected. Key practices to implement include:

• Offering Education. Lower apprehension about mental health illnesses in the workplace by being a beacon of information. Communicate with team members about types of mental illnesses, their effects and ways to receive the proper treatment.

• Being a Role Model. Set an example by letting employees know it’s okay to be open and discuss their mental health struggles. Showing empathy and concern demonstrates to those suffering that getting help is okay.

• Providing Resources. Regularly encourage utilization of resources available through your benefits provider and employee assistance program (EAP). CuraLinc, like most EAP providers, offers in-the-moment, solution-focused counseling as well as a variety of remote and digital access points that allow staff to address concerns with licensed clinicians at their convenience, whether at work or at home.

Although employees may be returning to familiar faces and spaces, it won’t be business as usual. Supporting employee mental health while striving to ensure everyone’s physical wellbeing is necessary to help organizations reinvent ‘normal’ in the next phase of this pandemic.

As part of the ‘Coffee with CuraLinc’ series, please join us on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. CST for Returning to a Mentally Healthy Workplace, a short webinar that will address the emotional impact of returning to the workplace. During this session, the CuraLinc team will offer recommendations and resources to support the continued resilience of your workforce. To register, visit www.coffeewithcuralinc.com.