Covid-19 and the associated STAY AT HOME message has for most of the UK population meant working remotely at home or being on furlough and not working at all during 2020/2021.
This absence from what we knew as the normal 12 months ago has resulted in people taking time out to re-evaluate what is important to them and unconsciously has also created new behaviours which have become habituated to a new way of life.
These replacement behaviours and routines will have created a safe comforting environment over the past year, leading to the thought of resuming activities outside of this familiar space rather daunting. Potentially for many this is leading to mental health problems such as anxiety, stress and depression – giving you Re-Entry Anxiety. (It is estimated 1 in 6 people are suffering from anxiety compared to 1 in 10 pre-pandemic so the situation is real and very common)
The brain needs time to adapt to embracing the new experiences we are about to face, the reconnecting face to face in a working environment, the pressures of commuting and revisiting time management challenges. Not to mention the need to dig out our softer skills around communication, empathy, and tolerance of others in a work setting.
It is also acknowledged that there some people desperate to get back into a physical working environment and social space, this is another dimension to re-entry and to be considered in the plan.
The transition for your organisations new working norm, must be handled with care. Change and culture are fragile topics at the best of times and without giving them both the consideration and planning time they need the inevitable negative impacts will not take long to take hold.
Creating your own Lockdown Lifting plan & toolkit will aid you to be in the best possible position to proactively manage and communicate your companies way forward and to react to the challenges that will of course be there along the journey.
If you need some advise on where to start please get in touch.
Good Luck
Claire
claire@ccinhr.co.uk or 07743 856083
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