Mental Health & Emotions Management in Times of Crisis

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65% working women feel Covid impacted their careers negatively: Survey
IANS | According to the survey, there is also a consensus that women have been more negatively impacted than men during this crisis, with 74 per cent agreeing to the view.

For everyone alive right now, COVID -19 pandemic will be the most defining event of our lives. Time will come to be defined as Before COVID and After COVID. This pandemic will change our thought processes and emotions forever. Earlier we used to feel fear of seeing a gunman or a terrorist. Now an innocuous sneeze in the mall will generate the same response. And if the sneeze is too close, then we will begin to feel anger creeping up as well. 

“A pandemic of this magnitude can vitiate our thought processes into experiencing emotions such as fear, anxiety, anger, etc in ways that would create an atmosphere where the contagion of fear spreads faster than the actual virus itself.”

Therefore, while we are ensconced in our respective homes, our minds are not. They wander to ‘what will be’ once every few minutes.  Mind-wandering to the unfavourable possibilities of the future is what causes us to experience a variety of stressors.

Stressors During the Coronavirus Pandemic

  • Perception of safety and threat- The perception of the risk of catching the virus increases as we see more and more cases on the rise, those of infections as well as of deaths.  Living in a state of existential crisis or feeling vulnerable all the time is a sign of poor mental health. 
  • Quarantine and confinement- Quarantining means that our perfectly healthy minds are being forced into certain situations. Some of them are:
    • Loss/reduction of social contact
    • Limited mobility (Physical movement is restricted at home)
    • Reduced ‘Pursuit of Pleasure’ (inability to go to restaurants, malls, movies, etc)

All of the above also happen to be the top 3 symptoms of depression. Therefore, one can say that forcing lock-down on humans is very closed to pushing healthy humans into depression. 

  • Infobesity – All of us are faced with information overload through various media.  We notice sensationalisation, conspiracy theories, and conflicting views on facts as well as action points. Everything on mass media is taken to true. Overdosing on news and other information related to the pandemic exacerbates panic, anxiety, and related issues.
  • Financial loss and job insecurity- The world economy is spiralling down and India would be no exception. Working from home, we can’t help thinking about a recession of epic proportions on the horizon. We live in the insecurity that most organisations are laying off employees, ours won’t be an exception. The psychological impact of losing a job or a possibility thereof is akin to grief of the death of a loved one. 

Bracing for PTSD and Depression

A study conducted in Canada by Laura Hawryluck post the quarantine imposed during SARS Pandemic saw a high incidence of symptoms of Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The psychological impact of prolonged exposure to stressful conditions, fear of exposure to the virus, and separation from loved ones can be profound. 

The stress is not just experienced during the lockdown, but also every time this memory is evoked, we experience the same level of stress.

More often than not, PTSD turns to depression when untreated. So there is a strong possibility that once lockdown opens, the employees might return to work in a worse mental health condition.

What Organisations Can Do to Mitigate the Outcomes of COVID-19 Stressors on Employees’ Mental Health

  • Communication and Transparency- Communication is crucial during and post any crisis, to reduce employees’ stress levels. Fear, Anxiety, stress, arise from not knowing. Communication takes out the unpredictability from the situation. The workforce might be seeking a lot of answers. In this context, a communication plan related to business continuity should be developed in order to provide clear information to employees about what will happen during and after COVID-19 Lockdown is over, what are the main actions that will be taken to resume organisational operations, the potential impact of these actions on employees’ work. Providing clear and transparent information about the organisation’s future plans may reduce the fear of the unknown. 
  • Listening: Be active in seeking out the emotions of the employees. Solicit information about concerns. This sends out a signal that the organisation cares. 
  • Training –Training is an essential tool at a time like this. The stressors faced during and after the pandemic are going to impact the ability to work. Therefore, trainings for mental well being such as Stress Management and Emotional Intelligence that help build Negative Emotions Management, Empathy, Resilience, etc are critical as these would equip the workforce with valuable tools to face the real work challenges stronger.

The second level of training that’s imperative would be reskilling and upskilling (as suggested by the World Economic Forum)

The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2022, 42% of core skills required to perform existing jobs are expected to change. Organizations must take advantage of this time to identify the skills that talent in various roles should acquire to stay relevant. Such learning can also be conducted with a view to rapid redeployment within different parts of a business.

Counselling Support

It’s easy to fall prey to the ‘worst-case scenario’ kind of thinking of a time like this. Whether its related contracted the virus or other issues like the possibility of job loss, we will feel all the negative and uncomfortable emotions. (examples are fear, anger, panic, dread, desperation, frustration) The infobesity provided by the news channels further fuels it and at an organisation, level leads to mass panic and the collapse of order. Besides training, organisations could engage counsellors to help those employees who might be in need of assistance.

Social Support

In the face of existential threats, Social Support at work is a protective factor against workplace mental health issues. Mobilisation of resources for emotional support by organising regular virtual team meetings, Employee assistance programs, and maintaining continuous contact will enable organisations to mitigate the mental health crisis. 

Return-to-Work Plan

Organisations would need a return-to-work plan to enable a meaningful transition from WFH to Welcome to Office. The two areas that would need thought would be the mental health support that the companies would need for a foreseeable future and investing in employee engagement so that the productivity is high. At the same time, businesses need to evaluate the way business is conducted. Another pandemic is not an impossibility. Given, it might be a distinct possibility, how would you like to define the business and the meaning it creates for the society? The consumer would also have transformed to some degree after this is over to buying products and services that create real value. 

Conclusion

COVID-19 crisis is an unprecedented one. What Organisations do for the well being of employees right now, will not only define the level of productivity but also their future commitment and loyalty with the company. The respect that an organisation will command in the eyes of the Employees, Customers, and Shareholders will be dictated by the actions taken in these times. A lot of times, organisations look for big ‘Causes’ to associate themselves with, in order to fulfil their ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ or have a big lofty ‘Purpose’. This is the time to demonstrate that the organization cares. What can you do for your employees to make them ‘want’ to work with you. The first responsibility of any organisation is towards the employee even before customers or shareholders

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