A panel of mental health experts and business leaders have suggested that offering flexible work arrangements can help better prioritize wellness in the workplace.
This is especially essential as stress grows about returning to the office after months of working from home.
“Some people might be afraid or anxious about returning to work because of the risk of contracting the virus when travelling during peak hours,” said Professor John Wong Chee Meng, a mental health expert at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. “Supervisors could take a more understanding view and allow employees to come in during off-peak hours.”
According to a survey conducted by employee engagement software provider Engagerocket, most Singaporeans want to continue working from home.
This means companies need to reevaluate how to support those workers. This could be in the form of adjusting budgets to offer stipends for employees to improve their home workspaces.
Additionally, panelists emphasize the importance of creating a more empathetic workplace as mental health issues reach record highs throughout the pandemic.
Business leaders need to take note of how their employees are doing. Are they focused? Is their work output still of high quality?
Without a healthy workforce, culture and productivity take a major hit. That is why companies need to have programs in place to boost wellness. This can range from weekly virtual happy hours, or allowing time for workers to simply share how they are feeling.
