Combatting Pandemic Fatigue in the Workplace

(From SHRM) One year into the pandemic, across all industries, workplace and mental health continues to be a serious issue: Reported symptoms of depression and anxiety have tripled and quadrupled since the start of the pandemic and nearly 75% of workers say they’re experiencing burnout. That's up from 42 percent at the beginning of the year, according to the research by Limeade, a Washington-based software company. Experts say employers are trying multiple strategies to help employees cope. Those approaches include:

• Increasing the number of free counseling sessions offered or waiving co-payments for therapy.
• Providing free access to mindfulness and meditation training.
• Checking in regularly with employees to ask about their well-being.
• Teaching managers to spot troubled employees and initiate conversations to offer help.
• Devising communication strategies to remind staff of benefits such as employee assistance programs and encouraging people to use them.
• Bolstering child care and elder care benefits.

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