Tips for managers on supporting mental health during Covid-19

Managers should remind employees to speak up clearly during video or physically-distanced in-person meetings to avoid others missing crucial information. — dpa

The Covid-19 pandemic isn’t going away any time soon, forcing many employers and their workers to undergo a radical shift in working habits.

Even though most employees have adjusted to the new situation, it can have an effect on their mental health.

Managers can help employees with this.

The German Trade Association for Energy, Textile and Electrical Media Products gives some tips:

> Keep up the team spirit

Remote work can have a negative effect on team cohesion.

Managers can counteract this by, for example, naming pairs of employees who can coordinate and work on projects together.

The idea is that team and/or project partners support each other.

Fixed intermediate goals and deadlines also help everyone pull together.

To achieve this, it’s a good idea to have set time slots when all team members can be reached.

> Avoid misunderstandings

While wearing a face mask and being physically distanced, crucial information can easily get lost in a conversation.

Managers should therefore highlight that employees should take care to speak especially clearly when wearing a face covering.

Ideally, they should also make sure that everyone treats each other with respect.

> Create trust

If employees are getting increasingly concerned about their personal-professional situation because of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, managers should not shy away from addressing it.

It makes sense to discuss the employee’s prospects in a one-on-one talk. It’s also important to show understanding for the team members’ family situations.

Managers should also provide regular, up-to-date, open and honest information about the current situation in the company and what decisions have been made. – dpa