Where the pandemic has actually fulled stress among people, whether they are working from home or going to offices, the stress under COVID-19 has to be recognized and treated. People in the current situation are drowning in anxiety and depression.
The increasing number of deaths and disease around and the ever alarming situation has transformed the whole environment globally. Considering the fear and anxiety, inculcated by this novel disease into people, the work stress multiplies. Often it leads to excessive burnout.
These are some new factors that the managers have to take into consideration in human resource management.
However, the acknowledgment of certain situations by the employees themselves is the first step to tackle the issue. They have to realize what stress looks like and feels like. Only then can they take measures to overcome it, and escape the tedious worries of unknown origins.
Factors indicating Stress
There are certainly various factors indicating stress in any individual. For instance, a person may feel angry and irritated all the time. The person, however, will keep on denying his/her feelings. Which can culminate, and leads to serious consequences. Feeling uncertain and anxious, and not knowing the origins of the cause is am indication of stress. Also, the person is overwhelmed with such anxious feelings, that he burns out himself. He/she can have trouble sleeping. Lack of concentration finally leads to a lack of motivation. This is how stress can subtly push a person to a point where she/he finds no refuge. This is exactly how stress work. Hollowing a person from inside without his/her knowledge.
Role of Pandemic in Catalysing Stress In Employees
The above factors are just an indication of stress. Now, there is a huge role of the pandemic in catalyzing this work-related stress. The factors here, are many and variable. For instance, the person may be worried or stressed about contracting the virus at the workplace therefore many website developers in Los Angeles are working from home. Not the fear of self-contraction, but also the fear that his/her family might contract the virus from him/her. So, such fears are always lurking in the back of employees' minds.
The person has to worry about providing for his family, and in certain circumstances, he/she can not manage without a job, despite high chances of being exposed to the virus. If the employee is working from home, he/she has an altogether different type of workload.
As some people prefer to work in a proper office environment. Working from home may incur them various new challenges and increase the workload. Also, not everyone has access to the tools and equipment to work from home. That is a matter of grave concern when the office makes it mandatory to work from home.
Often, an employee can feel being unproductive, when he/she is not on the frontline. This feeling can sow a seed of depression in him/her. Also, at times, the future of employment becomes uncertain owing to the cause that the economy is badly disturbed because of this pandemic. It can arouse fears, which can further lead to severe stress.
As the use of technology is enhanced in the workplace, many of the employees may find it hard to cope up with the new challenges. Not everyone is a pro at technology. Hence, learning new methods of communication and getting one's hands-on technology can cause big-time stress among employees. That too, considering, that the shift is to be made within a short notice. The employees are pressured into adapting to new ways of work, considering the need of the hour. But employees may not handle it in a good way.
Also, the employees have to adapt to different schedules, because the offices are likely to keep the concentration of employees in the office low. For that purpose, an office can create various shifts, instead of one. That leads to a change in the schedule of various employees. People who were used to working in the morning timings may have to work in the night timings, and vice versa. Adapting to these new circumstances can become stressful, and employees can become anxious about it.
Measures to Cope with Work-related Stress under Pandemic
The pandemic can catalyze the work stress. The most efficient way to cope up with such situations for the employees is to communicate their concerns with their supervisors. The employees can identify the causes of stress. And find the root causes. They can talk openly about how the pandemic is enhancing their work stress. In such situations, employees should expect their managers to be supportive. Also, they should get the guidelines as to how to get access to mental health resources at the workplace.
One thing that the employees can actually do is to recognize the challenges, which are really not under their control. And whatever resources, they have in control, they can utilize them in the best possible way in these hard times. Making peace with hardships is a way to avoid unhealthy stress.
The employees should make a strict daily routine, as they had before the pandemic. Add up lots of activities into their schedule. Take sleep breaks in between, check in with the family members and friends. Exercise during such times is a beneficial activity. Spending time outdoors and relaxing in an open environment helps cope with the stress. Also, add up such activities which a person enjoys in his free time.
The acknowledge of the fact that the whole world in this pandemic together, and holding on strong is what is required from each one of us. Also, employees should remind themselves that everyone is stuck in such unusual circumstances, in such limited resources. This is the war of the whole of humanity. Hearing about pandemic constantly can be upsetting, one should refrain from it. Learn something new and interesting. One can read and learn as much as he/she wants in these predicaments.
Connecting with others, and listening to them. Keeping a check on the surrounding people is a must, and should be done as a duty. Keep yourself safe from the stress, but people should also check up on others, in case they are showing the stress symptoms as well. Keep a track of your own symptoms, and keep in check the factors which can aggravate the stress, and avoid them, such as unhealthy food or tobacco, etc.