501(c) HR Services’ focus is always to assist the nonprofit community by providing guidance as we move forward to a post-pandemic world. As we pass the one year mark of the pandemic, we see the light at the end of the tunnel. As we transition, some of us will continue to work remotely and some will return to the physical workspace. Whether we are telecommuting or not, we must continue our efforts to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace by continuing some of our new habits.
These include:
- being physically distant,
- washing our hands frequently,
- wearing masks inside, and
- working diligently towards a more inclusive workforce.
As we assist our nonprofit partners we are always researching what the “experts” are saying about work coming with our transition back to a pre-pandemic environment.
Our research in 2020 took us to articles, white papers, studies, which boiled down to:
- Our tight labor market
- How to attract and retain talent
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) in hiring and
- Worker well-being
At first blush, we thought worker well-being was dated, over-talked about, and rarely a real focus in the workplace. With low expectations we absorbed data on the subject by PwC. We were surprised to learn that for over a decade they have been conducting a health and well-being survey. What they found lead them to believe health and well-being were so vital and important, they decided to do a study and with the University of Southern California. The study ended up with the creation of their Habit Bank.
We are confident that their focus on well-being has helped them weather the pandemic. They have demonstrated that there are many ways to help and support our employees during challenging times that don’t include a massive budget and/or a large survey/study.
Whether you and your staff are working remotely or are transitioning back into the office, here are six things that can easily be implemented to help yourself and your employees stay well:
- Design your workspace to fit YOU. Meaning, think about what you need to do your best work.
- Do you need a brightly lit or dimly lit workspace?
- Should you face the wall or fellow coworkers (what helps you focus)?
- Do you need quiet?
- Get up and stretch your legs every 30 minutes.
- Try desk yoga. YouTube has a lot of options to choose from. Follow up with a cat video to make you laugh so you release more endorphins.
- Don’t forget about ergonomics.
- Add plants to clean the air and reduce stress. There are quite a few inexpensive office-friendly options.
- Follow the 20/20/20 rule. That means every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Work/life balance!
When done correctly, wellness programs give employees incentives, tools, social support, privacy, and strategies to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors. They don’t have to be complicated!
If you have an Employee Assistant Plan (EAP), now is a great time to reintroduce your employees to the benefits of that amazing organizational benefit. Send out an email with a catchy subject line so employees are more likely to open and read it. Remember to include a brief description of services and the minimal costs associated with certain services, like mental health and financial services. Pandemic and post-pandemic, we all can benefit from having extra support.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with HR issues and information, don’t hesitate to contact us here at 501(c) HR Services.
