Returning To Work Post-Furlough And Its Impact On Our Mental Health
Every industry has been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. Usually, returning to work after a holiday, annual leave or even a long weekend can have an impact on your mental health and routine, so how are we supposed to prepare to return to the 9-5 seamlessly now?
We have never seen anything like the COVID-19 pandemic before, with no virus having such an impact on the global economy and workforce. And, as the UK Government continues to provide advice and guidelines which still do not accommodate key workers and their safety, many are very worried about putting themselves in a dangerous position when having to go back to the workplace. However, though many are now returning to work, whether in person or from home, many have also been made redundant during the furlough-period and will still be struggling with unexpected unemployment and a financial uncertainty that they may not have prepared for (because, why would you have had a pandemic contingency plan before 2020).
Not only are lower socio-economic communities disproportionately affected by the financial impact of the virus, but they are also more likely to contract the virus and be more unwell than wealthier counterparts too. Key-workers such as public transport drivers, hospitality and catering staff, cleaners, porters and community care workers (to name but a few) do not have the option to work from home, and will be coming into contact with many members of the public during a single day’s work. The virus has not only exposed the growing health inequality in the UK, but also the disregard for the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable groups of workers who have undoubtedly kept our country going through this time.
What Elements of Returning to Work are Likely to Impact a Worker’s Mental Health?
There are many parts of a normal working day which will now be a huge cause for concern for someone returning to work when the virus is still a severe threat. This walk through of a workers day shows all of the anxieties that a worker could face at each stage of the day -
Part 1. Dropping Children Back to School / Childcare
Many will start their day surrounded by family, including children who now have to return to school - though the rates of infection are still arguably too high to be allowing young children to mix and mingle with other households 5 days a week. As a parent, dropping children back to school and allowing them to come into contact with potentially hundreds of peers and members of their households can be extremely nerve wracking. Children have been safe with their parents for 6 months of lockdown, and are now constantly exposed to the virus. There have even been reports of parents with immunodeficiency diseases or key worker roles that have had to move out of the family home in case they infect their family, and in turn their children’s classmates.
Part 2. Commuting and Public Transport
Though it is a requirement across the majority of the UK to wear face coverings on public transport, there are still a large number of commuters who take their masks off mid-journey or wear them incorrectly in the first place. Before even getting to the workplace, commuters are already enclosed with a number of strangers who could be carrying and spreading COVID-19. Travelling on public transport can already be a distressing and anxiety-inducing experience for many people who are struggling with their mental health, and the pandemic only makes this worse and more likely to be a difficult journey emotionally.
Part 3. Coronavirus in the Office
If members of staff are returning to your office, then your senior management team should have precautions in place to make sure that hand sanitiser is readily available, social distancing is followed at all times and that work-stations and communal areas are kept clean. I have found this extremely reassuring when visiting my own office occasionally, and can honestly say that I have been more anxious visiting our local supermarket (which we have been allowed to do through the whole pandemic) than I have been going into the office building. Your boss should be going out of their way to keep you and your teammates safe, and are likely to be as worried as you are.
After the working day is over, it's time to commute again amongst another congregation of workers before returning home to see your family members and children - all of whom have come into contact with people outside of your household bubble in their days too.
Working from Home Benefits
Though this all sounds quite worrying, there are some small benefits to returning to work - especially if this is working from home for you.
Getting back into a routine can be extremely beneficial for a person’s mental health. Not only will your days feel more productive and structured, but you are also likely to be virtually re-connecting with colleagues and other social bubbles of staff that you have not seen for months. These team members will be able to provide you with a boost during your working day and hopefully encourage you to slowly get back on track to looking after your wellbeing alongside your job.
Since returning to work (from home) after furlough, I have noticed that my sleeping pattern has settled; my days feel more sociable; and I have a structured day that involves engaging my brain, working hard, and also taking productive breaks which can accommodate a healthy and structured meal plan. This is a world away from the lack of structure I had during lockdown, where my days were very empty and unproductive and my mental health suffered because of it.
Though I am not getting the same exercise as I would’ve been from walking to the office, my body and mind feels better after doing even the smallest of things - like getting showered and dressed every morning and having set lunch times. My top tips for supporting your own wellbeing during the work-from-home time are to -
Take regular screen breaks.
Stay hydrated (at least 2 litres a day).
Work in a room which you don’t usually associate with relaxing or rest.
Remove all work related papers, laptops, documents etc from where you will be relaxing once your work day ends.
Try not to get distracted by your social media or streaming platforms when you’re supposed to be ‘in work’ - if you wouldn’t do it in front of your boss, then don’t do it when you’re being your own boss for the day either.
Have regular healthy snacks and a meal plan
Get dressed as if you were going in to the office - your outfit and presentation has a huge impact on your mindset.
Find relaxing activities that are the opposite to activities from your work day. For example, if you spend your whole day in Zoom meetings then maybe a Zoom quiz in the evening isn’t going to be the best way to unwind.
Connect with your team regularly and ensure you are all setting goals and staying on track as if you were in the office.
Use this time to experiment with different working styles and see if you can improve your productivity or work ethic at all - it may make returning to physical office hours a lot easier and beneficial when the time comes.
Organisations such as MIND have produced resources and toolkits to ensure that the wellbeing of workers is supported when returning to the physical work space.
Written by Caitlin Parr
Hey, I’m Caitlin! I’m a student at Cardiff University about to embark on an MA in Journalism, Media and Communications. I work a lot in advocating for better mental health and sex ed provisions in the student community and also in media and communications for a variety of welfare, youth education and international development organisations outside of Uni.