From returning people to the office to bringing furloughed colleagues back into the team, supporting employees and prioritising their wellbeing is a priority for leaders and HR teams in 2021.
Returning to the office, especially, is a source of anxiety for many employees – the health and safety risks, the commute, the change in routine – and yet our study found that only 55% of organisations are putting employee wellbeing plans in place for the transition.
97% of organisations also said they would be adopting some form of hybrid working, which means in many cases, as standard, the future workplace will merge frontline, remote and office workers – requiring new working practices, inclusive policies, and internal communications strategies.
So, while we are all still navigating this long period of organisational and cultural change, what can leaders do to better support employees?
1. Be as clear as possible about the future vision to help manage uncertainty, anxiety, and speculation. Even if you are not able to share details, showing that there is consensus can have a positive impact on morale.
2. Balance positivity with empathy to acknowledge the impact and influence of the experience of the pandemic for every employee demographic, so that efforts to turn adversity into opportunity do not feel tone deaf.
3. Keep listening and responding through formal and informal channels to involve employees in problem solving, create a sense of connection and course correct where necessary.
4. Re-think the approach to wellbeing so that initiatives and resources are underpinned by a strategic and cultural focus on supporting employee wellbeing.
Burnout, exhaustion, and mental health challenges have been intensified by the pandemic and the experiences need to be well-understood and addressed.
5. Be clear and consistent with communication. Make sure to update employees as soon and as often as possible on plans to minimise speculation and uncertainty.
From designing hybrid workplaces to creating inclusive policies, more action-planning advice can be found by downloading our latest report: New ways of working: the lasting impact and influence of the pandemic.
Survey’s done – now what? The moment that counts and how not to waste it
No matter how much effort you put into promoting and communicating about your survey, it can all be undone by what happens afterwards.
Read moreCreating an employee experience report every executive wants to read
You spent weeks putting together a report on your annual engagement survey and shared it with your execs. But, months later, nothing seems to have come from it. Sound familiar?
Read moreIC Index 2025: leading with care and connection
The IC Index 2025 is rich with data, insights and real-world implications that highlight the need for empathetic, honest and clear communication. In other words: the human touch.
Read moreAlchemy in action: the magic of blended analytics
Want deeper insights, faster? Data Science Lead Chris Broome explores how combining data sets builds a much richer picture.
Read moreBeyond the invite: why survey communications matter
As part of our Steps to Survey Success series, Head of Creative Strategy Rachy McKenzie discusses the importance of survey communications campaigns.
Read moreEmployee listening is only as good as the questions you ask
As part of our Steps to Survey Success series, Senior Consultant Miles Crosby encourages us to question the questions.
Read moreThe perfect fit: why you should tailor your employee listening solution
In the first of our Steps to Survey Success series, Consulting Director Josh Reed goes back to basics to look at getting the foundations right.
Read moreWelcome to the apathy zone. Population: more than you might think
Many UK organisations are missing out on the best ideas and insights because people aren’t speaking up. What can we do about it?
Read more
We will reply to you in the next two working days.