Support for employees’ wellbeing has been a hot topic for HR leaders since the pandemic hit and forced the vast majority of employees to work from home or to be placed on the Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS).
Due to this, the health and wellbeing of workers has been thrown into the spotlight, as research and several studies have indicated that employees were starting to struggle with their own health. For example, research from LinkedIn in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation discovered in May that more than half of UK workers were feeling anxious or stressed while working from home during lockdown.
With this in mind, some employers have started to tackle employee wellbeing with new initiatives that can support them from home, to remind them that their organisation is thinking of them.
Channel 4 is among the latest to offer something of a similar ilk. In a post on LinkedIn, the television network posted an image of a ‘care package’ it had sent out to staff, which consisted of a mug, tea bags and coffee for employees to enjoy, along with a note that read ‘We miss you!’.
Writing on the post, the employer said: “Whilst we can't be together in person we can let our staff know we are thinking of them. Together in spirit! #wfh2020.”
Staff members at the firm shared their appreciation for the token. Amelia Wilson, Lawyer at Channel 4, said: “Loved mine! Created such a lovely buzz amongst the staff and the miss you sign is pinned on my fridge.”
Meanwhile, Jan Tiffany Cutsforth, Genre Assistant at Channel 4, added: “It was such a lovely surprise to receive this. Thank you.”
Nicky Ivory-Chapman FCIPD, Head of Talent Management at Channel 4, also wrote: “Thank you C4 – I miss you too!”
It wasn’t just Channel 4 employees who marvelled at the gesture – other LinkedIn users also commented on the idea. Emma A, Director at CoverMyBubble, shared her thoughts on the importance of looking after team members, particularly during times of crisis.
She continued: “Love this so much, we love treating our team too. It’s so important to look after them & let you know you care. It’s the small things that make a massive difference to people’s lives sometimes. Make someone smile and you smile twice as much, that’s what I say anyway.”
Similarly, Steven Humphreys, Central Sales Manager at Greystar Europe, wrote how he had done something similar to reward his staff: “Lovely gesture! I sent out a small ‘care package’ and a thank you card to my team earlier in the summer and they were so grateful for it.”
Inclusion for staff
Another firm also previously offered a similar gesture; HR Grapevine previously reported that the Kellogg Company had sent its employees a branded facemask in order to ‘bring a smile to their faces’.
Writing on LinkedIn, Samantha Thomas-Berry, VP, European HR at Kellogg Company, said: “Throughout the pandemic the spirit of the Kellogg Europe team has been inspiring and I couldn't be prouder of how we have supported each other. We’ve sent all our colleagues a little something in the post to bring a smile to their faces and remind them that wherever they are, we are all one big Kellogg family.”
Both of these gestures from Channel 4 and the Kellogg Company demonstrate the importance of inclusion and rewards for staff during the pandemic, who may be struggling with working in isolation, away from their teams and of course family and friends in some instances.
Therefore, reminding staff that they are still a part of a team via these methods, despite working at home alone, is crucial to build morale and boost productivity.
