‘Talk to people’ | How to support staff with back-to-work anxiety

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown, which provided employers and the public with an indication of when they could expect various sectors to reopen. The most recent to reopen was non-essential retail and outdoor hospitality which took place on April 12, 2021, and saw many employees return to a central working location.

As England continues to navigate through this ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown – and more and more sectors reopen – employers and HR will likely start to draw up plans for a return to the office. While some staff may look forward to the prospect of seeing colleagues in person again, others may have concerns about going back as research has suggested.

For example, the Supporting Your Remote Workforce in 2021 and Beyond report, found that around 40% of UK office workers were worried about catching coronavirus from their colleagues by returning to work, as was reported by City AM. As the dedicated people function, HR should consider how they can help manage the back-to-work anxieties that some staff could be experiencing.

How can HR help manage back-to-work anxiety?