As the COVID-19 situation is progressing and the Government guidance continues to change, individuals may be feeling anxious, tired and fed up. Mental Health support during times like these are paramount, which is why Care first have worked tirelessly to ensure our services remain available 24/7 throughout the pandemic to provide emotional and practical support and ensure we have every aspect of your overall wellbeing covered.
With everybody being affected differently by the COVID-19 pandemic, Individuals will look to managers and leaders for answers. The truth is, this pandemic is new and many managers and leaders may not have all the answers. Care first is an independent and confidential counselling, help and support service available to you free 24 hours a day, every day of the year for everyone including managers.
Care first have management trained Advisors who can help managers and leaders who feel they may need some help and guidance within their managerial roles and how best to support their staff. We also have a manager’s area on our lifestyle site which has some really useful articles and information to help managers and leaders in their working roles.
We have created some top tips for managers and leaders below:
Regular Communication
Make sure you have regular structured communication channels within your organisation for all employees. You could use video conferencing to hold a daily group meeting to check on everyone’s wellbeing and to share ideas in regards to work. This will help to keep everyone feeling part of the team. You could also have a group chat set up for employee’s to share useful ideas and resources for work. It is important to set guidelines on the times that the group chat is used, such as in line with the usual working day.
It is important to keep managers well informed as they are the main link between an organisation and its people. Remember to communicate all avenues of support to employee’s including the support offered by Care first. Keep all employees up to date with the latest information of what is happening within the organisation and of any future plans and developments.
Only share reputable sources of information
Try not to share or encourage your employees to read lots of different articles on the internet, or other sources of information. It is best to read and direct employees to reputable articles from organisations such as Public Health England and .Gov for example. It is notable to only watch the news or read the news around the Coronavirus in short bursts.
Maintain your work life balance and encourage your team to do the same
Whether you are working remotely or not. It is easy to work extra hours because you want to get a task finished or want to do the best job possible. It is vital to maintain a work life balance. By taking regular breaks may also actually help you be more productive at work. It is amazing how a walk in the fresh air at lunch time can really help you feel refreshed for the afternoon ahead.
The Care first Lifestyle website has a manager’s area as shown in the above screenshot. If you would like to learn more then please visit the Care first Lifestyle website. Your login details will be available through your HR team.
How can Care first help?
If you feel you may need some emotional or practical support, you can contact Care first on the Freephone number. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. Whilst our BACP accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to provide support with emotional issues, our expertly trained Information Specialists are available 8am-8pm Monday-Friday to provide advice on any practical issues that may be causing you a stress or worry and help you feel more in control of a situation.
All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.
If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘Tips for managers and leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic” is being delivered live on Fridays 9th April at 12pm, please use the below link to register for this session –
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7313668087795431696
If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.