At the beginning of 2020, most of us didn’t realise that ‘epidemiology’ and ‘pandemic’ would become part of our regular vocabulary. The working landscape for some changed drastically overnight and those in the industry sought to reduce the negative impacts and outcomes brought about by COVID-19. While life seems to be slowly returning to some sense of normality, it’s easy to see things are completely different from the world we once knew.
This year has hit every workforce with a curveball like no other. For starters, workplaces have flipped their operations to adopt new systems and processes, especially in a new digital setting. With this shift came virtual meetings, working from home and isolation.
As we navigate our way through this unchartered territory, it seems as though a new pandemic is rearing its ugly head. Safe Work Australia recently outlined just how stressful this uncertain time can be, particularly as remote and digital workspaces become our new office and workers no longer have access to support networks. As such, it becomes an organisation’s priority to ensure their staff are not exposed to psychological health risks arising from seclusion. As a direct consequence of the coronavirus, the resulting alternative means we once again need to rethink how to maximise productivity and support in our online workplaces.
At the time of this article and by now, I’m sure those working in a remote setting have reached some kind of ‘new normal’ when it comes to their operations. But what seems to be lacking is all those other elements that were so deeply ingrained into our workplace culture - like the laughing in the background; the coffee huddles; the checking in on one another when you can sense something is not right. Mental health is a hot topic in our day and age as statistics show it’s on a significant uphill rise. As people juggle toddlers with deadlines, poor internet connections, and, dare I say it, the temptation to complete household chores in lunch breaks, people’s mental health is copping a bit of a hiding.
Having worked in a remote work environment for the past 5 years, mental health and worker support are something we’ve paid a lot of attention to. The Grants Hub, from conception, was built online with innovation at our forefront. This decision has allowed us to promote easier collaboration between our staff members, who are based Australia-wide (and internationally!).
While we certainly don’t claim to have all the answers when it comes to remote working, we now have in place a strong support system. We have experienced first hand the importance of creating a healthy online work culture to ensure all our employees have access to a safe, happy and engaging workplace. Even if that means they are rocking up to work within their social isolation periods. We’ve learnt many techniques along the way to boost confidence, enhance flexibility and support one another through difficult times.
So while you may be unsure about these new changes to working lifestyles, here are some of the things we do to promote a positive workplace and provide our staff with the resources they need to feel understood, valued and appreciated.
Emojis and Gifs: Some days I wonder whether there’s more communication going on through emojis and gifs than there is through text! Without the ability to read facial expressions, so much can be assumed, and emotions can feel so removed. It may seem a little purposeless, but we kind of need this in our day! It is a simple way to keep things feeling real and alive, and in an animated picture, we can understand exactly how the other is feeling. We encourage emojis and gifs to promote fun conversation and reactions. 😊
Chocolate Allowance: Yes, we all know it’s to be enjoyed in moderation, but it does have the ability to improve one’s mood… really quickly. We provide our staff with a chocolate allowance, so they can enjoy a little treat. And who doesn’t love chocolate?
Treat Yourself Allowance: We offer our staff a treat yourself fund, so we can ensure they’re taking time for themselves as well. Mental Health Week recently encouraged us to “Take Time to Be Kind” and for mental health. A little pick me up is always something that can help someone if they are having a rough day. After all, the team here at The Grants Hub are our backbone and the company wouldn’t be able to stand without them. With many other overheads now removed, perhaps this is one you could introduce?
“Frysday”: This is our own addition to the dictionary. Our team doesn’t work on Fridays, so we’ve made ‘Frysday’ our Thursday equivalent. One of our employees coined this term suggesting that fries for lunch should become the norm. As a result, it promoted great workplace banter and now we have a fun topic we can joke about. Laughter (and potato) is good for the soul.
Flex time: Every now and then unexpected commitments, interruptions or appointments can occur. As such, day-time work just can’t cut it. At The Grants Hub, we’ve introduced an afternoon per week of flex time for each employee. This allows our employees to switch their hours around and work either early morning or evening instead. Flexibility is one of our core values, and we want our staff to be the best version of themselves that they can be.
Be Well Week: Initiated in 2020, this new program is all about us intentionally checking in with each other and discussing all things mental health. It’s about being honest, real and maybe even a little vulnerable if people feel like it. Be Well Week maintains our regular communication with one another and encourages people to stay in contact. It also provides our staff with a place for them to discuss any concerns or issues. You can check out more about this initiative here.
Well-being ranking. We don’t always do this, but from time-to-time, we give ourselves a ranking out of ten just to see how we’re travelling in life. It’s a great way of quickly checking in with each other (and ourselves!) and maybe making some tweaks in our approach to work accordingly. This system gives a fast indication of how ourselves and others are feeling and quickly flags any potential need for follow up conversations or assistance.
Values: Values drive culture, and if we can be clear on what we’re aiming for in the workplace and how we can get there, it places us in a great position to establish and maintain a healthy remote-workplace. It also highlights the organisational expectations and our appreciation for those who contribute to our great efforts. We drive seven core values, which are deeply embedded in our day-to-day habits. You can learn more about them here.
While some of these tips may not be new to your organisation, sometimes it’s the little things that encourage a sense of community. Good communication with your team is incredibly important, especially during unprecedented times where processes are changing in accordance with the world around us. At The Grants Hub, we identified early on that regular and clear communication, great values and supportive initiatives clearly outlines our roles, responsibilities and tasks. And at the end of the day, positivity always encourages creativity.