Keeping workplace safe during pandemics can be very challenging. Businesses operating during these unprecedented times should take measures to ensure utmost safety for all involved. A thorough infection control program in place that includes policies and protocols for prevention and containment communicated in a clear and timely manner should help mitigate risks for employers while reducing many employee concerns.

Consider the following steps to help maintain a safe workplace:

• Arrange an orientation/education for your employees to raise awareness about a pandemic emergency. Post tips in your workplace on how to stop the spread of virus. Encourage good hygiene habits such as washing hands regularly with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. Create a policy not to leave personal items like phones on shared surfaces.
• Consider installing automatic soap dispensers to prevent transferring germs to the pump. Station adequate supply of alcohol-based hand sanitizers throughout your facility. Have a designated employee sanitize all common areas and workstations regularly.
• Provide remote work option where possible, for those whose performance will not be affected by not being physically present in the office. Encourage employees to stay home and not work when they are sick and advise them of the COVID-19 symptoms for which to monitor such as fever and cough. Identify whom they should contact if they need to be absent for a COVID-19 related reason.
• Make sure your employees are informed of the Government of Canada advisory to avoid any non-essential travel outside of Canada and requirement to self-isolate after returning from abroad. Cancel work-related travel, particularly to areas in which infection rates are high or where a border may be closed.
• Implement social distancing measures, including modifying the frequency and type of face-to-face employee encounters, establishing flexible work hours or work sites.

Keep your employees up to date on the mitigation measures you are employing to both reassure them and to gain their buy-in for managing disruptions to the business. It is crucial to establish a clear chain of command and rapid response process to ensure swift, decisive action. Communicate to your employees that your response team is in place and evaluating the situation on a daily basis. 

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Keeping workplace safe during pandemics takes well-thought policies and measures and due diligence. Check out Canada’s Occupational Health and Safety Magazine and a great read here for more insight.

Protecting mental health has become as equally important as taking care of our physical health. Pandemics such as the one we are currently grappling with often trigger fear and anxiety. It is very normal to feel worried and anxious. We are nervous for survival and so our natural stress hormones are activated when we face with a threat. The good news is that there are a number of things that we can do to keep our spirits up.

Reduce news and social media intake

It is now harder than ever not to spend extended periods on your phones and laptops. However you can limit your exposure to the news, consume only what you need to know and what is most relevant to you. Customize your social media feeds by following more accounts and pages that make you feel good.

See the glass half full

Do what you can and leave the rest in the hands of authorities. Keep in mind that most people who contract COVID-19 will only experience mild symptoms. Work is being done to help the most vulnerable.

Keep yourself busy

Create an at-home routine and schedule for remote work. Engage in activities that distract you from current events. Watch your favorite movies and TV shows, pick up a new hobby, join an online fitness class, enroll in a free online course to upgrade your skills.

Stay connected with family and friends

Maintaining social networks can foster a sense of normality and provide valuable outlets for sharing feelings and relieving stress. Include video calls in your daily routine, play online games with friends and take virtual tours together.

Stay physically active

Physical activity helps reduce stress hormones such as adrenaline and releases chemicals like endorphins and serotonin that improve your mood. Also keep in mind that deep breathing or meditation are great ways to alleviate stress and anxiety.

It is now more important than ever to maintain good health and spirits. So make your mental and physical health a priority and remember we are going to get through this. If you notice symptoms of stress and anxiety worsened, seek help from a mental health professional and check out tele-therapy or online therapy services.

 

Check out the latest updates from camh to gain further insights.

 

Work-life balance is an important aspect of a healthy and happy work environment. It can be seen as the budget of your hours and how you spend it. As the term work-life balance is transforming, companies can also go with the trend and work towards integration and alignment than balance. With the concept evolving, it is important to understand the direction and what it will be like in the future.

Work-life integration is the new work-life balance

Employees and employers have talked about the importance of work-life balance for years. Separating employee’s work from outside activities has been the dominant concept. The goal was to make sure work did not take too much of the employee’s time outside office while ensuring they performed at employer’s needed level.

While using the term balance creates an opposition between work and life, integration seems to offer an approach with less friction. In today’s progressive market the merging of work and life is inevitable. Therefore, employees are encouraged to align their goals and experiences to create the path that is desired to them.

The generational effect

Every generation has been addressing the concept differently. Some have focused on finding the balance by remote work options and paid time off to spend quality time with family. Millennials however who are said to take up to %75 of the workforce by 2025, seem to have a different perspective. They are leaning towards finding a career that suits their lifestyle which means life outside work. This is quite a change from the traditional ways such finding a job and then building a life around it.

Burnout is real

Isolating and sustaining an identity for each aspect of life can be challenging. The demands of our work combined with our personal and social lives means we need to learn to wear more hats and manage a portfolio of multiple identities. All the effort put into achieving satisfactory work-life balance seems to create even more stress when employees fail to accomplish it. On the other hand, moving towards integration seems to help employees with a less stressful approach. It allows them to focus on what is important to them and what suits their personality and abilities, and then build on that to create a unique career path.

 

HR professionals are encouraged to follow the shift in perspective. They should help businesses move towards a flexible work environment that supports employees at all life stages. They should foster the type of culture that promotes what is important to current and potential future talent pipeline. This can be employees’ interests, abilities and personalities. Also they should make sure company is investing in the right technology that realistically strengthens the integration.

 

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Dressing appropriately for work is rather a subjective area where there can be a lot of room for confusion. Work wardrobe depends on many factors including the industry, company and the department you work in.  There is no one-size-fits-all type of formula, so you should be flexible and adjust your professional style accordingly. Here are some general guidelines that help you look your best in any environment.

Company culture

The one most important thing to remember is the company culture. You get to know what is appropriate in your company by observing what employees at different levels are wearing. Try to find something that fits in and is a reflective of your own style. If the dress code is distinctly different from your wardrobe, slowly modify yours to come as close as possible.

Formality

Having a good understanding of the level of formality goes a long way to ensuring you are dressed appropriately. While business casual is the preferred level of formality in many companies, casual itself has different levels. Business formal dress code on the other hand, is still norm in industries such as law, accounting, consulting and in locations such as corporate headquarters.

The basics

This might sound too obvious but wearing clean and properly fit clothes is a must regardless of the environment. Clothes that are too big, too small or dirty, can look inappropriate, can be a distraction, may look sloppy, might be a job hazard or even violate the company hygiene policy.

Cologne or perfume and accessories

Avoid strong cologne or perfume, a scent that you like might be unpleasant or cause allergy to others. Also, make sure your accessories do not make loud noises every time you walk and there is nothing offensive, controversial or obnoxious on your clothing.

Colours

Wearing rich and dark colours usually convey a stronger impression than lighter ones. Be cautious with bright colours and try to avoid overly flashy ones. Also, it is a good idea not to wear the same colour as the background behind you. This comes into play wherever you sit for prolonged periods.

Beware of your attire once you start with a company and you will gradually become accustomed to the culture and dress accordingly without much effort.  If you are ever unsure about the appropriateness of a particular clothing item, skip it. If you really want to wear it, first discuss it with HR and find out whether or not it would be appropriate.

 

To read more check out this article.

Employee engagement directly affect companies’ bottom line. Nevertheless, it is one of the employment topics that has been neglected and incorrectly defined and applied for years. Surveys show that a majority of people lack the innate connection to their job, company or both. The disengaged employees work as much as bare minimum just to get the job done. They are disconnected, produce less, and don’t last long. It’s important to understand what employee engagement is. Employee engagement is not job satisfaction or happiness, it goes beyond that.

Highly engaged employees are enthused to come to work. They are more productive, experience an increased sense of health and well-being, have longer tenure and are committed to the organization and its goals. For the business, this means more success and lower turnover rates.

As the employer, you want highly and actively engaged employees who willingly put more work forth. It takes effort and time to ingrain a culture of organizational engagement, but here are some tips that can help you along the way.

Define your core values and purpose

Know the reason why the company exits and prepare to clearly explain it downward to the employees. Employees need to know the goal and vision they’re all rallied behind. This will help them have a purposeful reason to come to work everyday, care about their work and put the extra effort in.

Don’t underestimate the impact of office space

Carefully designed innovative office space that is tailored to company culture and business goes hand in hand with employee productivity. This becomes even more important when you are trying to attract the millennial population. The functional office spaces that foster collaboration and allow concentration improve employee morale and engagement.

Define employee role clearly

Define employee role clearly so that they understand how their work contributes to the overall mission of the company. From the employee contribution to the department and from the department to the entire company, there should be an unbroken chain defining how critical each employee’s work is to ultimate mutual goals. Employees need to have an understanding of this chain and how they fit in the overall scheme of the organization.

Recognize and acknowledge

Well recognized and acknowledged employees feel like a valued member of the team. Develop programs throughout the organization to execute employee recognition on a regular basis. Examples are monthly reward programs or company points. This will foster a culture of gratitude and appreciation where team members are there to support one another.

Provide development opportunities

Employees who feel they’re stagnating are more likely to check out and explore other opportunities. Focus on those that suit your business model and financial status best. Any opportunity from a seminar to certification programs can serve the purpose. Consider passion projects as an option where employees are personally invested in. These projects will unexpectedly benefit your business.

An engaged workforce ultimately means a bigger bottom line. Remember your business thrives best when everyone in it feels valued and included. Your employees when engaged, will get you something money can’t buy.

 

Check out this great article to read more on employee engagement.