Unsurprisingly, the events of 2020 have seen the topic of employee wellbeing shoot to the top of many leadership agendas.
Life has changed significantly for so many people, in so many ways. For many people, home is now the office, and the office is now home. Individuals have had to navigate working while also fulfilling caring responsibilities, be they for children or for elderly relatives. With all of this taking place against a backdrop of uncertainty and fear. Fear of the virus itself but also concerns about job security and the broader economic implications of lockdown.
Meanwhile, our ability to enjoy ourselves, to celebrate and to punctuate our working lives with fun, rest and relaxation, has been severely impacted by restrictions on social gatherings, the complications of international travel, and the partial, or total, shutdown of the hospitality and leisure sectors.
It’s no wonder that companies are worried about their people and how they are coping in this environment. However, for senior HR professionals and company executives, there is no playbook for these events.
We spoke to Kate Mason-Keaney, Founding Partner of Ground and Air, a management consultancy with a specific focus on the link between wellbeing and performance, to learn from her experience and perspective on supporting ourselves, our colleagues and our teams.