The coronavirus pandemic is taking its toll on employee’s mental health. A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the number of workers dealing with anxiety has tripled and depression symptoms have quadrupled since the start of the pandemic. Employers are now getting creative to boost morale, reduce stress and help workers stay connected.
An afternoon of fun and games on Austin’s Rainey Street many not look like a required work activity. But the fast-paced competition to solve riddles is actually a team-bonding corporate experience.
“It’s more important now more than ever,” said Tiffany Adams, Employee Engagement Manager at Acrisure.
Adams was hired to help build an engaging company culture at a time when many employees are more isolated and less connected because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Doing things like this, it really helps make everyone feel seen and appreciated and part of the group,” said Adams.
Austin Detours says there’s been a spike in demand for corporate team-building events like the one on Rainey Street.
“It’s a financial commitment. It’s a time commitment,” said Chandler Harrington, a senior experience manager at Austin Detours.
But there’s also a return on that investment as companies work to attract and keep employees during the Great Resignation.
“They really do want that value of comradery and togetherness,” said Harrington.
Workforce experts say employers are increasingly focused on the mental wellness of employees.
“I think there’s a whole lot more empathy coming from the employer side,” said Courtney Warnsman, Vice President of Client Service and Outreach at Austin Career Connections.
Warnsman is also a career coach and says there’s never been a better time for employees to take an intentional look at where they are and where they want to be. The next step is to speak up.
“My advice is what do you have to lose in asking, just ask it in a tone that is one of teamwork,” said Warnsman. “It’s all about knowing your own value and what you bring to the table and being able to articulate that in a very short, concise and meaningful way.”
The worst thing employees can do is suffer in silence, especially in today’s job market.
“Employers are having to almost market themselves a little bit to some employees,” said Warnsman.
One Houston-based company is making headlines for its efforts to help change employees’ lives. Truck drivers are in such short supply, Waste Management executives decided to offer free college tuition to employees and their spouses and children. It’s one way to relieve financial stress during these uncertain times.
“It offers nearly 36,000 full-time employees access to more than 170 fully funded programs including undergraduate and graduate degrees,” said Kelly Rooney, Vice President of People Solutions and Field Operations at Waste Management. “Starting with 2022 enrollment, 34,000 children and spouses also become eligible. It’s really first of its kind in terms of extending that benefit to employees’ families.”
The pandemic has made flexible schedules, the choice of working from home or the office and other incentives part of a more holistic approach to hiring and retaining employees.
“It’s really getting the focus to what do our employees need,” said Warnsman. “I think it’s probably a long-term thing.”