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How can we all look after our home-based workforces?

Team calls are now a regular feature of the MVIS working week

The last few weeks may have seen the UK take the largest collective step in a change of day to day working practice in our lifetimes.

An increased amount of home working being carried out due to Government guidelines as we fight the challenges COVID-19 pandemic brings challenges for us all.

MVIS has had office staff transition to working from home for a few weeks now, and the company are extremely aware of the need to support those in lockdown and isolation.

Whilst frontline MVIS staff continue to keep Britain moving, their office-based staff are now based at home

Anne Ashman, General Manager of MVIS told us:

“Some of our staff are now into their 4^th week of working from home, and at times I have really noticed the mood change.

“People hit lows for various reasons across various days as a combination of new realities is beginning to dawn; the severity of the virus and death rate being one, spending large amounts of time indoors in their own homes another and missing socialising both in, and out of work is another.

“I’m sure we can’t be the only company experiencing this amongst staff, so we wanted to share some of the things we do to keep staff connected, share some ideas and promote some best practice of aiding employee mental health throughout this time.”

“We’re not trying to promote what we do as the model to follow, but more raise general awareness of the fact there are things we can all do, and what those things may be.

“We aim to promote positive actions that keep our team in contact.”

Some of the things MVIS are implementing are:

• A daily 9 am team call, with everyone working from home on Microsoft teams, to make sure everyone is ok and have a plan in place for the day ahead
• Daily update from  management via email, this can cover the latest from the government with health and safety updates, but always has something positive in it as well as a thank you to the guys on the frontline delivering, and those working (within social distancing measures) in the workshop
• Reassurance that jobs are safe
• Handwritten letters to a couple of staff who work at a distance to tell them how well they are doing and how we appreciate them
• An online staff social night
• A good old-fashioned personal phone call asking how someone is feeling

Furlough

Although not a path MVIS has had to tread, the company are encouraging others to not forget about the mental health needs of any furloughed staff.

Additionally, some companies have employees currently not working, with the government job retention scheme leaving some workers on indefinite furlough.

Whilst furlough leaves employees safe in the knowledge 80% of their salaries are covered and their job is secure for when the furlough period ends, the isolation has the potential to feel even more severe as all work interactions are postponed indefinitely.

Anne continued:

“Those on furlough could feel intense isolation throughout this period. Whilst their jobs are secured, their social interactions could be severely reduced, and we’d encourage other businesses to make sure they are finding ways to reach out to their furloughed staff on a personal level.

“Whilst those employees won’t be performing daily tasks as normal, they are still an integral part of the workforce and will need support as we all stand together to beat COVID-19.”

Source: highwaysindustry.com