CIPD - Two-thirds of employers say supporting staff mental health and well-being is one of their main challenges during coronavirus crisis

8 Apr 2020 04:06 PM

The CIPD and People Management magazine release further findings from their joint survey, looking at how employers are responding to the Covid-19 pandemic

Managing people’s fear and anxiety and supporting their mental health during the coronavirus crisis is the most common challenge for employers says new, joint research from the CIPD and People Management magazine.

The CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, and People Management surveyed 301 HR professionals in late March to identify the key challenges employers are facing during this unprecedented time, and the specific challenges with mass home working.

More employers (67 per cent) said that supporting people’s mental health was a key challenge than deciding on the best way to respond to the crisis as a business (49 per cent), despite the uncertainty many employers now find themselves in.

The survey also found that the most common challenge identified by employers with staff working remotely is ensuring they are staying well both physically and mentally (70 per cent).

This shows that employers recognise it’s an exceptionally worrying time for many of their staff, who will have a range of concerns. This could include fear about themselves or their loved ones contracting the virus, losing their job or having to reduce their hours, and feeling isolated because of the lockdown measures.

The CIPD is encouraging employers to have constant communication with their workforce and take early action to offer support such as counselling and ensure managers are trained and confident to support employees’ continued well-being, both those in the workplace and those working from home. 

Rachel Suff, well-being adviser at the CIPD said:

“On one hand, these finding are welcome as it shows that the vast majority of employers do care about their staff and recognise they have a responsibility to look out for them. On the other, it does bring home the heavy toll that this crisis is putting people under, and some employers and line mangers may well be feeling out of their depth in how to best support them.

“There are simple steps employers can take at this time to support their staff’s mental well-being, such as reminding managers about the importance of communicating regularly with their teams, asking how they’re doing, and signposting to advice on good self-care like healthy diet, sleep and relaxation habits.”

Further findings from the survey reveal:

Some of the other most common challenges employers have around dealing with the coronavirus outbreak are:

Some of the other most common challenges employers have with home working are:

Will you still be hiring over the next few months?

Have you onboarded new starters remotely since social distancing was rolled out?

How are you responding to school and nursery closures? (top 5 responses only)

Would you consider allowing more staff to work from home or unconventional hours if altered working arrangements prove a success?