Increasing Mental Distress Expected as People return to work

Increasing Mental Distress Expected as Employees Prepare to Return to Work

With Non-Essential Businesses Preparing To Open Next Week in Alert Level 3, Ms Paterson Says Employers Should Not Only Be Spending This Week Considering the Logistics of Re-Opening, But Also Discussing Ways in Which They Can Support Their Staff Who Will Be Experiencing Higher Rates of Mental Distress.

"While A Recent Study Released Today Has Shown a 5% Increase in New Zealanders' Mental Distress in the First Week of Lockdown, International Studies Have Shown That Mental Health is Significantly Affected After the First Week of Self-Isolation, So I Would Expect That Mental Distress is Much Higher Now That We Are in Week Four."

Recent UK Covid-19 Poll Reports Together With Lessons From Previous Outbreaks Such As the SARS Outbreak Of 2003 Have Found a Significant Increase in Mental Distress Associated with Self-Isolation Lasting More than 9 Days. Symptoms of Distress Range From Exhaustion, Detachment From Others, Anxiety, Insomnia, And Poor Work Performance through to Increased Prevalence in Trauma-Related Mental Health Disorders. Some Studies From China Have Also Noted Neurological Changes Amongst Those Who Have Been Unwell with Covid-19.

"There is a Legal Obligation For Every Employer to Support Mental Health And Wellbeing in the Workplace, But There is Also an Obligation on the Part of the Employee to Communicate What They're Experiencing. It's Everyone's Responsibility, And It's Important That Employers Have a Wellbeing Plan in Place as Their Staff Return to Work Or Continue to Work From Home. If They Don't, They Can Expect Work Performance to Drop And Absentee Rates to Rise, And That Can Cost Businesses Millions of Dollars."

Workplaces Can Enquire About Specific Workplace Wellbeing Packages From the Social Enterprise "Out of the Fog" Currently Offering A Special Rate in Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. These Can Be Tailored Specifically to the Needs of Each Workplace And Are Designed to Respond to Current And Future Alert Levels And the Covid-19 Pandemic. All Proceeds Go to the Mental Health Charity Mothers Helpers. Employers Should Go To Www.Getoutofthefog.Org for More Information.

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