With issues around the 'pingdemic' growing, in more recent days, people are feeling they are unable to return to work safely and as a result, there has been plenty of push back from employees in regards to returning to work and their legal rights. 

Although, working from home has its own set of issues. As people are often not seen in their surroundings or by peers, there has been a lack of awareness in the stress levels arising and others unable to identify the struggles or mental health states that are arising in some people who feel isolated.

Due to this, there has been a spike in people searching for ways to cope at home. Google search trends show a 400% increase for searches on ‘5 steps to wellbeing’ in the last month alone, which could be seen as a testament to how many people are really struggling.

Equally, specialists in health & safety have seen a huge increase in interest in their wellbeing and stress awareness courses to cope with the demand of people suffering in their working conditions. 

Nick Higginson, Managing Director at Phoenix Health and Safety, said: “As many organisations across the UK begin the process of bringing staff back into the workplace, a vital part of a successful reintegration will be a focus on employee wellbeing. However, as cases in COVID begin to arise once again, there is a large reluctance to return to the office, leaving people feeling isolated and mentally unprepared. 

“We know that employee mental wellbeing is something that has been extremely difficult for employers to maintain throughout the past twelve months, a recent study showed that 54% of employees felt overworked and 39% said that they were exhausted. Returning to the workplace is something that can add undue stress, and with the 'pingdemic' currently affecting the UK, managing employee wellbeing is something that organisations must keep in mind moving forward.

“We have seen a spike in businesses approaching Phoenix Health and Safety to train their employees and HR professionals in our new ‘working with wellbeing’ and ‘stress awareness’ courses, to ensure they can correctly support their employees. We believe in times like this it's important to do all we can in the support of metals health for your workers as we approach new hybrid ways of working, which will take some time to get used to.”