COVID-19: Returning to the office

The COVID-19 pandemic initiated major changes in how we live, work, and study. As a result of government restrictions and rising infections, many workplaces closed and the transition to working from home began. While there have been some reported benefits in working from home such as increased flexibility, reduced commute time and improved work-life balance, workplace closures have also hindered a range of professional, social, and educational pursuits. As such, many individuals are reporting mixed feelings about returning to the workplace. Factors including the uncertainty surrounding employee return, fears of infection, and changes to established routines can all contribute to feelings of stress and anxiety about returning to the office. In fact, a survey of 1000 employees working from home found that 70% expressed concerns regarding their return to the workplace.^3,7

Many individuals have indicated an increased fear of infection as their primary worry. Such concerns are warranted, given that returning to pre-COVID working conditions is likely to result in an increased frequency of face-to-face social interactions (with both colleagues and the general public), thus increasing overall risks of infection. Research has highlighted several individual factors associated with increased anxiety regarding infection, such as working exclusively from home over the last year, perceived financial difficulties, heightened levels of baseline psychological distress, and working in healthcare or retail/service industries. Other factors such older age or pre-existing medical conditions that may increase risk of complications have also been linked to heightened concerns about COVID-19 infection.

Effective organisational policies and risk mitigation strategies can be implemented to reduce the risk of infection. A comprehensive policy should include:

• Provisions regarding proper social distancing between workers
• Improved hygiene, appropriate ventilation, cleaning, and sanitation practices for shared spaces and equipment (including desks, phones, meeting rooms, and kitchen facilities)
• Access to cleaning supplies and appropriate PPE (i.e., masks, gloves, hand sanitisers, disinfectants, and alcohol wipes) 

Additionally, at-risk individuals should be scheduled to be the last employees to return to the office, or encouraged to delay their return until organisational processes and systems regarding risk management can be implemented. To reduce ambiguity regarding these decisions, organisations should clearly communicate to employees both policy information but also the rationale behind these decisions, as this will help maintain a sense of trust, justice, and understanding amongst workers.

In addition to specific concerns regarding increased infection, employees also reported worry regarding how returning to the office might impact established work-life routines. People tend to dislike uncertainty, change, and ambiguity, and these are frequently reported to cause discomfort. However, for some this negative emotional arousal can be extremely stressful and impede daily routines and activities. Research highlights that concerns regarding changes to work-life routines were rated highest by female employees with dependent children who, in additional to organising their own return to the workplace, must also make suitable arrangements for day-care or schooling of their dependent children.^4,10 These additional burdens, combined with delays and inconsistent re-opening of schools, can further exacerbate these concerns. Dealing with this uncertainty can be extremely taxing, and further decrease employee morale and productivity.

Employees experiencing heightened distress regarding their return to the workplace are advised to consider the following steps:

• Raise these issues with your employer. In addition to negatively impacting individual productivity, employee concerns can affect co-worker morale and the organisations culture more broadly. Because of these negative effects, it is in both parties’ interests to find a solution which accommodates these concerns and enables an effective and healthy workforce. You may alternatively consider engaging your company’s HR or EAP support programs as well.
• Explore adjustments to working arrangements. Compared to pre-pandemic work standards, organisations have become far more flexible and open to employees working remotely. As workplaces reopen, exploring potential arrangements to continue remote work or reduce the number of days where concerned or at-risk employees commute into the workplace may be beneficial and help alleviate symptoms of stress and anxiety. 
• Maintain self-care routines. Unfortunately, during times of heightened stress and anxiety our self-care routines and coping strategies can be ignored to focus on more immediate threats. During these times it becomes more important to protect and encourage self-care behaviours. Simple steps like maintaining a healthy diet, scheduling time to exercise and engaging with hobbies and other leisure activities can help alleviate stress and improve mental resilience. 
• Employ positive coping techniques. Various techniques have been developed to deal with acute stress and anxious symptoms. For example, breathing and psychological grounding techniques be used help to induce relaxation and reduce symptoms of anxiety. Additionally, taking things slowly, setting realistic expectations, reframing negative events as personal challenges, and becoming more comfortable with uncertainty can help alleviate anxious concerns, whilst maladaptive coping strategies (i.e., use of drugs or alcohol to assist with coping) should be avoided. 
• Stay informed of public health advice. Remaining up-to-date with current guidelines, health advice and mandates will ensure you can make an informed decision regarding returning to work.

If you feel that the stress of returning to the office that you are experiencing is getting too much, a psychologist may be able to help. Psychologists are highly trained and qualified professionals skilled in helping people with a range of mental health concerns, including anxiety. A psychologist can help you manage your experience of stress using techniques based on the best available research.  

If you are referred to a psychologist by your GP, you might be able to get a Medicare rebate. You may also be able to receive psychology services via telehealth, so you don’t need to travel to see a psychologist. Ask your psychologist or GP for details. There are number of ways to access a psychologist. You can: 

• Use the Australia-wide Find a Psychologist^TM service. Go to findapsychologist.org.au or call 1800 333 497 
• Ask your GP or another health professional to refer you. 
   

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2. Beck, M. J., & Hensher, D. A. (2021). Working from Home in Australia in 2020: Positives, Negatives and the Potential for Future Benefits to Transport and Society.
3. Carucci, R. (2020). How to prepare yourself for a return to the office. HBR. https://hbr.org/2020/07/how-to-prepare-yourself-for-a-return-to-the-office
4. Griffiths, D., Sheehan, L., van Vreden, C., Whiteford, P., & Collie, A. (2021). Returning to the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic: The concerns of Australian workers. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 1-10.
5. Jordan, R. E., Adab, P., & Cheng, K. (2020). Covid-19: risk factors for severe disease and death. BMJ, 368.
6. Manucci, M. (2021). How People Come Back to Workplaces during the Pandemic: Three dimensions of intervention for new emotional performance conditions. Human Resource Development International, 1-8.
7. PWC. (2020). Return to workplace considerations. PWC report. https://www.pwc.com.au/important-problems/covid-19/images/post-covid-19-response-return-to-workplace-considerations.pdf
8. PWC. (2021). What’s next for America’s workforce post-COVID-19? PwC’s Workforce Pulse Survey findings for March 24, 2021. https://www.pwc.com/us/covid-19-employee-survey
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10. Shaw, W. S., Main, C. J., Findley, P. A., Collie, A., Kristman, V. L., & Gross, D. P. (2020). Opening the workplace after COVID-19: What lessons can be learned from return-to-work research? Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 30(3), 299-302.
11. Zhou, F., Yu, T., Du, R., Fan, G., Liu, Y., Liu, Z., Xiang, J., Wang, Y., Song, B., Gu, X., Guan, L., Wei, Y., Li, H., Xudong, W., Xu, J., Tu, S., Zhang, Y., Chen, H., & Cao, B. (2020). Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: A retrospective cohort study. The Lancet, 395(10229), 1054-1062.