Workplace Mental Health After COVID-19

As we head into a new phase of the pandemic, the focus is shifting from the physical aspects to the mental health repercussions of COVID-19.  VR counselors and employers need to be able to help employees cope with the aftereffects. Employees are dealing with the stress and trauma of COVID and the reality of merging back into the office or working remotely permanently.

Fortunately, there are many resources available that you can share with employers, use to address job seeker concerns, and even apply to yourself.

COVID-19 Mental Health Resource Compendium

Mental health struggles can affect a worker's ability to perform their job. The organization Disabilityin has created an encyclopedic collection of resources VR counselors can recommend to help people make sense of, and process, the heightened emotions that have affected us all.

This resource hosts a vast array of links from trustworthy sources. For example, the American Psychiatric Association has an article on maintaining mental health while working remotely. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention gives solid suggestions for self-care. Mental Health First Aid has collected several resources including information on taking care of yourself, identifying and helping loved ones who have anxiety and depression, and links to 60 Digital Resources for Mental Health.

Immediate Action Items

After the article links, the webpage provides at-a-glance steps VR counselors and employers can keep at hand and use if they suspect an employee is struggling with their mental health:

• Recognize Signs of Employee Mental Health Issues During a Pandemic
• How to Help
• What to Say and What Not to Say
• The Interactive Process strategy
• Insights from Corporate Partners

The aftereffects of this pandemic are likely to last far into the future. Whether helping somebody already living with a mental health diagnosis, or someone who has been newly diagnosed due to COVID-19, make sure you have the crucial resources in your toolkit to help job seekers, concerned employers, and for yourself.