The pandemic has ignited a much needed global conversation about health. A new found heightened vigilance for our physical wellbeing aids in limiting the spread of the virus, but also has a detrimental effect on our social anxiety and mental wellbeing. 

Limited human contact, a drastic change to habits, change in environment (working from home) and economic uncertainty has had a considerable impact on our mental health. We use the words ‘stress or stressed’ so frequently in our day-to-day diction that sometimes the signs of high stress levels are being overlooked. High stress levels can include symptoms of; depression, restlessness, feeling overwhelmed, unfocused, trouble sleeping, problems with memory and the higher the cortisol level (the hormone released when you’re stressed) the less able our brains are capable of functioning properly. 

As companies transition post-lockdown into a new sense of normalcy, one thing that’s not being discussed enough is how we begin to support mental health both short and long term. 

Organisations such as Asana have nap rooms for staff to rest, recharge and restore throughout the day. Google are known for their all encompassing wellness programme which includes fitness centres on site. Although wellness has been a core principle for leading businesses, the move to remote working means we need to adapt to supporting employee health remotely on a global scale.