This is the fourth major financial markets and economic crisis I have worked through in my career, and it’s by far the toughest.

Although the pandemic has been crippling for the economy, we cannot underestimate its impact on employee mental health and wellbeing. While lockdown has been good for some, many others have been left emotionally bruised. Prolonged periods of isolation, remotely 'living at work', pressures of home-schooling and reduced opportunities to socialise, have all amplified the problems for many who were already struggling.  

When confronted by a crisis, as a business leader you need to create a defendable position to provide focus, which means taking firm action both at an organisational and personal level

Putting empathy before economics in the thick of the crisis

At Mercer, we chose to put our employees before everything else. We showed empathy first and then worked the economics to finance our commitments. In this climate, kindness is a high priority. As a firm, we made key decisions based on the principles of care and compassion.

• We stayed close to our employees during the height of the crisis through regular pulse surveys, manager check-ins and virtual coffee catch ups
• We have a dedicated wellbeing intranet site to support employees manage their physical and mental wellbeing
• We offered a â€˜Voluntary leave & reduced hours’ program for those who needed a break or struggled to juggle their personal and professional commitments
• We developed a Talent Match program, which aligns colleague availability and capacity with client demand around the world and gives employees the opportunity to gain new skills and experiences in different parts of our firm.

Managing our own wellbeing must be a priority

Throughout my career, I have learned hard lessons on how to manage my own wellbeing.

You first must be well so you can do well for others

Here are some of my top tips:

• How you manage your calendar is your choice (the only exception being your boss of course!). My personal rule is no back-to-back meetings - they are a theoretical allocation of time. It puts undue pressure on yourself and you don’t show up in your best form for others
• I make sure I get daily exercise. I walk or run outdoors two or three times every day. I also make sure I read something new every day – curiosity is a great thing for the mind and soul. Here is a useful guide on evaluating your personal response to the pandemic
• I make it a point to ask my team members when their next break or holiday is. If they don’t have anything planned, I ask them to commit to an answer by the time we next speak. Having a break or holiday pegged on the calendar gives you an important psychological advantage. It helps you get through the time between now and then.

We’re helping businesses build back better

This crisis has forced us all to change the way we work, giving businesses a unique opportunity to build back better. We are helping clients to:

• Create an office environment which protects people from infections while providing space for social interaction. We help them manage flexible working and create a ‘smart’ return which brings a sense of belonging, wellbeing and purpose
• Provide mental health support and training to their employees, line managers and senior leadership to help them adjust to different work/life norms effectively. This podcast provides a great insight into how we can support our employees’ mental health when returning to the workplace
• Provide remote working wellbeing solutions including Digital Doctor services and addressing musculoskeletal issues, such as back pain, which is hugely important right now. You can find out more about our digital health platforms here.

We are using our broad and deep expertise to help our clients address their health challenges and ultimately build a culture of wellbeing. 

COVID's detrimental impact on mental health has put employee wellbeing at the very top of the boardroom and C-Suite agenda. Because we know, when we take care of employees, we help them to thrive, enabling business, society and families to thrive in the long term.