We've had a good response to date (136 responses as at 27 May). These are the findings so far:
The picture was less varied when we asked how worried people are about the impact of Covid-19 on their company/employer. Just 18% are not so worried while 45% are somewhat worried and 36% very worried. These concerns reasonably focus on longer term employment security.
1: general anxiety about the impact of coronavirus on my life (54% mentioned this)
2: difficulties communicating with co-workers (45%)
=3: social isolation (36%)
=3: being motivated to keep a regular schedule (36%)
Other challenges included:
- too many distractions at home
- childcare
- fear of the return to work
- brain fog and restlessness
- increased workload and working hours
- worry about the well-being of family members (e.g. older parents)
- steep learning curve as everything goes online which slows productivity
Despite these common challenges, 91% of people considered that they could continue comfortably working from home with their current arrangements for three months or more. This was supported by responses indicating that 81% consider that their employer is providing them with the right resources and benefits to support them through this period.
Outside of the work environment, 100% of people indicated that their personal support network will support them though this period (with a broad split between somewhat, very and extremely confident).
Just 9% of people responded that they are not so confident that their company's leadership team would make the right decisions to manage through this crisis (45% are extremely confident, with 18% very confident and 27% somewhat confident).
- job security
- what the future will look like at work
- managing the return, which will be complex and not something my leadership team will be comfortable with
- keeping in touch with colleagues
- other people losing their jobs
- lack of physical social interaction
- technical issues with IT equipment
- that my job will be seen as an unaffordable luxury and I will be made redundant
- the people we work with are not coping well and we are now delivering online so this means accepting about a quarter of our original community will not be engaging as they have no laptop etc. So it offers opportunity but also leaves people behind.
- uncertainty about the future and fear of the unknown
- social disconnection
and to a lesser extent,
- finding effective and motivating working patterns and structures at home, while juggling busy workloads and childcare
We have been amending existing programmes and developing new resilience programmes to support our clients during the coronavirus situation. These findings are being incorporated into these programmes, in particular in helping people find strategies to bolster social connection and to develop their realistic optimism responses. We will also be sharing some of these tips more widely so please do get in touch if you'd like to be added to our mailing list. In the meantime we hope that by sharing these findings employers, leaders and other coaches will find useful information to support their colleagues and clients.
If you would like to take part in the ongoing survey series or wish to share it, the link is here.