5 steps that will help you to get back to work after COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has been quite unlike anything that most of us will have experienced during our lifetimes. It’s therefore understandable that if you’re now preparing to return to your pre-COVID-19 way of working, or indeed embarking on a new job altogether, you might be feeling a little fearful or sluggish. 

That’s backed up by recent research cited by Stylist, indicating that almost two thirds (65%) of British workers have felt anxious about coming back to the office. 

So, what things should you consider doing right now to ensure you make the smoothest possible transition to post-lockdown working life? 

Sharing any concerns you may have 

It can be so easy at this time to ‘suffer in silence’ if you’re worried about such things as whether you will be adequately protected from COVID-19 in your workplace, or even other day-to-day working issues that may have little or nothing to do with the virus. 

You might not voice your concerns out of a fear that you’re “probably worrying over nothing”, when in truth, there are likely to be at least some people in your office who feel the same way. So, don’t hesitate to reach out to your line manager and/or colleagues about any such worries, not least as they are likely to be receptive to them and open to considering practical solutions. 

Swotting up on technology 

It’s fair to say that remote meeting, communication and collaboration tools like Skype and Zoom have seen their relevance to day-to-day work shoot up since the onset of the coronavirus crisis and the associated lockdowns. 

So, if for any reason you aren’t yet up to speed with this tech, which might also encompass such platforms as Slack and Microsoft Teams, now is probably a good time to become versed in it. After all, even if you don’t currently have an “office job”, such software is likely to penetrate a lot more workplaces for as long as social distancing and other virus-related safety measures continue. 

Buying or hiring a car or van 

There are lots of reasons why you may be looking to invest in a set of wheels right now. You might do so for peace of mind for travelling to the office, instead of braving public transport, with the heightened risk this might present for coronavirus infection. 

Or maybe you’re considering starting your own courier business in response to the heightened demand for online orders in recent times – as detailed by the UK’s Office for National Statistics – but aren’t yet sure whether the lifestyle might be right for you? 

If the latter sounds like your situation, taking out hourly van insurance via a specialist service like MoneyBeach could enable you to start adjusting to your possible new professional life, without financially committing too much, too soon. 

Don’t become too attached to coronavirus-related news and gossip 

Again, this is something that we can all so easily end up doing, even once we’re back in the office. It can be so tempting to have a casual glance at the various COVID-19-related Twitter feeds or online news stories during our lunch break or once we get home after our first day back. 

Unfortunately, such “casual glances” can rapidly become a habit that is less than helpful for our mental wellbeing at this already troubling time for many of us. But it’s not just about limiting coronavirus-related screen time – you should also resist getting too involved in COVID-19-related personal stories or gossip among your work colleagues.   

Continuing to follow the relevant safety advice and regulations 

This is the shortest point that we will make here, but also one of the most crucial ones. Whether you are preparing for a post-COVID-19 return to work as an employer or employee, you must continue to follow the both official and common-sense safety rules and practices.

Those practices will naturally include maintaining the highest cleanliness standards and helping employees to continue distancing from others whenever and wherever possible. The GOV.UK website, for example, has online guidance on how British businesses can help to keep their employees and others safe at this time.  

The last few months may have been strange ones for the UK and the world. But the good news is that by applying the above tips, you’ll be in a better position to make a successful transition back to, if not quite ‘normality’, at least stable working, as the globe continues to grapple with the fallout from the coronavirus.