Mental Wellness in the Post-Pandemic Workplace: What Leaders Should Know

More than two years ago, the coronavirus pandemic forced offices to close, and employees scrambled to figure out how to work from home. Today, companies are slowly opening their offices, but most workers aren’t returning – at least not full-time.

According to Pew Research, 59% of U.S. workers whose jobs can be done remotely are working from home all or most of the time. That compares with 23% of workers who worked from home before the coronavirus outbreak.

“The new culture is not defined by space. The new culture is defined by people,” says Greg Ng, CEO of Brooks Bell, a marketing research firm focused on enterprise-level testing, personalization and optimization services. “Maybe that’s the big myth that we were all supporting pre-pandemic? It’s never been the space. It’s always been about the people.”

The office environment might never be the same, and it’s up to leaders to ensure all employees – whether they are in the office or working remotely – feel respected, resilient, and ready to work. In addition to figuring out the logistics of a hybrid office, successful leaders must also nurture an inclusive, productive company culture, and they have to pay attention to their employees’ mental health.