Oracle study: For many, 2020 is the most stressful year

To ensure business continuity, agility and productivity in 2020, HR leaders should prioritize employees' mental well-being. They should therefore provide employees with tools to help them focus and manage stress to prevent burnout, according to a recent study by Oracle, which aims to couple "human capital management" with artificial intelligence (AI).

The study's leaders are even convinced that the workforce is "ready to accept AI support," so Oracle is calling on executives to implement tools in human resources that help "strengthen mental well-being." However, AI services still seem a long way off. But once they are on the market, an important question and task arises:

Do such technologies meet the needs of employees - and how should this be implemented?

The impact of COVID-19 on the workplace

COVID-19 is negatively impacting the mental health of the global workforce. In 2020, 78 percent of employees had their mental well-being impacted, Oracle highlights. People are struggling with increased anxiety and depression in the workplace due to the global epidemic. So, this increased stress has had a bad impact on the mental health of 78 percent of the global workforce.

Even though Oracle notes more stress (38 percent), a lack of work-life balance (35 percent), burnout (25 percent), depression due to lack of socialization (25 percent), and loneliness (14 percent), one would have to look more closely at how everyday stressors are layered in the workplace. On the one hand, there is the pressure to meet performance standards, to guarantee the completion of routine and tedious tasks.

However, much currently resembles a "juggling" of previous work tasks and uncontrollable stresses. Therefore, urgent measures are needed to increase health in the workplace.

18 actions HR leaders take to support mental health in the workplace

- a challenge echoed in the "AI@Work" study. So is staying at home while trying to juggle work, job search, childcare, schooling, and unpredictable finances. This takes a heavy toll on working people and family members.

Support for well-being in the workplace

In uncertain times, adjustments or additions are necessary to relieve employees of stressors. Taking additional measures can also help increase employee engagement. For example, new objectives can be adjustments to work-related incentive plans and goals. Finally, it would also be important to strengthen the company's sense of community:

• Understanding that staff are working under additional pressure and offering resources to support them
• Creating wellness modules and challenges geared towards staying physically and mentally healthy at home.
• For example, if the business landscape changes, some sales teams may be granted a reduction in sales volume
• Raise awareness of the Employee Assistance Program for counseling services and support.
• Provision of free access to financial planning and credit monitoring services
• Help write off food or lunch bills, as opposed to what used to be a breakfast or lunch deal at the office
• Paid care leave in the event of a sick family member
• Offer help for parents

Support through innovative measures

 Companies recognize that they need to address all aspects of employee health, including stress and anxiety, to avoid a decline in productivity and prevent workplace burnout. HR leaders are best placed to drive mental health technologies in the workplace Here are some real initiatives and ideas that Swiss companies can also implement:.

• Aiming to promote self-care through flexible timetables
• Encouraging managers to host virtual coffees or lunches that provide a safe meeting for interaction, similar to a break room meeting
• Designate hosts for virtual "happy hours," group workouts, and gaming activities such as Trivia or Pictionary to foster a greater sense of community and well-being
• Wellness or fitness subscriptions for employees, offer these for staggered external visits
• A regular time-out is also recommended for employees who sit in front of a screen every day.
• Set up nutrition and health programs via the cloud
• Initiate collective orders for suitable office furniture and electronic equipment for the home office
• Offer the use of co-working spaces
• Enable matching of employee donations to local organizations or environmental causes
• Seek partnership with virtual education opportunities

Read more about Oracle's AI@Work study (blog posts in English)