Emotional Fitness For Healthcare Workers

Supporting Healthcare Providers’ Mental Health

Physicians may be the first point of contact for patients with a mental health concern but who does an HCP (healthcare provider) contact if they require support to cope?  The continued stress of delivering essential services under escalating conditions takes a toll on HCPs as well HCWs (healthcare workers) in administrative, facilities, and technical roles for medical facilities. These essential workers share the following prolonged concerns.

Challenges Faced by Healthcare Workers

Key Concerns Among HCPs and HCWs

• Fear of exposure to the virus
• Separation from family while working
• Overwork due to lack of personnel
• Fulfilling multiple roles
• Uncertainty about the future of workplace/employment
• Witnessing the staggering loss of life

The Impact of Stress on Healthcare Professionals

Both HCPs and HCWs are considered at-risk for mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, and stress. Leaders are being tasked to promote the emotional fitness of their employees as a standard benefit in the workplace.

Strategies for Promoting Emotional Fitness

Encouraging Peer-to-Peer Support

Strategies can take surprisingly informal channels to offer early and often intervention. HCWs are encouraged to seek and offer peer-to-peer assistance when they notice sudden or prolonged behavioral changes.

Access Points for Emotional Fitness

Emotional fitness has multiple access points including individual, company-wide, and community-based. Resilience-building exercises, self-care regimens, emotional intelligence training, and stress management are the first line of defense for medical workers.

Responding to Colleagues in Need

Co-workers who are the first to notice when someone seems shut-down, increasingly upset, forgetful, or is slipping into poor work habits are encouraged to respond. Whether they offer encouragement or suggest an informal conversation with a supervisor there needs to be a clear path for confidential and non-threatening professional support.

Xavier Creative House’s Commitment to Emotional Fitness

At Xavier Creative House, we are proactive about emotional fitness by building well-being activities into our culture. The opportunities for social dialogue and self-care that our team enjoys are extended to our talent intelligence network and clients. We take the motto, “If you want a healthy brand, hire a healthy company,” to heart and consider emotional fitness as the centerpiece of our mindfulness programming.

Reference: https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/941174

Categories: company culture, Wellness,