COVID-19 AND WORK

Staying healthy and safe at work during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Module 4: Safer and healthier teleworking:

Advice and techniques

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 Learning objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

▪ describe the importance of teleworking in mitigating the transmission of
COVID-19 at the workplace and in the community;
▪ demonstrate an understanding of how teleworking can impact on
organizational risk and describe the role of the employees and managers in
facilitating safer teleworking;
▪ describe the psychological and physical impacts that you as a teleworker
may be subjected to during a period of long-term teleworking; and
▪ describe and implement strategies to reduce the psychological and physical
impacts you have reviewed.

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 Challenges of teleworking
Office 365 stock
We discussed in Module 1 that transitioning to
telework is the most effective means of
minimizing potential transmission of COVID-19
at work.
Telework also presents a potential risk to your
wellbeing by affecting both mental and physical
health.
In this module, we will be looking at factors that
can have direct or indirect influence on mental
and physical wellbeing of workers when
teleworking.
We’ll begin by looking at factors related to
mental health and supporting teleworkers.
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 Mental health support for teleworkers

Understand the
Disability support.
organizational plan.

Set boundaries between

Keep in regular contact. working/non-working time.

Use social distancing to

Discuss wellbeing.
meet in groups.

Communication
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 Mental health support for teleworkers:
Positivity

Office 365 stock Office 365 stock Pexels / A. Shvets

Provide positive Reassure with Motivate through

information to workers. positive messages. praise.

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 Mental health support for teleworkers:
Managing stress

Because work and home have become one

and the same, stresses and strains may feel
inescapable.
There are only some areas that a workplace
response will realistically be able to influence
in this respect.
New stresses and strains that have emerged
through teleworking could include:
▪ work/life balance
▪ methods of working
▪ motivation issues.
Pexels / L. Potlog
Let’s look at these issues in turn.
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 Work/life balance

Pexels / Cottonbro Pexels / Tranmautritam Office 365 stock Pexels / Cottonbro

Develop a routine. Set aside a Make your If you’re off –

It may take trial ‘working area’ in schedule clear in turn off!
and error! your home. your calendar.

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 Methods of working

Unsplash / ConvertKit Office 365 stock

Vary tasks. Allow flexibility.

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 Motivation

Dress to impress Set sensible goals Recognise achievement

Pexels / R. Asmussen Office 365 stock Office 365 stock

A lack of motivation can lead to a reluctant approach to work, which in turn might end
up in a situation where an employee becomes stressed because they have given
themselves less time to complete a task.

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 Physical health

Ergonomics Physical wellbeing Sleep patterns

Office 365 stock Office 365 stock Pexels / A. Picquaido

There are a number of impacts that teleworking may have your physical health. It is
important to become aware of these issues and strategies for dealing with them.

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 Ergonomics: Self-assessment

▪ A self-assessment checklist or
questionnaire is an effective way to
assess risks and can be completed by
employees in their new working
environments.

Pexels / K. Grabowska

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 Ergonomics: Modifying a working space
Consider ways of
maintaining
ergonomic posture.
A standing desk
Raise the monitor can support this.
using a stand or a
pile of books.

A clear flat surface

is needed to work
from.

Consider using a
foot rest to raise
the feet.

Getty

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 Ergonomic warning signs

▪ An ache may be a warning sign

that a workstation is set up
incorrectly. IMAGE TO
▪ Take an ache as a warning sign. SOURCE
▪ If an ache becomes a stiffness,
you need to act.

Unspalsh / M. Hollander

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 Combatting ergonomic issues with routine

Work in short sessions with Alternate the type of work

regular breaks. you do.

Get up, stretch and

Try stretching exercises.
walkabout.

Rest your eyes and blink

Avoid static postures.
frequently.

Remember – a break is a break.

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 Physical health and wellbeing

Pexesl / D. Reche Office 365 Stock Office 365 Stock Unsplash / S.Pexels/
Worklifestyle
OfficeA.365 Stock
Shkraba

Physical Eating healthier Breathing Standing

exercise exercises regularly

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 Fatigue and sleep

Get enough sleep Confront stresses Avoid disruptors

▪ Maintain a routine of ▪ During a pandemic it’s ▪ An alcoholic drink may

going to bed and getting natural to have negative initially help you get to
up the same time every feelings, which can be sleep at night, but it can
day. physically draining and have a negative effect
▪ Avoid blue light before disturb your sleep. on sleep quality.
going to sleep. ▪ Simply talking about ▪ Avoid caffeine before
your feelings may help. going to bed.

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 Summary

Remember
▪ Be aware of the impact of negativity in what is a difficult
situation. Encourage positive behaviours and help colleagues
and friends boost their own positive communications.
▪ Be aware of your own mental health and that of colleagues,
friends and managers. Follow and encourage strategies that
will help to safeguard mental wellbeing.
▪ Acknowledge the changed world that has inspired this period
of teleworking and take care of yourself and others by setting
boundaries on when to work and when you won’t be working. Unsplash / A. Burden
▪ Be aware of the physical impacts of teleworking and use
strategies to minimise the risk of ergonomic discomfort and a
change of routine.
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