Whether on the front lines or not, employees and staff may cope with the pandemic in a variety of ways. Individuals may experience a number of complex emotions which include fear, worry, grief, guilt, anger, and/or sadness. Team members may have significant increases or changes to their work responsibilities, increased responsibilities outside of work, or may experience financial hardship. It is important to model a compassionate approach to yourself and others, while at the same time ensuring and advocating for safe workplace conditions. Empower your team to take care of themselves as much as possible and to connect with others within and outside of the team. Communications from leadership should be direct, frequent, and transparent. Many organizations have created support groups internally, or have partnered with mental health providers in the community to provide support or counseling.
For more information, see the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Guidelines on Stress and Coping.