With the COVID-19 vaccine becoming much more widely available across the country, the topic of returning to in-person work, school and other activities is being discussed constantly. The reopening of the country, though, comes with some uncertainties and may lead to feelings of re-entry anxiety.
Re-entry anxiety is an overall uneasiness or uncertainty about returning to the way things were before the pandemic. This feeling may be triggered when meeting socially with friends and family, going back to the workplace or pursuing other important aspects of social interaction. After being separated from life as we knew it before the pandemic, it might be difficult to get reacclimated.
Re-entry anxiety can come in many forms. Some may feel nervous about interacting with people who might not be vaccinated. Others might simply be nervous to interact with people face-to-face after being removed for so long. Regardless of the situation, it’s completely normal for employees to have some degree of anxiety as they begin to get back to pre-pandemic activities. The important thing is for employees to focus on what they can control and only partake in interactions or activities that they are comfortable with.
People cope with anxiety in many different ways. To help your employees who may be feeling anxious as you transition back to your pre-COVID-19 life, we’ve created an infographic that you can distribute to your employees through an all-employee email or bulletin board – Infographic: 5 Ways to Cope with Pandemic Re-entry Anxiety.
Contact us for support with your employee mental health or engagement initiatives.