5 Ways to Cope with Pandemic Re-entry Anxiety; Breathing Exercises; Cholesterol and You – Live Well, Work Well
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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. It might be difficult to get reacclimated, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone.
Managing Your Re-entry Anxiety
Different people have different coping strategies, but there are some common ways everyone can cope with re-entry anxiety. If you’re feeling anxious as you transition back to your pre-COVID-19 life, consider the following five coping tips:
- Start small and gradually build up to more significant social interactions. Don’t rush into anything.
- Set boundaries by letting other people know what you’re comfortable with. There’s no need to apologize for not wanting to do something, so clearly explain how you feel and also be respectful of others.
- Make a post-pandemic bucket list to shift your thinking from anxious to positive. A lot has changed due to the pandemic, but you can focus on the new possibilities.
- Do what makes you happy, even if only for a few minutes each day. It’s important to engage in something fulfilling for yourself regularly.
- Take care of yourself and set aside time every day to relax and reset your mind.
Breathing Exercises for Anxiety
When anxious, you tend to take rapid, shallow breaths from the chest. Chest breathing can result in increased heart rate, dizziness and muscle tension. During abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing, you instead take even deep breaths, which reduces the amount of work your body needs to do to breathe.
Cholesterol and You
Did you know one in three American adults has high cholesterol? Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. Your body needs it to build cells, but too much can pose a problem. Cholesterol travels through the blood on proteins called lipoproteins. There are two types of lipoproteins:
- LDL (low-density lipoprotein)—known as bad cholesterol—makes up most of your body’s cholesterol. High levels of LDL cholesterol can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.
- HDL (high-density lipoprotein)—known as good cholesterol—absorbs cholesterol and carries it back to the liver to be flushed from the body.
Bad cholesterol can be elevated by certain factors, including obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, smoking, excessive alcohol use and family history. High cholesterol usually has no symptoms, so it’s best to have a cholesterol screening every four to six years and discuss lifestyle risks with a doctor.
5 Ways to Manage Work-from-Home Paranoia – Infographic
Click the image to fully view, download, and print this infographic (PDF).
What the Delta Variant Means for Return-to-Work Mask Policies
With a growing percentage of the United States population fully vaccinated against COVID-19, many localities and, in turn, employers, have eased mask mandates and policies. However, due to the spread of an emerging variant of coronavirus known as Delta, these policies may still need updating, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has now announced updates to its mask guidelines.
In this newsletter:
- Protecting Against the Spread of Delta
- Updated CDC Guidance on Mask-wearing
- How Employers Are Reacting
- Mask Policy Considerations for Employers
When drafting or updating workplace policies, employers are recommended to seek advice from local legal counsel.
There are many variables that may influence what the appropriate mask policy is for a workplace, but employee safety should continue to be a priority for employers.
For more return-to-work resources, contact Evolution of Benefits today.
The Delta Variant and Return-to-Work COVID-19 Vaccination Policies
As the highly contagious and transmissible Delta variant spreads across the United States and the numbers of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations rise, many organizations are taking action to protect employees. In some cases, they are mandating that employees get vaccinated before returning to the workplace or encouraging them to do so.
For some employers, these actions make sense, as vaccination plays a key role in inhibiting the spread of Delta. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent coronavirus illness, hospitalization and death. This newsletter explores how employers are including COVID-19 vaccination policies in their return-to work plans.
Vaccination Workplace Policies
By being creative, flexible and adaptive in their approaches, employers are refining their workplace strategies and finding what works for their businesses and keeps their employees and customers safe. Given the current pandemic status, most employers are encouraging or mandating employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Layered Prevention Strategies
Even though studies continue to validate COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States are effective against severe illness and death from coronavirus infection, current vaccination coverage varies across the United States. Another way to protect against the Delta variant is to implement layered prevention strategies to reduce transmission.
Protecting Yourself from the Delta Variant with a COVID-19 Vaccine – Infographic
Click to download, and print this infographic in PDF form.
OSHA Will Not Amend COVID-19 Healthcare ETS After CDC Reversed Face Mask Guidance
OSHA determined that neither the CDC’s guidance on health care settings nor the underlying science and data on COVID-19 in health care settings has materially changed in a way to necessitate changes in the June 10, 2021 ETS.
For more information:
4 Lessons Learned From Open Enrollment During the Pandemic
The pandemic presented many learning opportunities for organizations as they pivoted and learned how to be resilient during uncertain times. The 2020 open enrollment season was one such opportunity, and many employers rose to the challenge by exploring new ways to engage and educate their employees about their benefits.
With open enrollment approaching and hybrid/remote workplaces still a reality, employers can use last year’s experiences to shape their open enrollment planning and processes. This article discusses key lessons from last year’s open enrollment season that can increase plan participation this fall.
Reach out to Evolution of Benefits for all your employee communication needs, including enrollment guides, video messaging, presentations and more.
Learn more and take action – view the full newsletter below.
Federal Workers and Contractors Must Attest to Vaccination Status
Every federal government employee and on-site contractor is now required to disclose their vaccination status. Federal employees and contractors who cannot attest to being fully vaccinated will be required to wear a mask while at work.
This new requirement applies regardless of whether employees are:
- In a location where COVID-19 cases are not surging (it does not matter where the employee is geographically located);
- Physically distancing from all other employees or visitors;
- Subject to restrictions on official travel; or
- Complying with weekly or twice weekly screening testing requirements.
Learn more:
DOJ and DHHS Issue Guidance on “Long COVID” and Federal Laws – Compliance Bulletin
On July 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued joint guidance on a medical condition called “long COVID” and how it may be considered a disability under various federal laws that protect individuals against discrimination. These laws include:
• Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which applies to state and local governments;
• Title III of the ADA, which applies to public accommodations;
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), which applies to certain schools and other educational entities; and
• Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Section 1557), which applies to certain health plans.
Although employment is outside the scope of topics addressed in the new guidance, it includes information that may be relevant to employers. For example, it may help determine whether an individual with long COVID has a disability under Title I of the ADA or Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act, both of which apply to employers with 15 or more employees. However, employers that wish to learn more about workplace issues relating to COVID-19 should review separate guidance issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Action Steps
All employers should follow the most current guidelines and suggestions for maintaining workplace safety, as issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and any applicable state or local health agencies. Businesses and other entities subject to the laws listed above should also review the guidance issued by the DOJ and DHHS, which is provided in this Compliance Bulletin below.
What Is Long COVID, and What Are its Symptoms?
According to the CDC, people with long COVID have a range of new or ongoing symptoms that can last weeks or months after being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and that can worsen with physical or mental activity. Examples of common symptoms of long COVID include:
• Tiredness or fatigue;
• Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes called “brain fog”);
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing;
• Headache;
• Dizziness on standing;
• Fast-beating or pounding heart (known as heart palpitations);
• Chest pain;
• Cough;
• Joint or muscle pain;
• Depression or anxiety;
• Fever; and
• Loss of taste or smell.
This list is not exhaustive. Some people also experience damage to multiple organs, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, skin and brain.
Is Long COVID Always a Disability?
What Rights Do People Whose Long COVID Qualifies as a Disability Have Under the ADA, Section 504 and Section 1557?
What Federal Resources Are There For People With Symptoms of Long COVID?
Click here to view and download the latest Compliance Bulletin
HR Brief – August 2021 | Hybrid Work Models, Preventing Turnover Post-pandemic
Considering a Hybrid Work Model
Work flexibility is consistently cited as a post-pandemic trend, and many employers are already introducing hybrid work models in their reopening plans. A hybrid workplace is a flexible model designed to support a workforce of both on-site and remote employees.
A thoughtful hybrid workplace approach combines the best aspects of an organization’s on-site and remote workplaces. To best accommodate a distributed workplace, consider the following tips:
- Set clear expectations for which employees are eligible for hybrid work, and be transparent about any decisions.
- Formalize hybrid work request processes.
- Plan meetings that best accommodate all employees.
- Consider how project management and communication channels can foster company-wide collaboration.
Preventing Turnover Post-pandemic
Turnover is a common occurrence throughout any given year. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, turnover rates fell dramatically. Now, a significant number of employees are unwilling to return to the status quo that was established pre-pandemic. That’s a major reason why experts predict a “turnover tsunami” coming in the latter half of 2021.
What Employees Want Post-pandemic
Generally, workplace survey data from the past year illuminates some commonalities between worker desires across industries. The following are some of the most coveted changes workers are looking for post-pandemic:
- Flexible work options
- Protection from burnout
- Competitive compensation
- Considerations for Employers
To stay ahead of these trends, employers will need to look inward toward their unique employee populations and determine what’s important to them. This inquiry may include surveying employees to learn about what they are looking for. To help meet the demands of a workforce, employers can consider implementing changes, such as:
- Providing remote or hybrid working arrangements
- Providing flexible scheduling options
- Adopting or expanding employee assistance programs to help with mental health and burnout
- Increasing compensation or bonuses
- Having managers meet more frequently with employees to discuss challenges and concerns openly
Client and Employee Resources
The more your employees understand your benefit plans the more they become educated, empowered consumers. The programs you provide will also gain an enhanced value.
As your strategic partners in employee benefits, we can provide multiple avenues of ongoing support, including:
- Employee Meetings (English and Spanish)
- Webcasts
- Payroll Stuffers
- Poster Campaigns
- Newsletters
Carrier Directories
E-Verify is a web-based system that allows enrolled employers to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. Click the image below to begin.
