Explained: The psychological burden of returning to in-person work

Any type of change can be unsettling, especially if it alters our routine. After a prolonged period of remote work which lasted over 18 months, the idea of working in an office with multiple people in close proximity can feel overwhelming. With the virus still looming over our heads, the uncertainty of our return to ‘normal' continues to weigh heavy.

"The fact is that whatever normal we might be returning to doesn't exist yet because Covid is very much present. People who work in courts meet tons of people every day, so even using the elevator becomes an extreme sport," shares Pooja Gowda. The 26-year-old lawyer stayed away from courts during the lockdown but has been adjusting to the return with some unease. "How are you supposed to put your best foot forward with the fear of Covid hovering over your head? A partner at my workplace is paranoid about getting Covid--she wears a mask, shield, eye goggles, and a hair scarf--but she is still expected to come in to work and put herself at risk to perform the job."

People want to keep coffee and lunchtime breaks to a minimum because it would involve removal of masks and not practicing social distancing. "All of our social interactions are disturbed. It becomes difficult to gauge how someone is reacting when their faces are covered by masks and that leads to communication gaps. At my previous workplace, they had a rule everyone had to eat at their desks. Lunchtime was the only time during which everyone was free and interacted. It plays a huge role in setting the tone of office culture," observes Gowda.

"A long hiatus from working from the office had made us habituated to working alone. The only interaction with colleagues was over a Zoom or phone call. Once we were back in the office, it took some time to get accustomed to working with people all around. What I miss is working in the comfy t-shirt, track pants, and slippers. Wearing formals (especially shoes) feels extremely uncomfortable now," says 29-year-old Rahul Srivastava. The marketing manager who returned to work two months back admits, "To be honest, I miss those short naps after lunch the most. The physical exhaustion has undoubtedly increased a lot and you don't have the option to take a power nap to revitalise. Traveling to the office also adds to the fatigue."

29 year-old Rahul Srivastava worked from home for 18 months and returned to work 1 month back. Pic/Rahul Srivastava

We spoke to Urveez Kakalia, a Mumbai-based counselling psychologist and founder of ImPerfect, to outline the issues people are facing as they return to offices, and how to cope with them.

After a prolonged time period of WFH, what are some of the most common issues being faced by people as they return to the office?

The nature of work is changing at whirlwind speed. After a prolonged period of working from home, job stress has taken on various forms, affecting employees mentally and physically.

Social adjustment has become a task for many employees who have lived in isolation for over 21 months. One minute people are working from the comfort of their bedrooms and enjoying the flexible schedules, and the next minute these individuals are finding themselves in a rigid office environment with the burden of socialising with numerous individuals while working and traveling. While many are struggling with job security, others are juggling the perpetual fear of contracting the virus and passing it on to one's family. Feelings of anxiety, stress, depression, and burnout have been a few if not all of the problems being faced by people as they return to work.

We've been forced to be asocial, at least in our physical spaces, for a year now. As a result, many are finding that any in-person social interaction is awkward. What can be done to overcome this?

The pandemic has rewired how we interact socially. Pre-pandemic, these tasks were second nature for us but with prolonged isolation came a significant dwindling in our social skills, which have become rusty at best.

To overcome the stress of social interactions, ranging from running out of things to talk about to not knowing how to conclude interactions without a handshake or a hug, we have to go back to the basics. We can start with putting ourselves in situations in which our comfort levels are comparatively higher than the levels of social anxiety we are currently experiencing, such as coffee or lunch with a few close friends.

Going out for walks a few days a week, just to feel the physical presence of people while still being alone and feeling in control can also be fruitful. We must take comfort in the fact that we are not alone. Focusing on the task at hand, and communicating empathetically can help us become the social beings we once were. It is important to remember that while to a certain extent these simple behaviours can help us build our confidence and make social situations more pleasant, professional help such as therapy to tackle intense social anxiety is always an efficient option.

Mumbai based Urveez Kakalia outlines the psychological burden of transitioning from remote to in-person work. Pic/Urveez Kakalia

Why are we experiencing enhanced exhaustion performing the same tasks we did pre-Covid?

It is not a surprise that the pandemic reduced the levels of physical activity and increased sedentary behaviour. While the virus inhibited us from stepping out of our houses, technology gave us the tools to bring everything to our doorstep. Today, this enhanced exhaustion is a culmination of the ‘virus-technology' phenomenon. We are now performing the same tasks we did pre-Covid, with less energy, loss in stamina and muscle, coupled with anxiety and mental exhaustion.

In this state of fatigue that became the new norm for over 21 months, we have now been launched into the post-Covid world, with added restrictions but the same circumstances as the pre-Covid world. Employees who had to simply connect with their peers through a Zoom link from their own homes, are now finding themselves in conference rooms, with hours of travel awaiting them to return home.

Mental health has worsened across ages and work profiles. How can someone struggling with their mental health adapt to returning to work?

A psychological pandemic has also been affecting the mental health of individuals across ages and work profiles along with the virus. It is safe to say that the majority of people are struggling with their mental health due to the pandemic.

We need to remember that while there are several ways to adapt to returning to work, none of them are linear in their pathways. Going back to work with an attachment to isolation, fear of being in social situations and a constant feeling of sadness is unfortunately the new norm.

In order to not become overwhelmed with the shift in lifestyle, one can break their day up into well-defined steps, giving oneself direction of a start and an end, instead of the fear of being stuck in a dreadful cycle of work deadlines and meetings.

Acknowledging the changes in the working environment, one's peers, the management style and in oneself since the pandemic and focusing on the silver lining that ‘physically going back to work means we are one step closer to completely defeating this virus' can reduce one's struggle. This should be followed by accepting said changes.

Incorporating grounding techniques such as deep breathing, observing one's surroundings and making lists, can help people experiencing a sudden sense of panic, anxiety, confusion or detachment at work.

How can office spaces be sensitised and account for the collective mental health of employees?

It is unfortunate to note that up until the pandemic, mental health in workplaces was not considered important. It is becoming increasingly evident that mental health can't be brushed under the carpet after the challenging times we've been through. Mental health is a collective phenomenon, since we can never separate the being from its environment. Office spaces must urgently modify their physical environment along with the existing culture.

Since employees have become accustomed to working from home, promoting sustainable and flexible work schedules could be beneficial. The smartest way to decrease stress and increase proficiency would be to listen to the needs of the employees within the organisation. This could be done by creating online portals to collect information regarding the employees concerns, new implementations and ideas of change.

Following this would be a simple yet promising way to better the mental health of working individuals. Leaders of the organisation should set an example of communicating with sensitivity and mindfulness. A stigma-free culture would create the strongest foundation to ameliorate the impact on the mental health of employees due to the pandemic. Introducing tools and resources for professional help within the organisation could serve as supportive gestures towards the employees.

Prolonged isolation also affects memory and verbal recall. What are some effective coping strategies to aid transition and ease back in?

Our mind is a muscle. During the pandemic, there was a lack of intellectual stimulation of the brain and to a certain extent our brain muscles atrophied. This created a state of lethargy for our mind, which was filled by the anxiety from the pandemic.

Research suggests that with high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, in one's body, an individual remains stuck in a fight-flight-freeze response only focusing on the anticipated danger and leaving no room for productivity. While the brain is preoccupied with stress and anxiety, especially in isolation, functions of memory and verbal recall are automatically affected.

The coping strategies need not only be focused on improving memory and verbal recall but also on reducing persistent anxiety faced by individuals during the pandemic.

On an individual level, 7-9 hours of sleep and 20 minutes of exercise per day as an adult have been proven to be beneficial in the healthy regulation of hormones, thereby reducing the prevalence of stress hormones in the body. We can find engaging ways to train our brain through puzzles, crosswords, or even board games such as chess to boost our memory.

Verbal recall can be enhanced by reading, conversing and enriching the brain with an array of information that one is interested in. Seeking help from mental health professionals and undergoing therapy, involving methods such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT) will also be another worthwhile way to deal with the consequences of isolation.

If we have learnt one thing from psychology, it would be that human behaviour, thoughts and emotions are always in a dynamic state. While the pandemic did negatively impact our physical and mental abilities, levels of motivation, health, and happiness, we must find comfort in the chaos of this dynamic state and remember that change is inevitable.

While we may not be able to go back to our pre-Covid selves, our new selves will find a way to adapt to all the situations of this changed world.

Urveez Kakalia also consults on Practo.

Also Read: Why is it important to discuss mental health at workplaces