Workshops

Whether working from home, or returning to the office, the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t just a physical health issue – it’s a mental health issue too. Calls to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) alone doubled during lockdown.

24-hour ‘always on’ media, numerous – often contradicting – views on social media, working in isolation, managing work alongside family responsibilities, together with an overwhelming sense of uncertainty… the toll on ‘psychological safety’ can’t be ignored.

Things that would normally be just an ‘inconvenience’ in the past can now be a major disruptor – the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’.

Even before these unprecedented times, the country was under economic strain. South Africa was named as the second Most Stressed-out Country in the World by Bloomberg – and that was before the ‘new now’.¹ Recent local research has also identified that nearly half of respondents (46%) were high risk for Pre‑TSD, a precursor to the more well recognised PTSD.²

All these issues won’t disappear once sat behind a desk at work. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will be with us for some time. So, how people work together with their team during disruption will be critical for productivity and engagement.

Our DISRUPTED TEAMS Virtual Connect has been designed for teams who have started their Insights Team Effectiveness journey, and focuses on trust, cohesion, and communication – highlighted as the key actors that drive psychological safety for teams under strain.^3,4