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Reducing anxiety when returning to the office after coronavirus

Many are just not ready to go back into the office for fear of catching the virus in an ongoing pandemic.

SAN ANTONIO — When the pandemic hit early into 2020, millions of Americans were instantly working from home. Now, vaccines are being administered and many workers are getting ready for a return to the office and their coworkers. 

When that time comes to walk through that office door and return to work, anxiety levels can go through the roof. So how to make that transition as stress-free as possible? 

"There are a ton of things that are out of our control, but let's focus on the things that we can control and that's really helped us stay in the right mindset," said Gabe Abshire, the CEO and founder of Utility Concierge, where company culture is important. 

He says workers fall into three buckets.

"One: People are really successful from home and they love it," Abshire said. "Two: People like work-from-home because they don't have a good work environment. And then, three: People just can't work from home—they can't get their selves started, they can't get themselves in the right mindset."

Stephanie Botello falls in the first category. She likes working from home. 

"Fortunately, my youngest is in daycare, and our older two, we've been able to bond," Botello said. 

But she misses her coworkers. 

"It's been a blessing, but on that same note, the interaction with your coworkers is just not there." Botello said.

Even so, thinking about going back into the office makes her anxious. 

"My fear is there's a lot of people that think this is just like a flu and don't really put too much concern to COVID," Botello said. "And my fear is running across someone that, again, just doesn't take it seriously and bring it home to my children."

Xander, one of Botello's kids, is in high school. He says his mom's work-from-home routine protects the whole family.

"It's a lot safer to have her here because my little brother and my sister have asthma, and if she gets COVID, she's going to bring it and I'm going to get it," Xander said. "My whole family's going to get it."

Weber Shandwick and KRC Research conducted a national survey and found the top five safety requests employees have for their employers for them to feel safe:

  • 31% of employees wanted all employees screened before entering the workplace.
  • 33% wanted the employer to provide PPE.
  • 40% insisted the workplace promote ongoing personal hygiene.
  • 52% want their bosses to encourage sick people to stay home and be flexible about sick leave policies. 
  • And number one, at 55%, is extensive cleaning and sanitation of work areas.

If you still don't feel comfortable going back, talk to your boss," Abshire said. "You've got to let your bosses know why you feel that way in the situation that you have and try to work with them and just be honest with them."

All three say, regardless, you need to be safe. 

"Wash your hands, wear your mask," Botello said. "I have 70, 80-year-old parents, and I don't want them to be exposed to it." 

"Even if it may sound like it's a virus and it's not going to hurt you or anything, it really will," Xander added. "It will impact your lungs a lot and you could possibly die."

"There is a light at the end of the tunnel," Abshire said.

    

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