Anxiety has become the norm these days. The world has descended into absolute pandemonium. Businesses have vanished off the map without a trace; schools and universities have been shut down; there are widespread panic and paranoia regarding contracting the dreaded Covid-19 infection. It has almost been 9 months since the pandemic struck our shores and despite the efforts of epidemiologists, doctors, and genetic engineers, we still haven’t found a viable cure for the disease.
Amid all this commotion and chaos, people have come to realize how flimsy their financial condition is. It is being estimated that nearly 12.2 crore Indians have lost their jobs during the pandemic. That is nearly 10% of our population! In light of these facts, it isn’t surprising that people are anxious about their job security. Let us dissect this issue further and try to find out ways to cope with it.
Losing a job is a traumatic incident at any point in time, but what’s worsening the situation even further at the moment is that not only are people afraid of losing their jobs, they’re also afraid of the fact that they may not be able to find a new one soon. The business industry isn’t performing all too well, owing to the lack of labor and raw materials and broken supply chains. Therefore, there aren’t many new openings to fill in. Some companies have even frozen hiring indefinitely and are only looking to ride the tide. So if someone ends up losing their job, they might have to wait a while to find a new one. This is also the core of the issue. Being financially insecure at a time when unplanned and unexpected expenses come up every now and then. This situation has also taken a serious toll on the mental health of people, making them feel restless and unmotivated and reducing their productivity.
So how can this issue be resolved? Let us try to answer that.
Talk it out
Job anxiety is an issue that can only be resolved by establishing effective communication between the employees and the employer. While employers can convene informal meetings and reassure their employees that they’re valued and worth retaining, the employees also need to understand the situation of the company and be cooperative and supportive. It is this mutual trust and understanding that would help businesses navigate successfully through this storm, but to develop it, we need to communicate in an honest and transparent manner.
Think beyond survival
When the storm is too catastrophic, you don’t anchor the ship, because soft support just wouldn’t do. You need to be brave and push through the storm. This is what we need to do right now. When an organization is only thinking of survival, its employees may end up feeling directionless. They may think that it’s only a matter of time before the company would shut down and they would end up losing their job. This is especially bad because it lowers morale and productivity – which is detrimental to the health of the organizations. It is, therefore, up to the leaders to keep a positive attitude and think like an innovator. Just because the world is dealing with a pandemic on a massive scale doesn’t mean there are no more opportunities for growth. There are plenty. All you have to do is look out for them.
When the leader is thinking more than survival and carrying a positive attitude, that positively affects the team as well. The employees become more productive and feel safer as well. It is a win-win situation.
Reach out for help
When it comes to mental health issues, the first step to resolving them is opening up. Try talking about the problems you’re facing to your friends and family – it helps. Sometimes, because we feel ashamed of our problems or we don’t feel comfortable talking about them, we lock them up in our brain – which only worsens things. If the issue becomes serious and you start seeing physical manifestations of anxiety, like nervous twitching, heart palpitations, cold sweats, or insomnia, you should seek out professional health at the soonest.
Most importantly, we need to remember that a calm, calculated mind would be able to find out solutions much better than a troubled mind. Also, when things are bad, it is sometimes better to focus on the positives. When you start looking for them, you’ll find them everywhere.
About the Author
Geeta Singh is the Founder and Managing Director of TYC Communication, a Delhi-based leading Public Relations (PR) and Digital Marketing agency which has a distinct place in the Marketing and Communications Industry of India. Geeta Singh envisioned and incorporated TYC Communication as a proprietorship firm in the field of translation and content development in the year 2011. Later, in 2014, TYC Communication developed into a private limited company with a bigger communication gamut – i.e., incorporation of PR and Digital Marketing services in the company’s enlarged work portfolio. Today, Geeta Singh, who has been conferred with The Young Leadership Award at 2nd NIER’s National Excellence Awards – 2017, is an inspirational leader and a source of motivation to her ever enthusiastic team of more than 50 committed professionals whose collective efforts brought recognition as well as laurels to one of the fastest growing communication firms in India. TYC Communication is among those few PR agencies in the country which have expertise in both traditional and digital landscapes.
