COVID-19 has brought issues around mental health and wellbeing into sharp focus . So , how has AMS supported colleagues through the trauma and uncertainty ?
Philippa Williams , Head of Talent Development , AMS
Over the past year , wellbeing has been at the core of
everything . We ’ ve tried to create a sense of community and belonging , which has such a strong impact on people ’ s wellbeing . When COVID-19 struck , we had an immediate response . As a team , we mobilised and produced content , resources and toolkits to arm our people around managing uncertainty and working remotely .
We specifically chose to focus on wellness toolkits , thinking about the different categories of individuals working for us . That was key : whether people were isolated , homeschooling their children , or facing financial insecurity , we thought about the impact on our people . We worked really hard to create a forum where people felt comfortable to share stories , encouraging our leaders to be open about their vulnerabilities . This helped us create a sense of community .
We ’ ve also run some overt campaigns , such as hooking into Mental Health Awareness week last May . We have 60 mental health ambassadors around the globe and they stepped forward to run wellness and yoga sessions . Our D & I and wellness teams jointly created the theme # kindnessmatters , and that was very well timed , given COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter protests .
We ’ re all dealing with stress and ongoing anxiety . Compassion fatigue is something we can relate to
Adapting as things change
As the pandemic wore on , things changed . Initially , people with existing anxieties were the ones we focused on , but as the months went by , these issues became normal for everyone . We ’ re all dealing with stress and ongoing anxiety , and compassion fatigue is something we can relate to . You ’ re taking on everyone ’ s stresses and it can be hard . This is why we switched to focusing on burnout at the end of the year , taking on more external support .
One of our biggest successes was our first Global Recognition Day , which was an excellent way to end the year . The idea of # kindnessmatters really carried through ; simply telling people that they ’ re doing well and you ’ re thankful for their work did wonders , whether through one-to-one sessions , kudos boards or Zoom breakfasts . It was a really uplifting experience and it moved people in a way they didn ’ t expect to be moved .
Tanya-Marie Nichols , Head of HR Americas , AMS
One of the key ways in which we ’ re successfully improving
wellbeing is by combining it with other focuses . If we can combine wellness with D & I , that ’ s what we do . So , if we ’ re doing a walk , it ’ s going to be a Pride Walk . If we ’ re going to run a community service , it ’ s going to be dog walking . We ’ re always trying to combine different strands and to make them as fun as possible .
When disrupted by the COVID pandemic , we created weekly meetings and check-ins with our people . These worked well at the start , but as we progressed , we realised it was too much . Our people were at different levels . Some were dealing with trauma , while others simply needed a distraction . We started as nurses and doctors trying to take care of everybody , but we soon realised we couldn ’ t keep going at that pace , so began to partner with other people . As Philippa highlights above , compassion fatigue is something we had to deal with .
Creating a safe space for our people to simply say ‘ I ’ m tired ’ has been vital
Creating space to talk
We talk a lot about burnout in America . We all want to be strong performers , but we ’ ve been working at 500 % in an unheard of environment for almost a year now . You have to narrow your focus , otherwise you ’ re going to slip up . Creating a safe space for our people to simply say “ I ’ m tired ” has been vital .
The # kindnessmatters campaign came out at the time of George Floyd ’ s death and Black Lives Matter . It became our mantra in the US – the simplicity of being kind and treating everyone the same . Our mental health ambassadors were focusing on stress and anxiety , but many of them were not armed with the tools to deal with issues around systemic racism . Allowing our people to be honest and share their experiences helped .
For example , on our D & I day , we had lots of sessions on Microsoft Teams where people shared their stories around diversity . However , for me , the best bit was the little comments box on the side of the screen . This was where people who aren ’ t necessarily brave enough to speak out felt comfortable enough to talk and make comments . All you have to do is start the debate and create a safe space for people to talk openly .