When the lockdown forced us to change our lifestyle habits, most of us felt a lot of stress. But these changes were accompanied by secondary benefits that we have become accustomed to: having a quiet dinner with our lover, enjoying an extra hour of sleep, driving in peace, going for a run at lunchtime between meetings, etc. Of course, there were not only advantages, but these secondary benefits have become very important for a part of the population. It will therefore be a first challenge for many of us to let go of these new comfortable habits and return to our old ways of functioning.

And this challenge will take place in a context of psychological exhaustion. We have been asked to adapt for more than 16 months. For some, symptoms of psychological fatigue have accumulated and many are now in a fragile situation. In short, we are not at the "top" of our mental shape at the moment!

Resumption of social interactions

A normal and predictable situation according to researchers and practitioners in work psychology *. Confinement has pushed many of us to quickly adjust to a completely new situation. An adaptation that involved a drastic and sudden reduction in the number of social interactions. However, we are not all equal in our relationships with others.

More introverted workers will have a much harder time returning to normal. Introverted personalities are those who spend much more psychological energy in their social interactions. For them, greeting others, chatting around the coffee machine, decoding non-verbal communication during a face-to-face meeting, are demanding tasks. At the opposite end of the spectrum, extroverted personalities thrive on social interactions to replenish their reserves of psychological energy. It is understandable that these are the ones who will have suffered the most from confinement and who will have experienced the most significant periods of stress.

Resuming social interactions in the work context can therefore have a significant impact on an employee's productivity. It is therefore important to keep this fact in mind when planning the return. A gradual return, in which the needs and limitations of employees are taken into account, will be important. Let's think of it as a gradual return after a work stoppage due to exhaustion. For some people, it will be experienced exactly that way.

Four facilitating approaches

So let's keep these few basic principles in mind to help our workforce gradually and effectively readjust to this deconfinement.

● Clearly identify needs and try to adapt to them in order to allow a harmonious return to work. Each employee has a particular situation (family, romantic, etc.) and specific needs (social interactions, undisturbed time, etc.).

● Accept that the return will be gradual , and therefore that performance will also return gradually.

● Keep an eye out for symptoms of burnout and acute stress in your employees/colleagues. Returning to normal requires a lot of adaptation and some are at high risk after 16 months of adaptation.

● Announce measures for workers who have appreciated the secondary benefits , whether it is the possibility of teleworking a few days a week or a framework for meeting hours in the office. These measures, which simply require a logistical adjustment, greatly contribute to the psychological health of the individual.

* Kniffin, Kevin M. & all (2021) COVID-19 and the workplace: Implications, Issues and Insights for Future Research and Action , American Psychologist, 76-1, p. 63-77.