Improving Employee Wellbeing During Uncertain Times

Employee well-being has always been important, but it takes on a new weight during times of uncertainty. When people feel unsure about their future, especially when job security is in question, they often carry invisible stress into their roles. This pressure can affect how they perform, interact with coworkers, and even how they view their employer. For HR professionals, the challenge isn't just keeping daily operations running. It's supporting people who may feel unsettled, confused, or disconnected.

Right now, as AI and automation continue to reshape how organisations operate, it's natural for employees to feel uneasy. Roles are shifting. New skills are being asked of people. And in some cases, redundancy is introduced faster than people can adapt. These pressures can ripple throughout a team. Focusing on wellbeing isn’t just a kindness—it’s key to keeping your workforce strong, motivated, and aligned with your company’s values.

Recognising Signs Of Employee Distress

Spotting emotional or mental distress at work can be hard. It's not always loud or obvious. People often try to push through tough times quietly, especially when they're worried it might affect how they’re seen by peers or managers. But some signs can help team leads and HR know when someone may need support.

Here are a few behaviours to pay attention to:

- A drop in performance or frustration with routine tasks

- Withdrawal from meetings, chats, or social interactions

- Noticeable changes in mood, like irritability or lack of focus

- Consistently showing up late or clocking out early

- Skipping lunch or working through breaks without being asked

- Avoiding feedback or becoming unusually defensive

Any one of these on their own may not mean something’s wrong, but if you start to see a pattern—especially during periods of company change—it’s worth checking in.

Early support doesn’t always mean drastic changes. Sometimes, just saying something like, “You don’t seem like yourself lately. Want to talk?” can open up space for them to share what’s going on. A one-on-one chat can make a big difference.

Implementing Supportive Practices

Supporting staff through uncertain times doesn’t need to be complex or costly. Often, it comes down to consistency, visibility, and empathy. Small shifts can send a clear message that employees aren’t on their own.

Check-ins are a natural place to start. They don’t have to be formal. A five-minute chat after a meeting or a shared coffee break gives people a chance to be seen and heard. The more regular these conversations are, the more they build trust.

Mental health resources work best when they’re easy to find and normalised. List them in staff newsletters, include them in onboarding packs, or make them visible through posters in rest areas. Sometimes people just need a reminder that it’s okay to reach out.

Flexibility plays a big part in relieving stress. That doesn’t just mean remote work. It might mean adjusting hours to support caregiving, giving space for someone feeling burnt out, or encouraging someone to learn a new skill so they feel prepared for shifting roles.

Pick one or two areas your team can act on today. Then keep building. Progress doesn’t have to be perfect—it just needs to be sincere.

Supporting staff through uncertain times comes down to consistency, visibility, and empathy.

Encouraging Open Communication

One of the best ways to support employee well-being is to create a place where open, honest conversations are welcome. When people feel free to speak their minds without fear, they’re more likely to raise issues before they spiral and less likely to feel isolated.

Start by encouraging active listening. HR leads and managers should approach meetings with the goal of understanding, not just responding. Invite feedback. Ask questions. Be available.

Ways to build better communication include:

- Starting team meetings with an open-ended check-in to hear how people are feeling

- Giving employees more than one way to speak up, like anonymous surveys or regular feedback sessions

- Training team leads to handle sensitive topics with care and confidence

- Giving feedback in a way that’s proactive, not punitive

One HR leader shared that their weekly huddles always include a quick share: “What’s something we should keep doing and something we could do better?” Over time, this built trust and started real conversations about everything from scheduling to job stress.

Trust builds through consistent actions. Every time a manager takes a concern seriously, shares an update transparently, or calmly works through a disagreement, people notice. Those moments shape workplace culture as much as policies do.

Using Outplacement Services To Ease Transitions

When layoffs or organisational shifts happen, the way HR handles it affects more than those exiting—it touches every employee. Outplacement services can help maintain stability during transitions and protect the overall tone of your workplace.

These services offer structured support for those leaving, easing their way into future roles. But they also show the remaining staff that the company doesn’t abandon people during hard times. That message eases anxiety and keeps morale from sinking.

Key benefits of using outplacement services include:

- Job search and career support for impacted employees

- Reduced stress for those staying, who see that their teammates are being looked after

- Lower legal risks during complicated transitions

- Positive effects on internal culture and employer branding

Handled poorly, staff exits can leave scars across a team. Handled well, they can reinforce a company’s long-term values and help everyone regain momentum faster.

Fostering A Resilient Workplace Culture

Resilient teams aren’t made through slogans. They come from lived experience, grounded expectations, and leaders who follow through on their words. Building this type of culture means shaping small behaviours that support people daily, not just reacting when things go wrong.

Here are ways to build and maintain a strong, flexible workplace culture:

- Celebrate small achievements to create energy during hard moments

- Offer workshops or courses for adapting to technology changes

- Let managers adjust their approach to match team needs; not every personality responds the same way

- Focus team growth on trust first, output second

When people feel they’re supported without being micromanaged, they’re more likely to stay, help each other, and adapt to change. Being resilient doesn’t mean ignoring stress. It means knowing your team has space to feel it and still move forward together.

Supporting Your Team In Challenging Times

Well-being is not a one-time project. It’s an ongoing part of workplace health that matters even more during seasons of uncertainty. People want stability, guidance, and care from leadership. Without those anchors, uncertainty slides into fear, and that fear can push good people to look elsewhere.

HR teams are in a unique position to shape how the organisation reacts to challenging shifts. Investments in clear communication, flexible support, and ethical transitions show commitment to your people. That commitment goes further than discounted benefits and checklists. It builds loyalty over time.

Everything you do to support wellbeing, whether through conversations, policies or outplacement, makes a real difference. With the right attention and tools, your people won’t just get through changes. They’ll grow through them. Jobago is here when you need help doing exactly that.

Every company faces challenging times, but how you respond shapes the future of your people and your culture. To help your organisation support employees with care and confidence during transitions, take a closer look at our outplacement service. Jobago is here to guide your team through change with empathy, structure, and smart solutions.