3 Phases of Confinement (COVID 19)

25 March 2020

Although the coronavirus is no holiday there are similarities to the impact on employees. Understand the three phases to be able to support team members through this unusual period.

The three phases are:

• Anticipation
• Experience
• Re-entry

ANTICIPATION - We heard about the virus in China. We heard about the deaths, shortages of masks, the strict measures confining people to their homes - but mostly it sounded unreal and far away. South Africans thought it would miss us, blow over or be mild. As it started dawning on us that the virus was heading our way most of us still lived in the denial phase and thought it would not affect us personally, until, like a train we started hearing it arriving at our station.

EXPERIENCE - Even up to the morning just before President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement that we were confined to our homes for 21 days, most thought it would never happen in South Africa. As the nation now prepares for confinement each person will experience this differently - depending largely on each individual's EQ and personal circumstances. Doctors are anticipating a steep increase in suicides and depression. Team members are already reporting a sense of sadness and articles are being distributed that we are actually experiencing grief. On the other hand some people are looking forward to the opportunities and positive elements that the situation might bring. Employers should assess how to regularly engage with team members to maintain team cohesion and a sense of belonging.

RE-ENTRY - The re-entry phase into the workplace will be different for each person. For some it will be like returning from a holiday. For others it will be like coming back after a period of illness. The difference is that normally when a person is away from work, business would have moved on, but this time it will be like someone pressed pause. As we emerge after 3 weeks of confinement employers should prepare team members for the effects they will experience as they re-enter the workplace. Put measures in place to facilitate the transition back to work to ensure team members acclimatise back to work as easily as possible.

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