During the pandemic, remote working and the very real threat of illness have thrust mental health and emotional wellbeing into the spotlight like never before. Most organisations have reacted in a similar way. The first wave of lockdowns saw organisations focus on ensuring employees were able to continue working remotely, whether through supplying office equipment or moving data to cloud servers.

Next came a focus on the individual circumstances of employees. This saw businesses offering split working hours for parents, coffee catchups for those working alone and webinars and classes to alleviate stress.

As the pandemic enters a second year, businesses are now looking into the future. How can they ensure their employees feel supported to keep working, whether remotely or in preparation for a return to the office? How much has our collective experience changed what we want from work?

The true answer is that no one quite knows yet. However, there are practical steps businesses can take to support their employees, such as planning phases returns, introducing temperature checks and lateral flow testing, and redesigning office layouts to minimise anxiety. But the bigger future challenge will be around psychological safety in the workplace. Recent months have been all about fear: illness, job losses, recession, loneliness. Businesses will have to create an environment where employees feel able to innovate, challenge and disrupt, as businesses cautiously look into the future.