Business Project: Post-COVID Staff Transition & Mental Health Support

This business project report examines the critical aspects of transitioning staff back to the office environment following the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the case study of Bedford Town Services. It addresses the challenges faced by employees, including feelings of loneliness, stress, and a decline in motivation due to changes in work practices. The report proposes a structured transition plan, emphasizing the importance of communication, the establishment of transition teams (strategic, management, and monitoring), and the implementation of mental health support initiatives. It also discusses various business options, utilizing the Weighed Score-Card Model for prioritization, and considers the benefits, dis-benefits, and costs associated with the transition process. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of safety measures, such as screening protocols, social distancing, and the provision of personal protective equipment, to ensure a healthy and secure work environment. The report concludes by underscoring the need for a well-managed transition to enhance employee productivity, profitability, and overall well-being.

Business Project
Report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report focuses on importance of implementing smooth transition of staff going back
to offices and also focuses on how it can be made possible effectively and efficiently. This report
includes information about change in office functioning due to COVID-19 pandemic and what
effect does it made on employees mentality. This report summarizes about different methods and
techniques which can be utilized by organisation to make environment of organisation healthy
and stress free. This report focuses on understanding different stages of project life-cycle and
what type of impact does it make on organisation productivity and profitability.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
Reasons........................................................................................................................................4
Business Options..........................................................................................................................5
Mental Health and Safety.............................................................................................................7
Benefits........................................................................................................................................8
Dis-benefits..................................................................................................................................8
Costs.............................................................................................................................................8
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................9
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
This report helps in understanding about importance of organisation environment and its
impact on employees behaviour. Healthy environment of organisation helps in motivating
employees and help employees in delivering quality performance. Organisation environment also
contributes in performance of employees and help organisation in achieving its goals and
objectives. This report is based on case study of Bedford Town Services and focuses on different
viewpoint of employees regarding changes in organisation practices due to COVID-19 pandemic
and how it is affecting employees morale and confidence. This report also helps in understanding
about different changes which could be made by organisation to motivate its employees.
MAIN BODY
Reasons
This part of report focuses on Bedford Town Centre and helps in understanding about its
mission to provide housing facilities for people which belongs to local community and providing
support to individuals. Bedford Town Services includes emergency hostel for young people aged
16-25 and hostels for young mothers aged 16 to 25. This report also focuses on providing an
suitable structure for employees of Bedford Housing Association which can help in managing
smooth transition of staff which is going back to offices and this report also focuses on making
work environment safe and healthy for its employees during COVID-19 pandemic. This report
focuses on proposing an structure which is suitable for its employees as they are facing issues as
absence of social contact among employees which leads to employees feeling lonely and
stressed.
Bedford Housing Association employees also raised the issue of mental health support as
increase in stress and uncertainty during pandemic have affected mental health of employees.
Staff member of customer service team have stated that she was struggling with lack of
motivation as her job had role of contacting with consumers who visits the office but due to
COVID-19 she had to communicate with consumers with emails and phone calls. This leads to
lack of motivation and she also started feeling lonely as she live alone in small apartment. In
order to resolve this issues effective transition plan for employees is needed which going to be
addressed in further part of the report.

Business Options
This part of report focuses on understanding about different business options and its
value which can be determined by the help of Weighed Score-Card Model. This model is used to
prioritize strategic initiatives which is taken by organisation using numerical scoring and this
model is effective in prioritisation of objectives for different teams of organisation. This model is
beneficial in product management as it is used by organisation to choose right equipment for
their services and it might have combination of benefit and costs.
With respect to product weighted scoring prioritisation works as mentioned below:
In first stage list of features and other initiatives have taken under consideration. In second step,
initiatives are scored on basis of costs and benefits incurred in initiatives. In third step, weightage
of different criteria will be used to evaluate initiatives for competing. In final stage, individual
scores for every initiative are calculated and such scores are used to determine their effectiveness
and efficiency.
In order to make transition smooth for employees of Bedford Housing Association they
have to settle their employees by providing healthy environment for employees. In order to keep
safe employees from COVID-19 virus organisation have to ensure that employees should be
properly educated to adapt healthy practices and follow health protocols for their own benefit.
Change in organisation appears to be implemented effectively but in case of transition it is
considered as slower process. During transition phase employees have to go through various
phases such as implementation of new practices and introducing new ways for working.
Key component for managing transition in organisation is communication. Bedford Housing
Association top management have to ensure that new ways of working should be effectively
communicated by organisation and every process which is about to change and what is changing,
impact of transition all such thing should be communicated by organisation. Communication can
be done in multiple ways such as email, memo etc.
For effective transition in organisation an All-staff meeting should be called and
transition should be introduced at an all-staff meeting. Meeting should include a clear reason
behind transition and explanation of transition which should include what and what not is part of
transition. Impact of transition on employees and impact of transition on work. Bedford Housing
Association should focus on building transition teams such as strategic transition management
leadership team, transition management team and transition monitoring team. In strategic change

management team leaders are considered as crucial part of this team. It includes director, project
manager, HR manager etc. Main motive behind such team is to lead transition in an organisation
and focus on efforts which are needed for transition.
Transition management team includes HR manager of organisation and includes several
other managers. Purpose of transition management team is to plan and implement practices that
could help employees of organisation throughout transition phase and team meeting should be
organisation on frequent basis. Role and responsibility of team includes planning and providing
needs during communication, training and staffing. Communication focuses on activities that can
help employees in understanding about practices adopted by organisation and provides an
opportunity for employees to understand changes and ask their queries regarding any change.
Communication can be done in various ways such as emails, websites, wall posters, social
network, meetings and bulletin boards.
Transition monitoring team focuses on different practices within organisation and its
purpose is to provide a path for employees by which employees can share their ideas and
thoughts. It is considered as voice of employees and to be specific voice of employees which are
affected by transition.
Responsibilities of this team includes effective communication with leaders of
organisation and taking input from staff regarding their queries and raising queries of employees
in front of leaders of organisation. It also help in communicating organisation vision and need for
transition in organisation.
Transition of employees from home mode to normal office can be stressful for
employees. Employees will return to work as organisation have to understand transition for
employees in not easy. There are various strategies which can be utilized by Bedford Housing
Association for its employees which are mentioned below:
Mental Health and Safety
Mental health issues are increase exponentially with the rise of COVID-19 cases and
according to various studies anxiety in people become increased by 45% and increase in cases of
depression by 39%. Due to fear of coronavirus, people these days are more conscious about
hygiene around them and focuses on safety of their own and their families. Fear of coronavirus
around people have raised challenges of anxiety and depression in people.

To tackle such issues it is important to for HR managers to ensure that employees should be
provided with places which are clean and hygienic. Employees are excited about returning to
their normal routine and focusing on safety of employees and which can help them in combating
against mental health issues. HR department of organisation can increase safety of employees by
taking numerous safety measures for employees. Focusing on providing screening protocols for
employees for safety of employees and testing employees for COVID-19 and maintaining social
distancing among employees, checking body temperature of employees and working which can
help in making transition easy and effective for employees.
For safety of employees, Bedford Housing Association can provide personal protective
equipments to its employees and also HR department can organise therapy and counselling
session for employees which can help them in fighting against mental health issues. To develop
effective strategy organisation can focus on planning how and when workers will return to office
and understanding challenges which could be faced by employees during their work. HR can
start with calling employees in organisation in little numbers and HR department have to
understand which category of employees are more vulnerable towards COVID-19. HR team of
organisation have to focus on placing policies for employees which does not agree in returning to
office and have fear of COVID-19. HR have to implement policies which can help employees in
understanding that workplace are safe for work and employees can go to office and continue
their work. HR can develop and implement policies for work from home and might focus on
calling employees on alternate basis. Organisation can provide option of either coming to office
and working from home for employees which are vulnerable to COVID-19. Updating technology
can help organisation in reducing stress of organisation and help them to be more effective and
productive. Effective communication is considered as key in this process as it help employees in
understanding about measures which are taken by organisation and how such measures can save
them from spreading virus and help them in transitioning and help employees in settling into
business environment.
Benefits
Benefits of taking such initiatives would help them in retaining their employees and
focusing on making them effective. Effective transition would help them in settling into new
environment and it could help employees in working effectively.

Transition into new environment would help employees in adapting to new practices and focuses
on using this as an effective method for increasing productivity and profitability of employees.
Dis-benefits
Disadvantage of such transition is that it might affect mentality of employees and make
them ineffective. Employees would be distracted from their goals and objectives as they would
be more worried about their health and hygiene.
Transition into new environment would demotivate employees as social distancing and other
health protocols might affect their interaction with others and new restriction would lead to stress
and employees feeling distracted from their goals.
Costs
In order to effectively implement transition costs for the project should be determined
initially as implementing health measures and providing health equipments would incur high
costs. Project costs also includes equipments which are provided by organisation to its
employees and resources which are utilized by employees in order to make transition effective
and efficient. It is important for organisation to understand and handle costs according to need of
project.
Conclusion
This part of report focuses on importance of transition in an organisation during the time
of pandemic and how transition could help organisation in delivering productive results. This
part also concludes about need of transition during this phase as it is important for organisation
to call their employees back in offices and provides safety measures for their health.
Organisation have to ensure all health protocols should be followed by employees and
appropriate equipments should be provided by organisation for safety of employees. Transition
can lead to stress which can resolved by organisation therapy and counselling session by
organisation and focusing on making them effective and efficient.
TASK 2
This part focuses on understanding my key skill development and how my skill have
helped me in effectively understanding this project report. As an individual, communication is
key for delivering my opinion and helps me in providing my viewpoint over a topic.
Communication is key in sharing my thoughts and ideas in front of other individuals and

expressing my views over any topic. During this case I have focused on understanding the need
of transition in an organisation and how it could help organisation in providing its employees
safe and healthy environment for work. Developing my communication skills would help me in
giving my opinion about need of transition and how it is beneficial in development of employees.
During transition phase communication is vital in communicating with employees
regarding change which are made to provide safe and healthy environment. Developing my
communication skill would help me in finding suitable employability opportunities for me and I
have to focus on my verbal as well as written communication skills. It is important for me to
develop my communication skills as it would help me in my success and also help me in giving
my insights on any issue. Communication skills will help me in giving presentations and
communicating effectively with my teachers and friends. By developing my communication
skills I can get honest feedback from my mentors and on the basis of their comment I can
improve my skills and abilities. Communication is important for individual development and it
also help in communicating effectively with other individuals.
CONCLUSION
This report concludes about transition in an organisation and how does it can help
employees in settling into new environment. Organisation environment helps in boosting
motivation of employees and transition would help employees in settling into new environment
which could help organisation in achieving goals and objectives.

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