Recovery, Renewal, Resilience

All areas of peoples' lives have been impacted by COVID-19 in a multitude of different ways. Compassion acknowledges that people may be suffering, and promotes sensitivity about the issues affecting people. Compassion during COVID-19 should acknowledge that while everyone has been impacted, they will have been impacted differently. Recognising these differences will help to build transparency and authenticity within the organisations. Consider how to develop a compassionate organisation through:

• Creating safe spaces where people can air their concerns and views
• Ensure there are processes in place to address legitimate concerns and views
• Regularly check-in with those within the organisation to actively enquire about their wellbeing - reducing the expectation and pressure on people to self-mobilise support mechanisms
• Anticipate needs e.g. be aware of pressures, deadlines and potential for burnout
• Believe people when they say they are struggling and trust that they are doing their best
• Consider being transparent about your own struggles, but be aware of establishing boundaries
• Note that compassion does not lower expectations within the organisation or undermine people's roles and responsibilities. Rather, it creates a healthier organisational environment that can reduce anxiety, fear and shame

The Mental Health Commission of Canada has developed three programmes: Caring for Yourself/Caring for your Team, and Caring for Others:

• Caring for Yourself/Caring for your Team - Participants learn how to better understand their own mental wellness, and that of their team. They learn to notice if they might be moving into unwell areas, use practical actions to help with stress, and know when to reach out to get professional help, and learn tips to support team members
• Caring for Others - Participants focus on how to create a safe space to have conversations about mental health and/or substance use problems, and the skills required to respond to a mental health crisis until professional help arrives. This prepares participants to have conversations confidently about mental health during a crisis, with their family, friends, communities, and in their workplaces