A lot of the COVID-19 media coverage has rightfully focused on the physical hazards associated with the virus, but the virus has also had substantial effects on mental health — especially for individuals who find themselves furloughed, laid-off or permanently let go.
For these people, going back to work can help with respect to their mental health. Returning to work has many obvious financial and career benefits, and these have positive knock-on effects for mental health. If you’re currently out of work and feeling stressed out, consider the following ways going back to work can be good for your mental health.
1) Working Gives You a Greater Sense of Control
With so much being out of our control right now, being employed during a global pandemic can help to give you a greater sense of control over your reality. Employment provides you with pride, feelings of accomplishment, and the sense that you are doing crucial work that is essential for society. It also gives you a professional network that can act as a secondary support system for your mental well-being.
2) More Financial Security
One of our greatest emotional needs is a feeling of security, and a modern sense of security is tied to financial security.
When you receive unemployment benefits, you are expected to look for a job and accept appropriate employment if offered to you. Not looking for work or refusing a job offer could disqualify you from receiving unemployment benefits.
Also, expanded unemployment benefits from the federal government will run out at some point, and for many people, state unemployment benefits are not enough to sustain their living situation. This possibility presents a serious risk to personal security. Furthermore, some experts are saying the job market will be tight through the remainder of 2020 and possibly beyond.
3) More Career Security
In normal times, a gap in employment could be seen as a red flag by potential employers, but with the pandemic, future job seekers will likely get a pass for being unemployed during this time. That said, a long period of unemployment is never an ideal situation for your career, and career instability can be very bad for your mental health.
Assess your personal situation and try to figure out if having “any” job is better than possibly being unemployed for a long stretch.
4) Health Insurance and Other Benefits
Many workers who have been furloughed still have usage of their healthcare benefits. However, those benefits can end you are not brought back, or you opt not to return. Additionally, through COBRA, health insurance is usually quite expensive, as an employer typically does not cover part of the standard premium.
You might be capable of buying healthcare on the exchanges; however, this coverage can also be costly and of lower quality. Obviously, a decrease in coverage can have a serious impact on mental health.
We Can Help You Get Back to Work
At Superior Resource Group, we can help support your mental health by returning you to work. Please contact us today to find out how we may be of assistance.