My employer is requiring everyone to return to the office in the coming weeks, as we’ve been working from home for the past two years. Many resources to help with the transition have been provided by HR, including on the topic of mental health.
I began perusing the resources and got to a handout entitled “The Four P’s of a Successful Return to the Workplace”. This handout was written by the mental health benefits provider that my employer pays for resources, such as this handout. The first “P” was “Practice Gratitude” which on the whole, I find as a useful practice. Examples were given on how one could practice gratitude in the process of returning to the office. The first example:
“Instead of thinking ‘My commute is going to be an absolute nightmare and destroy my mood’, you can think ‘I’m thankful for the continued existence of my job and ability to enjoy quiet time or podcast listening time.’”
I couldn’t believe what I had just read. People are leaving the company left and right for better-paying and full-time remote opportunities, and it is very difficult to find candidates to replace them. And they want me to be thankful for the continued existence of my job?? I stopped reading after that. It’s one of many examples of how HR and senior leadership at this company are tone-deaf/blind at best and insulting/manipulative at worst.