After a summer of feeling like the worst was behind us, the predictions that a second pandemic wave would hit come autumn have proved right.
During the first wave, I felt there was a genuine feeling of national unity – there was a grim sense of novelty the first time round, which got us through those initial spring months.
The sentiment now, however, is quite different.
It is crucial that we help those around us to stay resilientOver the past few weeks there has been a real shift. The novelty has well and truly worn thin and you have all seen the reaction from certain parts of the country that are being put into further lockdown.
As business owners of financial advice and mortgage practices, you are already predisposed to coping with change. In fact, our own research found that financial advisers are far more open to change than the average UK individual.
A book well worth reading to brace yourself for the upcoming months is Ross Edgley’s The Art of Resilience.
In it, Mr Edgley describes his mammoth swim around the 1,780 mile edge of the UK, in 157 days, and some of the techniques he used to help him keep going.
One interesting point he makes is that it is rarely the body that gives up, but instead it is the mind. If you can keep your mind resilient, then the body will just keep going.
It is therefore crucial that we help those around us to stay resilient, and to do this there are three things that we can all put into practice.
First is simply being empathetic. We have to understand that someone’s perception of what they are experiencing is their unique reality, even if you do not necessarily agree with it.
Secondly, you must be highly visible to your employees, making time to have meaningful conversations.
In lieu of face-to-face meetings, carving out one-to-one time with people be it over the phone or video calls can give them the opportunity to tell you what they are thinking and feeling.
And lastly it is about providing stable leadership. This makes people feel safer and enables them to do their best work.
Due to the potential toll on mental health, we thought we would make seeking therapy for financial advisers as easy as possible and have teamed up with Spill, who are specialists in workplace mental health support.
The next few months could be tough, but it is critical that we support each other as best we can.
Scott Stevens is director of recruitment and acquisitions for Quilter Financial Planning
