I’ve often been asked if I have any advice on how to structure the psychological approach to post-lockdown. I hereby invite you to utilise the “RARE” method:

– Recognize: sensitize teams to be able to detect weak signs shown by people in psychological distress (a secondary prevention technique)

– Act: teach teams how to start a conversation with someone showing signs of distress – using the right tone – and if necessary, direct the person in distress toward appropriate support services (secondary and tertiary prevention)

– Recognise: prepare your organization for recovery by practising the Four Forms of Recognition [see below] in the office, on site or in telework (primary prevention)

– Encourage: develop sensemaking skills, modelling your approach on organisations with a strong focus on cooperation (primary prevention)

Is this method exhaustive? No, not necessarily. Does it allow you to make progress towards recognising distress in the workplace? Yes, it certainly does.

The Four forms of recognition (recap):

1. Existential recognition: recognizing the employee for who he is as a person including his character strengths and life experiences.
2. Recognition of work competencies: making sure to acknowledge all professional qualities, however subtle and manifold they may be.
3. Recognition of effort: including time and energy invested in a project or an excessively long workday etc.
4. Recognition of results: ensuring that the employee is appropriately recompensed for meeting important objectives or deadlines.

By Adrien Chignard