Whole Business Approach

The Thrive Hive Model begins with managing the challenges that come out of fatigue and reduced concentration. We begin with the assumption that lots of people might not be concentrating well, are getting tired, anxious, overloaded and overwhelmed. With this mindset from the start, we think about what change need to be made to the system and to the environment (both physically and culturally) to encourage people to perform at their best.

Individual level : we provide tailored strategy coaching to help people manage their condition so they can still perform to their best.

Team level : we focus on building team resilience and communication styles that will encourage open, honest discussions so people don’t disguise problems, concerns or mistakes and errors that are made.

Line manager level : we encourage leadership skills that treat people fairly when things start to go wrong.

Wider Organisation : we see the value of joined up thinking among HR teams, health and safety people, culture change programs, ergonomists and financial managers, to ensure systems that support wider business continuity.

Long COVID cannot mean just treating the individual.  We need ways to work on this together.

If you’re curious to know more about how this is progressing through the Thrive Hive’s work, you can email us for more details at info@thethrivehive.org.uk

Fatigue

One of the main symptoms reported with Long COVID is fatigue.  People often talk about pacing things after illness.  Standard best practice in vocational rehabilitation is to design a graduated return to work plan. That’s all well and good, but in reality, we find that a graduated return to work plan based on hours alone, is not usually the complete solution. At the Thrive Hive we coach people to recognise when they are working at their best, making adjustments to style, approach and mindset so people can sustain the pace not push it to its breaking point.

If you would like to know more about how we coach people to do this at the Thrive Hive, you can email us at, info@thethrivehive.org.ukinfo@thethrivehive.org.uk

Brain Fog

When Brain Fog hits, you might not be able to change the machinery; you’re in work, you have to manage it, you need to learn to drive the machinery differently.  At the Thrive Hive we follow a Psychological Human Factors approach to managing Brain Fog.  Human Factors has historically been used in the aviation world – if we know a pilot could be tired after a long-haul flight, we don’t tell him or her to just get some better sleep and to be more alert  We factor their tiredness into the design of the equipment in the cockpit of the plane and we apply procedures that will be a fail-safe if the tiredness kicks in.

Managing Brain Fog in Long-COVID, through the lens of Human Factors, would involve:

• Considering the job demands and playing to strengths.

• Planning workloads and designing systems that make the job easier and guide you when you’re not thinking so clearly.

• Checking the physical environment – is it set up to help you focus better.

• Creating a more helpful emotional environment; ways to manage stress, pressure, overload and worry.

If you would like to know more about how this works through Thrive Hive approaches, you can email us at, info@thethrivehive.org.uk

Hidden Disability

We’re very aware that Long COVID can’t be seen.  You can’t always see if someone is starting to flag or if they’re not thinking clearly or understanding you. So, in many senses, Long COVID falls in the category of being a Hidden Disability.

And as we know from other Hidden Disabilities, such as acquired brain injuries, mental health difficulties, and many neurodiverse conditions, sometimes people simply don’t really ‘believe’ they exist  And if someone is struggling whilst working at home, you’re going to see them even less. So do you know if they’re struggling? Do you know the conversations to have with people to understand more?

The Thrive Hive can provide co-coaching and executive coaching to establish more efficient and supportive conversation styles.

If you would like to know more, you can email us at info@thethrivehive.org.uk