At Empower Work, we’ve seen a tremendous need for our confidential text line since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. And in the past few months, a significant uptick as the Delta variant has spread across the United States. People have been worried about workplace health & safety, the stress of being asked back to in-office environments, and existing issues like feeling bullied, discriminated against, underpaid or unappreciated become even more stressful due to the pandemic. 

“I work for a cleaning business and my employer is making a coworker go to clients' homes even though she has been in contact with a family member who has COVID [...] My boss also told this coworker that she can't take any time off to take care of that family member.”

“I know this is scary & people are just acting like it's just gone away & unfortunately that isn't the case[...] I know it is not my direct boss's fault. He is only doing what corporate tells him to do & he can't really change that. I just don't want to lose my job. [...] I just care about everyone's health & safety.”

The good news: Empower Work exists to help people in their toughest moments. We’re fueled by incredible peer counselors who volunteer their time to help others. Our peer counselors show up, ready to give back - they support workers who feel like they have nowhere to turn. Over 91% of workers who have used Empower Work say they felt better after a conversation with our peer counselors and would recommend Empower Work to a friend. 

How Do Volunteers Help People? 

The top 3 ways our trained peer counselors support workers during COVID-19:

1. Help Workers Feel Less Alone

Many people reach out to Empower Work because they feel like they have nowhere else to turn. Maybe they don’t feel comfortable talking to their peers. Or they feel like they’ve repeated their situation so much, they’re a burden to their friends and family. Sometimes they feel like HR isn’t doing enough to help them or they don’t trust HR. 

These situations have become even more stressful since the beginning of the pandemic. Our peer counselors are here. Across SMS and web chat, we see the power of someone feeling like they’re not alone. That they have an accessible advocate in their corner.

“Thank you for being so positive and encouraging. I'm realizing when we don't feel so alone when we are struggling it makes it a little easier to have self compassion. You are amazing. Thank you. We can do this!!!!”

“I got more out of a single chat on Empower Work than I did from months of therapy. Their questions helped me pause my emotions and really think about why I was feeling the way I did. They also helped walk me through my thoughts about current and potential new work, making me feel less trapped by the end.”

2. Provide Emotional and Tactical Support

Many people have faced workplace challenges long before COVID - challenges such as bullying, bias, harassment, discrimination, unsupportive managers, and more. These workplace issues are still present and have become even more stressful with the backdrop of the pandemic. Workers don’t know where to turn. 

“Every morning I wake up happy. Then when it's time for work, I feel sad and I feel owned, and then I get verbally abused at work and my health is put at risk [...but] I'm scared to lose my only income." 

Our peer counselors provide critical emotional and tactical support so that they can help people navigate workplace challenges. They support workers by asking deep questions, validating their emotions, and helping them feel heard and empowered. 

3. Help Workers Consider their Next Steps

Our peer counselors don’t only listen to vulnerable workers, they also empower them to take the next steps that feel right for them. While navigating tough work situations, people can sometimes feel like they don’t have a voice - our peer counselors help them reclaim that voice. By asking powerful questions, our trained peer counselors help people know what's at stake, uncover potential options and outcomes, and if needed, share resources for their next steps. 

“Approaching the situation, I had never thought of it that way until Kyle [my peer counselor] helped me realize this perspective. This perspective helped me: 1) Feel like I was empowered, heard, and that I had a voice. 2) Let go of that end result I had originally wanted. The end result was no longer about their reply to my response. It was now about speaking up for myself and saying, “This is me. This is who I am.” My peer counselor helped me take a breath, step back, and see the bigger picture. It wasn’t a tug of war between me and my employers where I wanted them to change their expectations of me. My response was for me, not them.”

If you’re thinking about volunteering:

Looking for a way to give back during COVID-19 while also boosting your coaching and management skills? Become a peer counselor at Empower Work! You can make a difference in peoples’ lives, create your own remote schedule, enhance your professional skills, and become part of the volunteer community. Here is what our peer counselors have to say about their Empower Work experience:

“The one thing I’d tell people who are considering volunteering at Empower Work is do it. You won’t regret it. It’s definitely an investment. It’s an investment in yourself and in other people. What’s great about it is that you get coached, you get trained. The team here is amazing. They really get you feeling prepared to get on the line. You’re not thrown in. They’re supporting you every step of the way.” - Hannah, Peer Counselor.

“What would I tell someone who is thinking about volunteering at Empower Work? I would tell them 100% volunteer. I think it’s a great organization, most importantly you're able to give back to communities and individuals. Also you’re able to learn a ton and grow yourself.” - Emily, Peer Counselor.

Sign up to volunteer at Empower Work here, and share the volunteer opportunity with your network. Help us #EmpowerItForward!