The end of the year is insight - and 2020 was an eventful year for everyone. The year started in traffic jams at work, queuing at the coffee machine, the year ended in your jogging pants with net shirts, ready for yet another video meeting of the day.

Many of us have gone through this transition in just one month. Anyone who could make this prediction a year ago certainly deserves a Christmas present this year, but actually everyone should get a generous Christmas present for his or her (digital) efforts. If only to compensate for all the adjustments we have asked our employees to make this year. And the mental consequences that this quick adjustment could have had.

Care professionals are literally and figuratively on the front line against COVID-19. We can all imagine that they currently have to deal with increased work pressure and stress. A recent study shows that healthcare professionals experience more burn-out symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic than before the outbreak of the virus. These complaints are related to high work pressure, work stress and limited organizational support. Now it is not only the healthcare professionals who experience increased work pressure and stress because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Another study, including more than 16,000 employees who worked at home during the pandemic, implies that 68% of home workers experience burn-out symptoms.

As the pandemic spreads, burn-out symptoms are becoming an increasing risk for homeworkers. On top of the stress and anxiety of the health crisis, many homeworkers feel the extra pressure of balancing their personal responsibilities - with or without the children at home - and the responsibilities that their job entails.

There used to be a clear separation between work and home. Now that working from home is the norm for many people, it is logical that they are looking for the right balance between work and private life. This makes it more difficult for one person to remain productive, while the other runs the risk of working too many hours. In both cases, work stress is a logical consequence.

Although many studies show that the major shift to distance working, as a result of COVID-19, has been largely successful in terms of productivity, research by Zapier shows that working from home gives many employees the feeling that work never stops. In addition to this problem, Zapier also discovered that employees are reluctant to take time off. A quarter of employees (24%) say it is difficult to take time off from work because home has become their new workplace. While 13% say they do not want to take time off before the pandemic is over. These are worrying signs that organisations would be wise to encourage employees to take a break.

Even though it may seem less interesting for some to take their spare vacation days now that few social activities can take place, we as an organisation must be vigilant for this group of people. 2020 has brought with it many tensions in both private and working life. Tensions that pose a real threat to our mental well-being. A standard Christmas package is a nice thank you for your efforts in this eventful year. However, an inventive HR employee can distinguish himself here by responding to the mental well-being of the employee with the Christmas hampers. A book on how to deal with stress or a voucher for a wellness day does wonders. But if you really want to get off to a good start as an organisation in 2021, you give your employees a well-deserved break.