Despite what many employers initially expected, working from home is not easy. As companies have spent the past year transitioning to the world of remote work, burnout has become an increasingly frustrating issue for both management and team members alike.
By cutting out pesky commute times and office fatigue, companies and their employees assumed remote work life would be a dream. But for many, this was far from the case. The freedom of employees being able to create their own schedules can easily lead to distraction and decreased productivity during the day, not to mention feelings of isolation. Not only are team members responsible for the daily demands of their work, but they must keep their own autonomy and independence in check without the structure of office life.
Continuing down the path of “business as usual” has the potential to cause burnout for many. So how do we help our teams thrive in this new, remote norm? Below, we discuss three ways HR professionals can help combat remote work burnout.
Accept the new normal
Burnout appears to be worsening amid the remote era of COVID-19, and remote work is expected to continue. Despite the allure of putting the events of 2020 behind us, remote work burnout isn’t a “temporary” occurrence, set to disappear once companies return to the office. A new study found that 73% of working professionals are burned out, with about 20% citing an unmanageable workload as the catalyst. Other stressors include no separation between “work” and “life,” lack of control of their work and insufficient support from managers and other team members. The chances of feeling burned out at home seem to be higher than in an office, and it’s the responsibility of the company to ensure their employees have the resources they need to handle these changing times.
Some experts have projected that remote work is here to stay, with a significant portion of employees expected to remain remote even after cleared to return to the office. Centering HR efforts on creating a robust and inclusive remote culture will benefit the entire organization both now and long into the future.
Encourage employees to set boundaries
The problem with remote work is you never really have a chance to step “away.” The lines between personal and professional have blurred so much that employees can no longer simply sign off for the day. Instead, they feel their office permeates every aspect of their lives. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the average workday has lengthened by around 48 minutes since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This comes as no surprise to people who have been juggling multiple responsibilities amid the massive shift to remote work.
Communicating the importance of a clear separation between business and personal hours is vital. Ensure that employees have quality time for themselves not interrupted by emails, phone calls or unfinished projects.
A great place to start is to offer flexible scheduling for employees. Consider implementing “core hours,” when teams have a few hours each day dedicated to only work. Flexible scheduling allows employees to schedule their days to balance both personal and professional responsibilities, giving them the best setup for increased productivity and less of a chance of burnout.
Prioritize social connection outside the office
Across the board, a lack of communication is a large cause of workplace stress. With the rise of tools such as Slack and Zoom, the workplace atmosphere might feel like teams are more connected than ever, but that doesn’t mean that face-to-face interaction should fall by the wayside. Teams who have connections outside the workplace tend to feel more comfortable asking for help in the workplace, so building out time for co-workers to engage with one another sans work could assist in preventing remote work burnout.
Schedule coffee chats, virtual happy hours or even online game nights for your teams to interact. Continuing education opportunities, such as seminars or mentor programs, are also a great way to get co-workers connecting with one another outside traditional office hours. By prioritizing outside-the-office connections, HR professionals show their teams they care about their mental health while also creating healthy work-life habits.
If you’re interested in learning more about building a remote workplace, check out our article on Rebuilding Your Company Culture in a Remote Workplace.
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