It’s been more than a year since COVID-19 pandemic started impacting and putting the labor force to a prolonged remote work. While it seemed to be exciting and at times fun at first, many employees have gradually suffered from burnout and mental fatigue as a result of a variety of factors such as a work-life imbalance, inadequate team coordination, and workload pressure. It is no secret that employees’ mental health is now a major concern as it significantly impacts the overall organization.
Working remotely can really take a toll on mental health and wellness if done improperly. Here are some ways to take a breather and maintain well being while working anywhere other than the office.
Encourage (Short) Exercises
Being physically active helps boost an individual’s mood. Employees might want to set reminders to alert them to get up, stretch or take a walk. Ten-minute breaks from the desk can be significantly beneficial as they’d be more motivated to keep working and perform. This small tweak would significantly boost mood and help release mental fatigue.
“Unsick” Day
Buffer, a startup company, encourages its employees to schedule at least one day off each year for preventative procedures including dental visits, therapy, or eye exams. Employees are free to spend this day as they choose, as long as it promotes their sense of well-being and health.
Mental Health Survey and Webinars
Despite the fact that society has been working to remove the stigma associated with mental health and wellness, not everyone is comfortable talking about it, particularly when it comes to their own struggles. Employees can be embarrassed, unable to bother and disclose with private things. One way to eliminate such shame is to send out a company-wide survey every quarter to track workers’ mental health without being invasive. Regular webinars about mental health awareness and fitness programs can also help employees be comfortable with discussing their mental status.
Open Communication
Managers should check in with their remote workers on a regular basis to ensure and support their mental well-being. We cannot emphasize enough that transparency is key to a healthy and unified working environment. Take advantage of this opportunity to establish rapport and trust. Discuss your objectives and progress, as well as your challenges and opportunities for development. Don’t make your remote workers feel neglected or ignored by giving them due appreciation, acknowledgement, and recognition.
Don’t break their “Breaks”
Don’t message your employees during their lunch breaks. To encourage and maintain their work-life balance, you can give support to them shutting off work devices after the set work hours have passed, taking regular breaks throughout the day to eat and stretch and saying “no” to requests if they’ll add extra work time outside of their set hours.
As a manager, it is one’s responsibility to build an environment that fosters positivity when it comes to well-being, both inside and out. Remember that a stable, happy workforce increases productivity while also demonstrating to the organization that it is indeed a good place to work in.
