How to Handle Stress Among Remote Workers? Experts Weigh In

The past two years have shined a spotlight on how the always-on mindset and 24/7 connectivity can prove to be stressful in hybrid work environments. As we head into a new era of work, organizations need to make fundamental changes in digital workplaces and help employees re-establish boundaries to boost employee wellbeing and productivity. Toolbox spoke to three industry leaders who delved into some of the concerns and what organizations can do to make it more effective. 

Last year, a studyOpens a new window , Journal of Praxis in Higher Education, laid bare the impact of remote working on individuals amid the COVID-19 pandemic brought significant lifestyle alterations. The findings demonstrated that while remote working gives people more freedom, they are less efficient and hardly motivated.

While pandemic-related burnout has worsened, it has also added additional pressures while robbing people of their sense of routine. The study found that the time previously spent commuting is now being leveraged to boost productivity. While it’s simple to use this time to get more work done, psychologists advise avoiding diving right into work when you wake up as it can result in stress.

Source: Adaptavist 2021 Digital Etiquette Study  Opens a new window

Simon Haighton-Williams, CEO of Adaptavist explained: “In many organisations surveyed their culture and use of tools meant that those who were not in the same physical location as the people they were working with, were less able to fully input and collaborate. There was an imbalance or divide in the way they communicated. The ‘accidental’ benefit of everyone being remote is that communication, collaboration and decision making can be the same experience for everyone.”

How Organizations Can Help Reduce Stress Among Remote Workers

1. Budget reallocation for employee well-being

Many organizations are still figuring out the right hybrid work model. Permanent office space and long-term leases are likely to be a thing of the past, which will inevitably lead to a shift in budget allocation. Steve Roberts, chief financial officer at Glasswall, advised businesses in 2022 to ensure any unused budget is reallocated to improve employee well-being. “Unused budget is not a net saving, so it should be applied elsewhere to ensure that the new hybrid working model is secure and healthy,” Roberts told Toolbox.

Additionally, employee well-being programs can further encourage employees, help them fight stress at home, and enhance productivity.

“Companies implementing a hybrid working model should ensure both their office infrastructure and remote working environments are secure. Remote working can result in security vulnerabilities, particularly if employees are using their own devices to connect to corporate systems. Budget should be reallocated to invest in security solutions that will close these gaps and keep systems and data secure,” Roberts explained. 

See More: Design Effective Hybrid Work Models Or Lose Employees, Microsoft Warns

2. Adopt a hybrid work model  

Over the past 18 months, one of the most prominent trends in the technology space has been enterprises moving to the cloud. Svenja de Vos, CTO, Leaseweb Global, thinks that discussions on the topic have been primarily focused on organizations working with hyperscalers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, etc., to continue business operations in the age of remote work successfully. “Now that companies have adjusted to the times and are moving out of emergency infrastructure planning, in 2022, you are going to see a lot of businesses moving out of the hyperscalers arena and instead adopting a hybrid cloud approach — rightfully so,” he said.

Per the Adaptavist 2021 Digital Etiquette studyOpens a new window nearly half (47%) of workers are keen to return to the workplace whereas 38% are inclining towards the hybrid model. Only 15% of workers are willing to continue remote working. 

There are several compelling reasons: The ability to forgo travel can increase efficiency and comfort for many employees. Companies are also acknowledging the truth of the talent revolution, in which a big percentage of employees say they plan to quit their present job if they don’t have the option of working remotely (39%Opens a new window ).

Source: FlexJobsOpens a new window

3. Going the empathetic way

Hari Vasudevan, CEO, Think Power Solutions, has provided four crucial steps that organizations must take cognizance of to understand their employees under remote working conditions better.

a) Understand and recognize stress

It is essential to understand and recognize the common signs and triggers of stress. It is even more critical in a remote working environment. Common causes include:

• • Managing workload and expectations.
  • Lacking access to tools and equipment needed for a job.
  • Uncertainty about the future.
  • Learning new communication tools and dealing with technical difficulties.
  • Adapting to different workspaces and work schedules.

b) Create collaborative routines among team members

Creating a collaborative routine between team members performing similar tasks serves many purposes. First and foremost, it promotes communication between employees. It also provides employees with a peer network to tap for future growth and learning opportunities.

c) Embrace employees’ ability to work from any environment  

By training employees to make use of different environments responsibly, an employer can positively affect stress. Changes of scenery such as a local coffee shop or park enable employees to literally “stop and smell the roses,” as long as the work allows for it. Empower employees to personalize their workstation/desktop setup and provide necessary office supplies, as needed.

In situations where scenery changes are not practical, the importance of personalizing an employee’s workstation cannot be understated. This has the practical effect of giving employees a chance to express themselves and the ripple effect of the organization freely. Employees can concentrate their efforts on productive, valuable work when they need it by having what they need.

d) Encourage employees to set boundaries between work time and off-work time 

By encouraging employees to set boundaries between their work life and personal life, stress can be mitigated. Out-of-work routines such as exercise plans or hobbies allow employees the chance to get their mind off work and spark creativity.

See More: Return to Office Gains Momentum, But Hybrid Work is Here to Stay

Way Forward

The only way forward is to adapt and the art of adaptation will come with conformity during unprecedented times.  According to Haighton-Williams: “An overnight transition has been forced upon the business world and companies have had to rise to the challenge by doing whatever seems to work immediately. Now, it’s time to reflect and analyse this, to see what positive patterns have arisen that we need to reinforce and what negative patterns we see that need to be changed. Those that get this right will innovate faster, be more operationally efficient and attract top talent. Those that don’t will likely struggle to survive.”

Do you think your organization is doing enough to handle stress among remote workers? Comment below or let us know on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window . We’d love to hear from you!