It won’t be an exaggeration to say that the Covid-19 outbreak has flipped the world upside down. With the pandemic showing no signs of stopping, several businesses around the world have made telecommuting a permanent part of their organization.
In these testing times, remote working has been an obvious boon that delivered a plethora of benefits to employees as well as employers. Telecommuting allows employers to work from the safety and comfort of their homes. On the other hand, employers can significantly save when it comes to operational costs such as office rent and utilities.
While remote working may have been a savior during these unprecedented times, this practice is not free of caveats. With worker burnout jumping to frightening rates, it would be a mistake to ignore the real and serious side effects of telecommuting.
Is your workforce lacking motivation? Has your team become overly cynical? Have you noticed higher levels of inefficacy? These are all signs indicating increasing employee burnout.
In this post, we’re summarizing various reasons your workforce is facing burnout and effective ways to help your employees.
Unclear Communication
In-person communication is filled with non-verbal cues that can be difficult to translate over virtual channels. You can gauge a person’s facial expression or body language to discern a lot more than what they’re saying out loud.
However, that’s not easily possible over Slack or Zoom. This can cause misunderstandings, which can further lead to frustrating and costly mistakes. It’s imperative that you encourage your employees to communicate as clearly as possible without leaving anything up to interpretation. Rather than just sending emails back and forth, schedule video meetings for tasks that require in-depth discussions.
Poor Home Office Set Up
When you’re working from home for a few days a year, there is no harm in working on your couch or kitchen island. That being said, it looks like remote working is here to stay. A poorly set up working environment directly impacts a team’s productivity. Moreover, an unstable internet connection and other tech difficulties can make working from home a nightmare. Instead of expecting your employees to work on their beds, you should provide them with the necessary equipment for an ergonomic and motivating home office.
Redundant Tasks
Redundant tasks are a productivity killer that should be minimized or completely eliminated. Managing an overflowing email or LinkedIn inbox can be quite overwhelming. It’s time to implement LinkedIn automation to help your employees save time and focus on tasks that matter. “Incorporating LinkedIn automation can help you save time and effort while expanding your business networks.”, according to Stefan Smulders, a SaaS Entrepreneur and founder of Expandi.io, the world’s safest software for LinkedIn Automation.
Lack of Human Connection
While social distancing has become the norm for curbing coronavirus spread, it has also led to growing feelings of isolation and loneliness. Water cooler conversations and team lunches may not seem like a big deal, but these simple social interactions play a key role in creating a collaborative, positive and healthy work culture. Human connection makes employees feel supported and valued by their peers.
You can help employees stay connected by introducing a virtual space where employees can log in and work together in real-time. You can also start a water cooler channel on messaging platforms where employees can catch up and talk about things other than work.
Extended Work Hours (Without Extra Pay)
As previously mentioned, working from home comes with a wide range of benefits. But organizations may end up exploiting remote working policies by expecting employees to work beyond their usual hours. But just because your employees are working from home doesn’t mean they have extra time on their hands. And even if they do, they shouldn’t be required to work more without a justified compensation increment.
As a leader, it’s your responsibility to ensure your team is logging off at a reasonable hour and not answering emails during their time off. This is necessary for a healthy work-life balance.
Personal Crises
The pandemic has taken a serious toll on mental and emotional health. In addition to lack of human interaction, employees may be facing additional stress about postponed plans, family health and other concerns.
That’s why we suggest scheduling a routine one-on-one with every employee. Rather than just talking about work, use this opportunity to check in and ask about their personal challenges. Leading with empathy and kindness is the only way through this traumatic situation.
That being said, there is only so much you can do to help employees with personal issues. It’s a good idea to hire an onsite counselor for your organization and urge employees to seek professional help.
Unhealthy Habits
Not having to get up at the crack of dawn to get ready and embark on a long commute is one of the major highlights of working remotely. But this freedom can make employees vulnerable to unhealthy habits.
Remote working is helpful in many ways, but it can also blur the line between work and home. From staying up late to not taking any breaks, remote workers are prone to fostering habits that will harm their productivity and overall wellbeing.
Managers should inspire employees to create and follow a balanced daily routine. In addition to getting adequate sleep, they should also focus on eating a healthy diet, exercising, and looking after their mental health.
No Sense of Belonging
If you hired employees during the pandemic, there is a good chance that these new hires have never met the rest of the team or even seen your office space. This can create a disconnect between the new and existing employees, which may impact teamwork and collaboration.
It’s imperative to instill a sense of belongingness in new hires. It would be helpful to set up calls for new hires with other teammates. They can utilize this opportunity to get to know each other a little better. Moreover, you should send them welcome packages with company swag to make them feel a part of your organization.
Final Words
Before the pandemic, working from home instilled a sense of flexibility and liberty. However, with new coronavirus variants causing havoc, the same freedom may make employees feel like they are trapped in their homes. That’s why it’s imperative to address the unique challenges and check in with your employees to help them navigate working in a pandemic.
