How to Banish Remote Worker Burnout -- Sam Slade

How to Banish Remote Worker Burnout -- Sam Slade

Remember when working remotely was a perk meant to ease employee stress? And it worked. According to Gallup, those who telecommuted pre-pandemic experienced lower levels of burnout compared to those working on site.

Yet with many employees forced to work from home full time now, the opposite is true. In fact, 69% of employees reported burnout symptoms while working from home during COVID-19. This higher rate is due to a combination of stress and financial anxiety caused by:

An “always-on” mentality
Working longer hours with fewer breaks
Worries over job security if employees don’t go above and beyond

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

 

The Effects of Burnout

According to the World Health Organization, burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed.

When workers suffer from burnout, they’re often exhausted or mentally checked out from their job, lowering their productivity. They’re also more likely to take sick days and visit the ER and there’s a higher chance they’ll seek a different job as well.

 

Spot and Stop Burnout

While it may not be possible to eliminate work stress altogether, you can help combat burnout and the effects on both employees and your workplace with the following steps:

1. Ensure manageable expectations. Make sure workloads are appropriate. Be careful not to set unachievable job goals or unrealistic deadlines. And schedule regular meetings to check-in and ensure employees are focused on the right tasks and progressing toward their goals.

2. Communicate regularly. Talk with your team about burnout. Explain how to recognize the signs and symptoms in themselves and their colleagues and who to go to with concerns. Check-in frequently to maintain an open dialogue.

3. Promote a work/life balance. Encourage employees to develop boundaries between their work life and home life, such as having a dedicated workspace. And recommend they don’t check email after hours. For those balancing caregiving and telecommuting, allow for more flexibility during the day and trust employees to get the work done.

4. Provide mental health relief. Remind employees of any workplace support you offer such as an EAP and suggest they take advantage of the mental health benefits available through their health insurance. Encourage workers to take PTO or vacation to get some time away from work responsibilities.

5. Inspire connections during the workday. Schedule opportunities like virtual coffee hours that are designed to spark personal conversations between employees that aren’t focused work. Tools like Donut can help teams connect “around the watercooler, anywhere.” 

Sam Slade is Managing Director, Employee Benefits, at The Hilb Group of New England, where he delivers consulting and brokerage services to local employers. He has extensive experience in all aspects of employee benefits, including underwriting, plan design, communications, compliance, and analytics, with a particular focus on alternative funding and self-insurance. Sam lives in South Kingstown with his wife and three sons.