In support of World Mental Health Day, which is celebrated on October 10, we’re sharing advice on how to protect workers from burnout. Read the following tips to learn how you can protect the mental health of your employees in a hybrid work environment.
Identifying changes in behaviour
Knowing the key signs of burnout will help teammates notice if a colleague may need support. Whether they are working from home or in the office, a fatigued worker may:
- Take longer than usual to accomplish tasks.
- Produce lower-quality work.
- Be in a consistently negative mood.
Tips to prevent work-related fatigue
- Set up a comfortable workplace
Wherever they are, employees need an ergonomic desk setup, a chair with good back support and bright indoor lighting (especially in colder months) to preserve their energy throughout the day. For employees working remotely, managers can check in on their work environment and make suggestions on how to improve their setup. - Get tools to sustain hybrid work
Outdated telecommunications equipment can cause unnecessary stress for remote workers. On the other hand, up-to-date cloud communications can reduce stress by making collaboration across multiple locations seamless and easy. For employees working in-office, providing a powerful network connection will ensure they won’t feel at a disadvantage compared to their remote colleagues. - Interact with colleagues wherever they are
Having tools that allow workers to communicate wherever they are can reduce anxiety and other negative feelings. For example, having casual online chats and calls with colleagues in different locations will help them experience the company culture even if they aren’t physically present. - Get easily-accessible technical support
Having easy access to technical support from any location is key for a hybrid workforce.
Every worker should know exactly who they can contact when they need help. - Stay protected from cyber threats
Hybrid work models are especially vulnerable to cyber threats. Sharing basic cyber security knowledge with employees will better prepare them to identify and react to cyberthreats, which can help them feel more reassured. - Keep a balanced workload
An increased or decreased workload can lead to feelings of anxiety, so giving employees a platform to communicate about their workloads can help ease those emotions. Additionally, having in-office and remote employees receive an equal share of work will ensure either option isn’t seen as better. - Join online social events
While it makes sense to host in-person events for workers in-office, it’s also important to maintain online social events for those who prefer to work from home. Consider virtual happy hours, lunches, trivia, meditation and even exercise classes to bring the whole company together. - Celebrate achievements from anywhere
All employees deserve to be celebrated and cheered for their achievements. That’s why it’s important that achievements are shared in an accessible way for every employee (such as a virtual conference).
Actionable steps to sustain long-term hybrid work
Protecting the mental health of your team is an important part of sustaining a long-term hybrid work model. Additionally, you’ll need to find tools that support working from anywhere, and learn how to help employees stay productive wherever they are.
For more information and actionable steps, check out our guide.