5 Tips to Improve Remote Teams Mental Health
Feb 10, 2023 • 5 min read
Balancing remote work and mental health is one of the keys to creating a healthier work environment among remote teams. Employers should know which benefits they should offer and properly oversee employees’ activities to avoid stepping over their teams’ mental health. Meanwhile, employees should question how they take care of themselves, such as having self-regulation, avoiding being overworked, and reducing the causes of burnout.
There are plenty of leadership strategies that would certainly optimise employees’ mental health. Workers should also focus on following specific procedures that will allow them to focus on their well-being. If you need tips or just want to improve your overall well being, DigiWorks provides some of the best advice to ensure that your mental health is prioritised even while working in a remote setting!
1. Open communication with zero-work related activities and topics.
While office workers have plenty of time and space to talk about non-work related topics, remote employees should also be given the same opportunity. It might be hard to gather all your employees together, especially when you are holding a global remote team working on different hours, making little effort will truly change how you manage your workforce.
On the other hand, good communication should not be single-handedly carried out by employers. Employees should also exert some time and effort to meet and create a bond with their coworkers. If you are too busy and seem too focused on your work, even a little greeting when you start working makes a huge difference. When your workload becomes lighter, why not join a casual chat on the Slack channel, play some fun games, and open exciting topics?
Building friendships in the workplace might seem like a significant challenge, but all it takes is a little effort and time. And, of course, leaders are required to set a good example by leading the connections. Remote work is often too isolating and exhausting. Who knows? Your sweet and friendly gesture might save someone from dropping their job.
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2. Manage your personal and professional role
Remote work often blurs the boundary between work and private life. You cannot replicate an office to your home as it can be highly invasive of your personal space. Some employees feel anxious when their calls and meetings are interrupted by their pet families and surroundings, which they think would cause negative feedback from clients and employers. That is why it is important to normalise interruptions while working because they work in their home, which is part of their personal space. Not everyone has a spare room to use as an office that is free from any disruptions. Therefore, assuring your employees that these situations are normal will help them handle it better, without feeling anxious.
Additionally, there are times that personal matters take place during work hours. Employees cannot just visibly ignore what’s happening in their home when it is literally their workspace as well. That is why it is the employer’s responsibility to understand these reasons and take action, rather than giving negative feedback. Your employees probably already felt scared telling you that they have problems, so it is best to listen and be considerate of the situation.
3. Avoid overworking employees
Many companies switch to remote work because of its benefits. However, it doesn’t mean that you should take your employees for granted. Not because remote teams can work in the comfort of their own home and have their computers within their reach doesn’t mean that employers should send messages and assign tasks at unusual hours. Your workers always do their best to impress you and would probably do more work even if it is given outside their work schedule. Therefore it is the employer’s responsibility to respect their remote teams’ work hours and personal life.
It might seem like the workload doesn’t affect your employee since they can pass everything on time, but you don’t have any physical connection to see if they are stressed or exhausted. It is essential to effectively manage the project cycle and always give your employee enough time in between tasks to ensure that they can also focus on their well-being. It is also best if you can regularise company holidays or self-care days to give your employees a much-needed break that they deserve. Trust us! They will go back to work fully energised and happy once you provide them with benefits and perks that allow them to prioritise themselves.
4. Recognise your own well being
Even if your organisation places all the perks, support, and benefits to ensure that you are well-taken care of, your effort to look out for yourself will always be a significant factor. Having excellent mental health is a personal issue, therefore, it is in your own best interest to recognise your own needs. Always draw a line between your personal life and professional role, and avoid working excessively. If you still think about the unfinished work you have while at a family gathering, then you are probably doing things wrong. We understand that it is hard to disconnect work from your personal life when you are working in your personal space, but it is better to have a time when you just focus on yourself rather than contemplating your work tasks.
On the other hand, employers should not take mental health as a personal responsibility of the employees. It is still best to look at your company’s policy and culture and ensure that it doesn’t intervene with your employees’ choices. Plus, remember that you serve as an example to your employees. That is why taking care of yourself will also drive your workers to focus on their well-being and be open in case they need some help or support toward their health.
5. Balance mental health and remote work
Always remember that good mental health always results in quality work. If your employees are often stressed and exhausted, expect that they will not be able to produce better output as they cannot act as their best selves. So, if you want your employees to accomplish their tasks and activities efficiently, learn to invest in their personal well-being.
Imagine, life is already tough on its own. Managing two roles in the same place is probably much harder for them. Give your employees some space to breathe, relax, have fun, and enjoy life. After all, they help your company thrive, therefore giving them a well-deserved happy and balanced work life is a great way to thank them for their work.
Ready to build your remote team?
Use the DigiWorks platform to hire, manage, and pay remote talent from all over the world.
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