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There are clear benefits to a remote working
culture. Greater autonomy and flexibility
allow workers to structure how they
spend their days, which can lead to increased
productivity. According to a recent Access People
poll, half of workers prefer a hybrid working
arrangement, working some days from home and
some days from the o ice. A significant 41 per cent
prefer to work entirely from home. Less than 10
per cent would like to return to the o ice full time.
These figures reflect a significant shi in mindset
of the majority of the workforce.
A permanent switch to hybrid working could
have both a positive and negative impact on both
managers and employees. On the positive side,
it provides employees with the ability to achieve
greater work-life balance by having the freedom
to choose how they spend their time. It also
allows businesses the opportunity to innovate,
upskill their workforce and make greater use of
the technology available to connect workers and
streamline processes.Ÿ
However, amid this rapid change we must always
keep the mental health and wellbeing of our
people at the forefront of our minds.ŸŸ
THE MENTAL HEALTH COST
A recent poll by the IWFM revealed that one in five
(20 per cent) reported their health had su“ ered
in 2021 as a result of working from home, while
one in three (33 per cent) complained that their
employers had failed to equip them to work
e“ ectively from home. For those accustomed to
commuting to the o“ ice every day and seeing
colleagues, and those for whomŸsocialisingŸwas
an important part of their lives, the pandemic
has been a lonely experience. There has been a
clear impact on mental health as a direct result of
lockdown measures, which also impacted workers.
Some became overwhelmed with the unclear
divisions between work life and home life, and it
became di“ icult for employers to have sight over
the wellbeing of their workforce because of a lack
of technology to support this rapid change.ŸŸ
So, despite the benefits of remote working, and
the fact that many employees want to continue
working at least some days at home (91 per cent),
there is also a great indication that the mental
health of workers is continuing to decline.ŸThis is
especially true when it comes to those who report
su“ ering from anxiety.ŸŸ
Entering into endless streams of video calls
can be mentally and physically draining,
resulting in a sensation that has come to be
known as Zoom fatigue, which impactsŸcertain
demographicsŸharder than others – namely women
and new employees who are going through a
remote onboarding process. Days can begin to
blur together, and burnout can be reached faster
without the distinction between home and work.ŸŸ
THE ROLE OF MANAGEMENT
ŸThere are things we can do to address the
problem. Managers and HR leaders have the
critical responsibility of helping their workforce
navigate this transition byŸprioritisingŸthe mental
health and wellbeing of their workers.Ÿ
ŸWhen asked about theŸhealth and safety
challenges within theirŸorganisations, concern
for wellbeing of remote workers topped the list,
with 44 per cent of those surveyed citing this as
the main obstacle to tackle. This indicates that
leaders withinŸorganisationsŸneed to have open
communication with their employees to find out
how the process of remote working can be made
easier for them in order to alleviate their concerns.
This might mean surveying employees to enquire
about what equipment is needed, providing
regular opportunities to check in, and doing a
technology audit to ensure that the systems that
are being used to connect employees are fit for
purpose in the modern working environment.Ÿ
REMOTE ONBOARDING
In addition to focusing on technologies that have
the power to connect workers and keep them
safe, remote onboarding is another aspect for
management to consider. Remote onboarding
strategies must keep the workforce of tomorrow
in mind while demonstrating that their employer
is flexible to their needs. A poor remote
onboarding experience is detrimental to those
all-important first impressions and a“ ects how
engaged employees are with their new employer.
Organisations with robust employee engagement
practices see employees who are five times more
engaged in achieving organisational goals and
35 times more likely to feel part of a unified team
driving business results.Ÿ
We have the power to support people's wellbeing
while also doing our jobs e“ ectively during this
challenging moment in history. The priority is
finding the right balance between work and life,
and helping our workforce navigate this change
successfully.Ÿ
Let's take a step back and look at how far many
of us have come over the last (nearly) two years
since the pandemic began. In response to a crisis,
many industries were able to move mountains
to support their workforce as they entered into
a new era ofŸremote work, utilisingŸtechnology
to make a di“ erence in people's lives and reach
organisational goals. There's every indication that
this is set to continue, and the possibilities are
endless for what can be achieved if we continue to
put the wellbeing of our people first.ŸŸ
HOME ALONE As organisations contend with ongoing working from home, Charles
Butterworth, Director, Access People considers the negative impact
of remote working and onboarding on employee wellbeing
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