The Big Switch Off

A recent poll of 4,225 workers conducted by YouGov, found that 55% of respondents felt pressured to respond to calls or check emails after working hours, with just 45% saying they feel that they can switch off from work. The survey also found that, over the last two years, two in five (41%) employees have had to work overtime and/or struggled to take annual leave due to workload, compared to just 35% in 2020.?

More than half (54%) of employees said they had too many priorities or targets, up from 51% in 2020. The data shows that employers need to have measures in place to harness the ‘always on’ culture, by ensuring workloads and targets are realistic, encouraging employees to switch off.?

So how do you help your team switch off from work, to improve their wellbeing and reboot your productivity? Below are some tips to take control of burnout:

1. A top down approach is crucial, Managers need be to role models of healthy behaviour by not emailing their team out of hours and not working when ill.
2. Encourage your team to have a healthy working environment and one they can step away from to take a break, this is particularly important for those working from home.
3. Be clear about working hours, have them as part of email signatures to set clear boundaries.
4. Arrange tech free meetings, preferably in person where possible. Where this isn’t possible, ensure you’re catching up regularly.

The merging of home and work, and the ever presence of technology, is creating an ‘always on’ environment which is certainly detrimental to long-term employees’ wellbeing. Taking time to properly unwind will help your team live a more balanced, more productive, and overall healthier lifestyle. In turn, prioritising wellbeing, helps you to retain your very best and give you the edge attracting talent to your business.

MD Comment

I’ve had the privilege to work with a vast range of businesses and business leaders during my career and I find the same organisational and leadership values get results now as they did 25 years ago – namely respect your employees, support them and empower them to make decisions which include encouraging them to say no and switch off.?