Keep Employees Safe While They Work Remote

Show You Care from a Distance

As organizations work to have employees return to the office fill-time or via a hybrid work arrange, others are faced with continuing to work in a fully remote environment.?Not all organizations are created equal and so employees needing to work remote will need to continue to receive appropriate support from their employers.?Many organizations are faced with employees sharing burnout stories or concerns with ergonomics while working from home. Though the pandemic has been in existence for more than two years, still employees and employers are adjusting to current circumstances and realizing that whatever the new norm is now could change. Many employees are doing well with the current partial or fully remote arrangement.?However, studies show that far too many employees are not doing well. Employers can help their employees be whole during this time by:

Communicating. Employees are more private than is sometimes good for them and so employers must find creative ways to keep employees engaged. To keep employees engaged, employers should share information and provide a safe space for employees to share as well. Human Resource professionals will acknowledge that this is not as easy as it sounds in the workplace, let alone when most or all employees are working remote. However, employers should not give up. It is important that leaders share their own burnout stories and other challenges with working from home, as this will encourage employees to do the same. It is also important that leaders allow employees to share in a way that works best for them. Having only one way to share will isolate some employees. Encourage employees to provide feedback often and allow them to do so in a way that works well for them.?

“.......Employees are reporting hitting a wall, losing interest in work, feeling anxious and drinking more than normal........”

Let the human side show.?Leaders have a responsibility to ensure employees are safe while they are working away from their normal office set up. Several organizations recently shared information regarding concerns for the safety of their employees, while they are working remote. One major concern is related to burnout. Many employees are so grateful for the opportunity to work from home that they are having a difficult time setting boundaries. In addition to wanting to go above and beyond to show their employers that they are not only working but that they are working hard, they start early, end late and go above and beyond, even when it is not expected or required. Some employees have also reported that due to restrictions on the activities they are used to participating in, when not working, they have chosen to work way past the time they normally work. While many organizations have reported increased productivity and employees have reported being able to move projects to a close that they normally would have not been able to, this is all coming at a significant cost. One cost is true burnout. Employees are reporting hitting a wall, losing interest in work, feeling anxious and drinking more than normal. Employers that set the right tone by encouraging employees to take care of themselves, sharing examples of how to do so and celebrating those employees who are able to set boundaries while still succeeding in their role will encourage other employees to follow the trend.?

Bring fun to employees at home.?Some organizations have been hosting virtual happy hours, virtual meditation sessions and virtual workouts to encourage employees to take care of themselves. There are simple, low or no cost ways to keep employees engaged, happy and whole during this time. In addition to these sessions, employers have also hosted virtual baby showers, virtual send-off parties and regular coffee meetings and family-style connections that have been bringing employees together in a way that they have not been able to do when working in the office. Some employees have reported zoom burnout, so some sessions have been held via phone and others have been held at the same time, but not in a connected way and employees are having fun sharing what they did during the meet-up times. It is great to join a group on zoom and toast with a glass of wine and have no agenda. Others have enjoyed similar meetings while everyone shares and sips coffee. It is also great to celebrate the employees fortunate to start a new role during the pandemic and also have send offs for those choosing to retire or take on a new challenge. Employees have been coming together to celebrate and support employees in different ways and for various reasons.?Leaders encouraging and spearheading these initiatives will encourage their employees to make the best of the current circumstances and will have a stronger and more committed workforce.?

Provide support and resources. One of the best things I have heard of is an organization providing virtual support for working parents to give them a break when young children are home. It is no secret that employees are working hard and having to manage a schedule for their children’s education. This would not be easy under normal circumstances, but the addition of a pandemic and a workload that has been moved to an unusual setting has created great pressure for employees. Some employers have allowed various levels of flexibility to ensure employees do not suffer burnout. Leaders understand that not only will an overwhelmed employee produce subpar work, but that their children’s education will undoubtedly be negatively affected. Some of the way’s employers have offered flexibility include staggering hours to allow employees to work when their children are in school and be present when they are home. Some leaders have also provided tutoring services where groups of children can meet in person and virtually with a tutor to allow the employees to work uninterrupted. This takes coordination and does not work for all organizations but can be a great help to those employees who can and are willing to take advantage of it.?Other organizations have allowed employees to move from full time to part time for a period of time or indefinitely. This can have varying effects and does not work for all. However, for the employees that these changes work for they are very much appreciated.?

“........ Employers that set the right tone by encouraging employees to take care of themselves, sharing examples of how to do so and celebrating those employees who are able to set boundaries while still succeeding in their role will encourage other employees to follow the trend........”

Check in with employees and adjust as needed. The best ways to know how your employees are doing is to ask. Leaders that reach out and get feedback will have the information needed to be able to best support their employees. However, the effects of the pandemic are changing quickly and the support an employee needed three months ago could be very different today. Also, the employees who previously did not need support could need the most support today. The only way to know this and respond to it is by having regular dialogue and acknowledging that things and times are changing. If leaders find that their employees are not sharing they should not take that as a sign that all is well. The organization should regularly and consistently share mental health and physical activity tips with all employees to help keep them whole. It’s also important to go the extra mile and host some events and encourage regular employee participation. Employees will absolutely appreciate a caring leader during this difficult time.?

“.....Many employees are so grateful for the opportunity to work from home that they are having a difficult time setting boundaries. In addition to wanting to go above and beyond to show their employers that they are not only working but that they are working hard, they start early, end late and go above and beyond, even when it is not expected or required......”

Share tips on what a safe remote set up should be.?Another way to keep employees safe is by checking on their remote set up to ensure it is ergonomically correct. There are photos and checklists easily available that employers can share with their employees.?Leaders should share details to encourage employees to have the basics in place for a safe remote set up that will help to limit the possibility of injury. Not long after many businesses were shutdown several Orthopedists and Physical Therapists shared details about requests for virtual visits to discuss back, neck, wrist and other discomfort. The thought is that there are many more such concerns than have come forward, since only essential medical appointments were allowed for a long time. An overwhelming percentage of the complaints were able to be addressed with exercise and adjustments to home office set up. Many employees reported working from their beds or kitchen tables and those places are usually not designed for long term sitting. The strain and incorrect posture that is associated with spaces not designed for all day work comes with consequences. Leaders should share with their employees how an ideal remote set up should look. It is also helpful to share low cost office set up links to help employees design their work spaces in a way that keeps them safe.?Also, if the organization can afford it, leaders should pay for all or part of the office set up to allow their employees to be safe and comfortable when working from home.?

Think of other ways to help employees stay safe.?Even though leaders are not interacting with their employees directly during this time it is just as important to keep tabs on their safety. Leaders should send out surveys, or host a town hall and ask employees how they are doing.?They should also be allowed to share feedback anonymously, if they so choose. Organizations that encourage leaders to share their own stories will encourage employees of all levels to also share theirs.?Resources for employees to meditate, get mental health services, get help budgeting, complete virtual workouts, play games remotely with coworkers and stay engaged and connected as much as possible are also critically important now.?Now is the time to extend a supportive hand to employees as they search for the best ways to be whole, while so much is in disarray.?Connecting with employee assistance programs for support or resources on how to help employees is another great step for leaders to take.?Employees should be encouraged to share details about their remote set up. If the business can support it, provide assistance financially to help employees have the safest workspace at home. At the very least the organization should share examples of how employees can have a safe set up at home to ensure they are not at risk of hurting themselves. Employees are working in an environment not designed for the work they do and employers sharing tips to keep employees safe will improve their lives and limit the possibilities of injury or stress.?