Staying Calm During Online Meetings While Working From Home

We are living in uncertain times. We do not know what tomorrow holds for us. In all this, finding ways to cope with the challenges such a pandemic has brought to our personal and working lives is a daily activity in itself. This got me thinking that this sudden transition to working from home and the isolation resulting from social distancing can take their toll on our lives, physical and mental health in a massive way. 

A very pertinent question this situation raises is how do we stay calm, manage stress and still not only be productive at work but also ensure we have a proper work-life balance? 

Here are my thoughts…

The internet has, unfortunately, proved to be a worse breeding ground for harmful; the amount of unsubstantiated news circulating about the COVID-19 is unprecedented. What is more damaging is that these news articles seem to spread far more rapidly and widely than any official, more accurate, circulars! People are worried, and justifiably so. It is hard to know what news to believe and being sent to work from home only makes one more isolated and tempted to trawl the internet for more information. As more employees are exposed to this, it is hard not to panic.

As a leader, encourage employees to help others feel included in your new remote community. Don’t leave it all on the individual team members to forge connections, but rather aim to make these interactions a priority for all employees in the company.

Yes, while working from home, we are physically alone, but there are many ways for us to interact with other members of the team throughout the day. Thanks to technology, there are many strategies we can use to help remote employees and ourselves feel less isolated:

• Utilize Slack, WhatsApp, Zoom or other messaging apps to create group channels where all of you can communicate with each other. These can serve more than project-related needs — create a channel or group chat for sharing productivity ideas or great articles or if feeling low, just to have a conversation. I understand how without daily in-person interactions, it could be helpful to have a space for discussing the latest news or simply what’s for dinner.
• Set up weekly or monthly staff meetings via video chat. Just seeing the faces of your teammates can make a big difference in employee morale.

Also, as a business leader, make sure you are checking in regularly with your remote staff and addressing any issues they may have. While COVID-19 is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, employees might not reach out for help as readily.

You can also consider encouraging remote employees to forge connections beyond the workplace. Networking with other remote workers and freelancers is a great way for them to not only interact socially, but to expand their professional networks. While social distancing is still being practiced, suggest virtual chatrooms like Google Hangouts Chat or message boards like Reddit where your employees can connect with others from the comfort of their own homes.

Online resources are unlimited. Provide resources or information about support groups in the remote employee’s area that offer help dealing with a variety of issues. Generally, these kinds of groups are free, and can be great resources for people going through difficult life events or stress from the current environment.

While working from home, it is understandable that how any of us may go the whole workday without interacting with another person, especially during such tough times. There is also the potential to fall into unhealthy habits. When an employee is already at home, it can be hard to find that important work-life balance.

As a manager/supervisor or just a friend, it’s a good idea to encourage remote employees to take breaks throughout the day. Getting outside to take a short walk on the terrace or workout to stay both healthy and relieve stress. There are many other ways an employee might take their break away from the computer, but the important thing is to take that time to reset, regroup and relax.

Of course, it’s tough for people to take breaks when they have a heavy workload, due to fears that they might fall behind. Make sure that you are assigning realistic timelines and achievable goals for remote staff, much like they would in any other situation. Many people are already highly stressed, so it’ll help your employees if you can avoid adding additional stress to their plate.

There is a stigma around mental health issues globally. Many people suffering from symptoms don’t want to talk about them the same way they may talk about a physical illness. A solution is to offer remote employees the help they need by providing access to anonymous mental health services and support that they can access anytime.

One great way to do this is through telemedicine, which includes mental health services. Justworks, an HR tech company offers access to Talkspace, a platform that provides secure and anonymous online therapy from professionals any time of day. 

Remote services such as these are highly beneficial. They are anonymous, so people don’t have to feel that stigma. They are available at any time of day. Another great benefit is that they can be made accessible to anyone at the company — in-office and remote team members alike.