The remote work overhaul has come with countless advantages for business leaders and employees alike. More flexibility, new technologies, and some significant cost savings as well.
For those companies that successfully navigated the shift to the digital workplace – they’re in great shape for 2021 and beyond.
Now, these organizations face a new challenge: preventing burnout in remote work environments.
Let’s see what CEOs and leaders have to say about keeping employees happy and motivated as they work remotely from here on out.
Feedback and Gratitude
Every manager knows what happens when employees don’t get enough feedback or feel out of the loop – burnout is just around the corner.
Even highly self-motivated workers need to know that they’re part of something bigger than themselves, and this needs to be a top priority when working with remote teams.
“Motivation comes from feeling valued, feeling supported, and feeling like you’re meaningfully contributing,” said John Berry, CEO of Berry Law. “That’s true whether you’re remote or in-person. In order to serve that, as a company, we place a lot of emphasis on perpetual feedback and frequent gratitude. We are sure to remind people of why the work they’re doing matters. We make sure to have avenues for our employees to check out stories from satisfied clients we’ve had.”
Modern business leaders must figure out a reliable and effective way to keep teams on the same page and fully engaged on every objective.
Lead with Compassion
For teams that grew together in close-knit workspaces, the remote transition has been tough. Close friends and coworkers aren’t in physical proximity, taking a toll on team dynamics.
Since many people feel disconnected despite being in constant communication, there needs to be a greater focus on personal connection. This will limit the likelihood of burnout and malaise.
“We are very impassioned when it comes to open workplace communication,” said Kaz Amor, Founder of VoCe Haircare. “We are such a small business that we are able to have close, personal relationships with our employees. This, in turn, helps us minimize the workplace burnout. We’ve found that discussing their roles with them frequently, our expectations, and their needs as employees is what keeps them motivated on the job. The best advice I can give is to listen and be receptive to feedback. Learn what you can do better as a leader, and that will empower your workers to feel satisfied in their role.”
Keep a Human Connection
The stress and uncertainty of 2020 were universal, and managers should be comfortable showing a bit more compassion to their teams as people navigate tough times.
This means being more flexible when it comes to time off and listening closely to hear what everyone has to say – even if it’s just “venting” about a client or personal issue.
“That’s the great irony of allowing passionate people to work from home,” said Jason Fried, Co-Founder and CEO of Basecamp. “A manager’s natural instinct is to worry that her workers aren’t getting enough work done. But the real threat is that they will wind up working too hard. And because the manager isn’t sitting across from her worker anymore, she can’t look in the person’s eyes and see burnout.”
This isn’t to say that remote work should be a daily social event, but there needs to be some degree of human connection maintained in a world where almost everything has gone digital
Maintain Perspective
In the remote work environment, employees at every level are expected to perform and put up numbers like before. The difference now is that tasks and deadlines seem a bit more daunting, with workers feeling like they’re “going it alone” when working remotely.
Managers must remind their teams to keep a realistic perspective and not get overwhelmed, taking it one day at a time and pacing themselves for sustainable productivity.
This is key to ensuring a happy and healthy workforce that doesn’t burn out.
“When getting my employees to muster up the motivation to be productive at work every day, I try to remind them that, at the end of the day, it’s a job,” said Jim Beard, COO of BoxGenie. “Your mental and physical health should always come first. Never strain yourself for work. I like to encourage my employees to come to me with any concerns if they are feeling burnt out while working remotely. I want to ensure that they are aware that if they need to take a break, they are welcome to do so.”
Transparency and Inclusion
In a traditional office space, there are always opportunities to connect in-person and communicate important messages throughout the day. Now that we’ve gone remote, there must be more deliberate efforts to keep everyone in the loop daily.
Even if a certain project or objective doesn’t directly pertain to a team or individual, they will certainly appreciate the transparency. Inclusion is an overlooked antidote to burnout.
“I have had the opportunity to build and lead teams for over two decades of my life,” said Denise Supplee, Operations Director at SparkRental. “I have also been supervised by many. I noticed that most people respond positively by being included. When people feel important, they become more productive.”
Weekly roundups, groups meetings, or company-wide newsletters can all help solve this issue and create a culture of inclusion.
Encourage Balance
To make it to the top of their fields, business leaders know a thing or two about burnout themselves. Managers, supervisors, and executives should look back on their personal experience and offer guidance to everyday employees if they’re struggling with stuff like anxiety or stress.
“Every manager should encourage their employees to get out on their breaks and after work to get fresh air,” said Jack Klauber, Founder and CEO of Everyday Dose. “COVID has made it so that people are stuck staring at a computer screen all day. This is exhausting and draining. If it is a nice day, get out and go for a walk. Moving your body and taking in some sun will boost your mental and physical health. Always focus on ways to better everyone’s mental health at work and encourage behaviors that get everyone active.”
Hearing words of encouragement from an executive or manager can be a powerful motivator for employees in a tough spot – not to be underestimated.
Comfort and Freedom
Considering that most people have worked difficult, physical jobs throughout history, remote work should be considered luxurious.
However, many employees find it challenging to create a dedicated work environment at home that allows them to focus and be productive.
This is certainly the case for workers with families, roommates, or other inconveniences at home.
Business leaders might want to offer some guidance and a helping hand to make life easier for workers in this regard.
“When setting up an at home work environment it is always best to put yourself in a space where you are comfortable and do not feel claustrophobic,” Melissa South, SVP of the SwingTie. “Many people cram themselves into small desks in the corner of their house and find themselves emotionally drained. Find a way to open your workspace up and feel more free. Get a standing desk extension so you can stand up and take a stretch break, move your laptop outside to grab some sun, or any other way to get yourself in a new location so the burnout does not hit as hard.”
Plan Ahead and Prosper
A work-from-home setup might feel like an easy street for some workers, while others are having trouble with the lack of structure that the physical office setting provides.
This is where team leaders can step in to help employees adjust to this new way of working, offering scheduling tips or mapping out strategies for greater productivity.
“Working from home puts a strain on us all,” said Chris Gadek, Head of Growth at AdQuick. “If you can find yourself properly planning, however, you will find better success. This does not just mean plan out your work and family life, but find ways to make time for yourself and your mental health. Learn to work relaxation into your busy schedule. If you can get free time more often then you will find yourself less burnt out and far more productive and happy.”
With that said, team leaders need to fight the urge to micromanage. They should only step in and help in this way if there’s an obvious reason to get involved.
Don’t Forget About Culture
Workplace culture has been at the center of the corporate conversation in recent years, and many businesses may find themselves starting over from scratch now that the traditional office environment has been turned on its head.
Executives and team leaders must figure out a way to translate office culture to the remote work setting best they can. This might require some outside-the-box thinking or the use of conferencing technology to bring people together.
“Staying connected even while apart is key to preventing burnout and creating a positive, strong remote team culture,” said Dr. Tzur Gabi, Co-Founder of Caligenix. “Here at Caligenix, we like to have regular Zoom happy hours for remote team bonding, so our employees can create the same friendships from afar as they would in-office. We also like to order food and drinks for delivery to our employees’ homes so they feel appreciated by our management team and so that our Zoom happy hours are treated like the special occasions they are!”
Remember that it’s in a company’s best interest to treat workers right and give them perks as they work from home. Employee loyalty is crucial to business success moving forward.
Adopt Flexible Management
The rigid management styles of yesteryear were already on their way out, but the remote work revolution was the final straw for these methods.
Corporate hierarchies are a bit more fluid in the world of remote work, and team leaders need to go with the flow to gain the edge. This will help prevent burnout for everyone.
This might mean allowing workers to change their hours around or use unique software that suits their capabilities. Every employee has their own approach to remote work, and that fact needs to be accepted if managers want to make their jobs any easier.
“Our company has always offered remote work as an option, so we have personally been able to compare the levels of productivity with traditional office employees,” said Josh Stomel, Founder of Turbo Finance. “What we have repeatedly seen is that remote workers are often much more productive, and with a whopping 4.3 million people currently working remotely in the United States alone, that’s an incredible thing for companies who hoped that, what they once saw as ‘experiment,’ is actually working. Therefore, avoiding burnout for remote workers can be as simple as keeping them engaged and rewarding them for the continued high levels of productivity.”
Provide Powerful Tools
While some companies already had the scaffolding for remote work in place, others have had to play catch up for the past year. Executives across the board have realized the hard way that no two companies will have the same exact remote work strategy – and that’s okay.
Rather than restricting employees and requiring them to follow uniform protocols, the consensus is that a more organic approach to digital infrastructure is best.
In other words, let teams and individual employees figure out what works for them and trust them to get the job done.
“Supporting remote employees is all about creating an environment for success – essentially, the company culture,” said Timmy Yanchun, Co-Founder of LTHR Shaving. “This can include offering the tools and the support that are needed to help a remote employee complete their daily tasks with a sense of company inclusion. This could mean making tools and apps available that are needed on particular projects, as well as adding Slack channels to easily discuss the workflow. Any step toward true engagement will result in less burnout.”
The tendency to create top-down systems will be tempting for veteran managers, but they’ll learn that this more flexible style is far more sustainable.
Build Trust and Loyalty
Now that skilled employees have the edge in the job market thanks to greater geographic freedom, companies need to dedicate more energy and effort toward retaining their top talent.
Rather than pushing workers to the absolute limit, leaders might want to take a bit of the pressure off, even if that means sacrificing some output in the short term.
This is a tricky balancing act, but something that must be done to keep superstars on the roster moving forward.
“Just as with traditional employees, remote team members typically stay with a company longer if they are happy and engaged, not due to their salary, as one might expect,” said Jared Zabaldo, Founder of USAMM. “And with retention at an all-time low, not ensuring a positive company culture can, in the end, cost companies thousands – if not more. To prevent burnout, offer incentives and be very vocal with praise and reports of excellent work ethics.”
Values and Vision
Teams that operate remotely risk losing trust in one another if managers don’t make a concerted effort to keep them on the same page. What comes next? Dissolution and eventual burnout.
Micromanagement isn’t the answer, but some intervention might be necessary to steer workers back on track if they lose sight of objectives.
A smart tactic is to speak in terms of the company’s broader goals and help everyone feel part of a much bigger mission.
“It is 100% possible to stave off burnout when your team is working remotely, especially when you take every opportunity available to instill your organization’s values and goals in every task and project,” said Heidi Robinson, Chief Operating Officer of Because Market. “One thing that we stress is that we want our business to be a breeding ground for innovation and creativity. Regular brainstorming sessions can be instrumental when establishing that idea that inspiration and risk-taking are not only welcomed, but encouraged. This can ensure happy, engaged employees – free from burnout.”
Create Mental Boundaries
The work-from-home era has made it far too easy to be “always-on” and put personal responsibilities on the back burner. Employees might feel compelled to put in extra work on weeknights and weekends, even if they aren’t required to do so.
Managers may think that everything looks good on the surface, but it’s hard to know how workers are really feeling day to day. This speaks to the importance of 1-on-1 meetings that allow employees to speak their mind and set boundaries if necessary.
“It’s important to realize that in order to make working from home as efficient as possible, you have to set boundaries for yourself,” said Louis Leidenfrost, CEO of Paint Your Numbers. “Your commute has now been turned into what would be 30 minutes to now 5 feet across from your bedroom. At times it can be hard separating your personal time from work time, but as long as you set boundaries for yourself, you’re able to focus on the task at hand. Creating a schedule of everything you need to do can come in handy because it will serve as a constant reminder of things you need to get done. At the end of your work day, clock out, close your laptop and focus on your personal tasks. Creating these mental boundaries will help trick your brain into believing that you are still working even though you’re at home.”
High-performance environments thrive on competition between employees, but too much internal pressure can backfire. Once again, the ideal balance must be found before it’s too late.
Make Self-Care a Must
Burnout isn’t just a mental phenomenon. It happens on a physical and emotional level as well.
Managers aren’t supposed to be therapists or personal trainers, but they might want to check in with their team members to make sure that everyone is prioritizing self-care during heavy periods of intense work.
Executives need to remember that it’s always better to retain good workers than to deal with widespread turnover.
If employees need to hit the brakes and realign now and then, that’s just part of the game when it comes to remote work.
Measure and Manage Stress
Businesses are great at tracking key metrics as they pertain to investments and ROI, it’s much trickier to measure the level of stress among a remote workforce. How should companies handle this when everyone is in their own work-from-home bubble?
Once again, the answer lies in communication and transparency. Employees should feel confident in talking openly with supervisors and other team members about any issues they face or uncertainties about the future.
Dealing with potential issues upfront is always preferable to letting them boil under the surface and lead to burnout down the line.
“If you get irritable faster, stressed more quickly, or anxious way easier that is the first sign that your body does not have the defense against the stress you are under and may be on its way to burn out,” said Dr. Livingood, CEO & Founder of Drlivingood.com. “This effect is called the hormetic effect. The body needs small stressors to keep itself strong. Muscles need resistance to build and brains need challenges to stay sharp. Your body needs a small number of certain stressors to be able to handle mental stress. If you are skipping exercise, eating poorly, and are taking on a lot of mental stress your body will not have a built-up resistance to stay strong. Eventually, this leads to a breakdown.”
Companies face many challenges in the remote work era, but burnout shouldn’t be one of them.
Executives and team leaders should address burnout proactively and encourage a happy, motivated workforce, even if it takes some extra patience.