The Remote Paradox

Things can only get better. We’re out the other side of a pandemic and are no longer locked down. Many of us are now working from home for part of the week, and a happier, more productive work-life balance will surely be the obvious consequence.

Won’t it?

Not according to some recent research. The “Breakthrough Study”, published by Dell Technologies, found that “over half of business leaders believe their staff are wrestling with burnout and/or poor mental health which is impacting their work”. Meanwhile, more than 50 of the UK workers surveyed in the “Workplace Health Report said they were “fatigued or extremely fatigued”.

Despite the new work landscape, it looks like mental health and wellbeing in the workplace will be be one of, if not the, key HR issue for employers in 2023.

Always on

Combining remote working with time in the office seems to make sense, with many commentators dubbing it the future of work. Unfortunately, more and more reports are suggesting that this model is contributing to a tidal wave of burnout amongst employees. They suggest that the problem stems from the Covid 19 crisis

“During lockdown” says Robert Common in a People Management article, “working from home accelerated an ‘always on’ working culture, where online presenteeism and managers’ expectations for teams to do more work are rife.”

Unfortunately, this pressure to be “always on” has continued for many people post-Covid 19. With a global economic crisis and a potential recession on its way, the drive to be ever more productive is butting up against a feeling of exhaustion.

The Great Exhaustion

A recent article from McKinsey actually dubbed this phenomenon The Great Exhaustion while some believe that the quiet quitting phenomenon is the natural bedfellow of so much burnout.

This is a wake up call for employers who can no longer expect to motivate their people simply with calls to dig deep and the promise of a salary increase or a promotion. Employees are now expecting to see evidence of support for their wellbeing, and a clearly set out post-pandemic way of working.

For instance, the McKinsey report demonstrated that many feel anxious about a lack of a clear hybrid work plan with guidelines and boundaries of what is expected of them – and that these were the people that were far more likely to endure moderate to high levels of burnout. It also finds that “organisations that have articulated more specific policies and approaches for the future workplace have seen employee well-being and productivity rise”.

Resources help

So to help matters, surely it’s not just a case of employers being clear on new ways of working?

According to Dr Amy Bradley, Professor of Leadership and Management at Hult International Business School, burnout is not something we recover from, but a symptom of a deeper malaise in relation to a broken relationship with work. “It is only when we begin to reassess the relative importance of work in relation to other aspects of our lives, that we can begin to address burnout.”

This makes sense on a personal level. But what about sensible approaches organisational HR departments can take?

Well, there is evidence that simply having access to wellbeing resources through work can make a real difference to how productive how employees can feel.

According to recent research, nearly half (47 per cent) of employees who have access to wellbeing resources through work feel very productive at work. The PAM “Health At Work” report states that 51% of employees given proactive help to stay healthy said they were less likely to want to work elsewhere, compared to just six per cent of those given little or no support.

As always, it’s about behaviours

Ultimately, burnout is another signifier of how managers and organisations need to adjust to a new reality – that mental health must become a much bigger part of workplace culture. This is an issue that costs the UK economy at least £117.9 billion annually according to a report by the LSE. And yet similarly, a review of workplace interventions demonstrated savings of £5 for every £1 invested in supporting mental health.

But it’s not just about establishing wellbeing resources or setting up an employee assistance programme (EAP), as helpful and effective as these things can be. Workplace mental health initiatives are most effective when they focus on behavioural change and developing new habits. This requires strategies or programmes that feature incentives, encouragement and check ins. As one commentator from Forbes put it so succinctly: “We would never expect someone to believe they are physically fit after one session on a Stairmaster”.

About the author – Tony Bartholomew:

Tony is the Solutions Consultant at BestAtDigital.  BestAtDigital design and develop digital learning experiences for organisation’s navigating constant change and place Behavioural Science at the core of everything they do.

Following a career in website editorial and production, Tony has worked in digital learning and comms for the last fifteen years. As the creative lead, he supports the Commercial Team with creative and innovative solutions to client problems. Tony is a warm and friendly communicator who enjoys presenting to client audiences and leading workshops and presentations.

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