Remote work came as an instant solution to Covid-19 related restrictions, ensuring that businesses can operate and stay profitable during the global health crisis. The majority of business leaders have overcome the initial challenges of remote work and created productive and highly engaged teams. But, now, 3 years later, despite enjoying the obvious benefits, remote workers often experience increased stress levels. And working under stress can harm employees’ productivity and health.
Here, you’ll find out what your remote employees may struggle with and the steps you can take to manage stress and build resilient remote teams.
How Stress Affects Employee Health and Productivity
Stress, my friends, is no joke. While it’s natural to stress about work occasionally, continually increased stress levels can affect your employees’ health and productivity significantly.
Stressed-out employees will lack the motivation to work on their tasks, and easily become disengaged. On the other hand, if your employees stress about their performance, they may try to fix this by overworking and eventually slipping into burnout.
The effects of increased stress can be devastating to your employee’s health and productivity and overall business success. For this reason, you need to identify the main stressors in the workplace and address these issues promptly and effectively.
Here are some common stressors that remote teams often face:
One of the major reasons for increased stress is the feelings of isolation and disconnection that remote employees often experience. If your culture isn’t people-focused, and you are unaware of the importance of building meaningful interpersonal relationships, your employees and your business may suffer.
Balancing work and personal life can become mission impossible for stressed employees. When your employees worry that they haven’t done enough, they may find it hard to unplug and take a much-needed break focusing on their private life and self-care. This can lead to burnout if not managed properly.
Communication is key when it comes to highly productive tight-knit remote teams. If you don’t rely on advanced technology like video conferencing and project management platforms and monitoring software for employees, you’ll have numerous issues like technical glitches, miscommunication, misunderstandings, and employee productivity failures that will frustrate your remote employees.
Building Resilient Remote Teams
Now that we’ve identified the stressors, let’s explore how you can build resilience within your remote team. Here are three crucial factors to focus on:
- Foster a Culture of Support: Create an inclusive and supportive work culture where team members feel valued and connected. Encourage open communication, active listening, and empathy within the team.
- Establish Clear Communication Channels: Ensure that your team has access to reliable communication tools and platforms that facilitate seamless collaboration. Set expectations for response times, availability, and preferred communication methods to avoid misunderstandings and frustration.
- Promote Work-Life Balance: Achieving work/life balance is easier said than done. Help your team by setting clear boundaries and encouraging self-care. You can check employee monitoring data to see if any of your employees tend to overwork and help them abandon this harmful practice. Provide resources and support for mental well-being, such as access to wellness programs or consultations with mental health professionals.
Strategies to Build Resilience and Manage Stress in Remote Teams:
Regular Check-Ins and One-on-One Meetings
Schedule regular check-ins with your team members to provide guidance, address concerns, and maintain a personal connection. One-on-one meetings allow for focused discussions and individual support. By checking in frequently and being there for your employees, you’ll create meaningful relationships and minimize turnover rates.
Encourage Self-Care and Breaks
Remind your team members to take breaks, stretch, and recharge. Fostering a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, meditation, and regular sleep can lower stress levels, improve well-being and make your employees more focused on their work.
Offer Professional and Personal Growth Opportunities
Employees prefer working for companies that care about and invest in their personal and professional development.
Devise targeted training and learning sessions to help your employees upgrade their skillsets, leading to boosted performance, self-esteem, and engagement
Final Words
Remember, remote team leaders, building resilience, and managing stress during a crisis requires intention and effort. fostering a supportive, people-focused culture implies establishing clear communication channels, and promoting work-life balance. This is an ongoing process but once you start implementing strategies like regular check-ins, self-care encouragement, and growth opportunities, you’ll create a resilient remote team that thrives even in challenging times.
