Work from Home Poses Challenges, but Benefits Are Still Greater

Working from home or in hybrid situations, like most things, has two sides to its story. On the one hand, 22 percent of remote employees are more engaged, and 20.7 percent are more satisfied with their work, according to a new study by the Integrated Benefit Institute (IBI). However, working from home also presents some challenges.

The report shows that many employees are struggling to find an appropriate home office space (23%), battling constant interruptions (43%), slow Internet connections, isolation, a house in disarray, and an endless workday. Also, 27 percent of remote workers find it harder to balance work and family responsibilities; nearly half reported spending too little time with their children under 18; and 40 percent indicated that they spend too little time with their spouse. Some remote workers also feel disconnected from their colleagues (30%).

The good news is that despite the many challenges, workers still see more benefits from the new working arrangements. Two years into the pandemic, 44 percent of remote employees think working from home has made it easier for them to get work done and meet deadlines; only 10 percent said this has become more difficult. And 64 percent of those who transitioned to a remote or hybrid work arrangement believe it’s easier now for them to balance work with their personal life.

IBI spoke to corporate health benefits professionals in a 60-minute focus group discussion, and common themes emerged. The resulting recommendations include:

Train managers and supervisors.  The people closest to the employees must be trained to recognize indicators of burnout and understand how to point employees toward resources that may help. This may be more difficult to identify in a hybrid/remote environment, so it is especially important to offer specific training for leadership to watch and act to protect their teams from these struggles.

Provide flexibility to employees.  Most employees have a preference of where and when they want to work. One thing that employers can do to help mitigate burnout is to give employees as much schedule and location flexibility as possible. According to Pew Research Center, 45 percent of people surveyed left their job because of a lack of flexibility.

Respect employees’ boundaries.  Regard for healthy boundaries should be baked into the culture. Employees need to be able to disconnect outside of working hours guilt-free. Encourage “no-work” vacation days.

Be aware of workloads.  Managers should always be aware of workloads, especially if staffing has been reduced. Again, if there are signs of burnout, be proactive before the employee experiences negative health consequences.

Don’t disincentivize employee loyalty.  In many cases, employees who stay with the company longer are paid less than new employees. Optimize your compensation strategy by keeping salaries competitive.

From: BenefitsPRO