Remote emotions
Our love-hate relationship with working from home
After sixmonths ofworking from home, many of us have settled into new routines and accepted that remotework is here to stay for awhile. In speaking with employees in the United States, Australia/New Zealand and Europe atmy company, I found thatmany are experiencing a vast range of emotions when it comes to unexpectedlyworking remotely, which shouldn’t be too surprising given our varied circumstances at home.
I’ve discovered that many of the challenges of our newwork environments aren’t a result of the shift to remotework. The challenges employeeswere already facing have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
Whatwe love
Not surprisingly, many employees have expressed howmuch they loveworking from home, a perk previously extended to only about 4% of theworkforce.
Betterwork/life balance: Without a commute, employees are spending more time with their families, cooking, exercising, reading and enjoying the outdoors. More flexible schedules allowthem to take meaningful breaks throughout the day. Many have started taking middaywalks— one VP-level associate told me she had no idea hownice itwas outside this time of year.
Increased productivity: Some employees simply prefer the comfort and convenience of their own homes. And without the distractions ofworking in an open-office setting, many have increased their productivity. According toMcKinsey research, 41% of people currentlyworking from home report they’re actually more productive than theywere before the pandemic.
Newopportunities: The shift to remote work has opened up new opportunities for some employees and personality types. Introverts whowere often overlooked in office environments have found they’re nowjudged on the quality of theirwork and not the volume of their voices.
Finding hope: Many have foundways to practice gratitude and imagine a better future, resulting in a positive focus and hopeful outlook. Nowthatwe’re not spending the majority of ourwaking hours in an office, we have the time and energy to do good.
For example, adult children are offering
support for their parents, spending more time caring for their needs and helping with household duties. Working parents are spending more time with their kids, often assisting them with homework and serving as IT support for their school’s remote learning practices.
Time-pressed employees are establishing better exercise and mental health routines, and city dwellers are findingways to support local businesses.
Whatwe hate
Of course, there have been some drawbacks toworking fromhome. Most are related to the pandemic— not necessarily the transition to remotework— but they’re still important for employers to take into account.
Extra pressure and responsibility: Working parents are struggling with the demands ofwork and unexpected, full-time childcare. Many adults are taking on added responsibility to care for their aging parents— those in the age groupmost at risk for COVID-19— including grocery shopping, scheduling and attending doctor visits (often virtual) and procuring prescription medications, housekeeping, etc.
Other people— either toomany of them or not enough:
As of 2019, 36 million Americans (28% of households) are living alone. Not surprisingly, many of these solo dwellers are feeling lonely and isolated under prolonged quarantine. On the other end of the spectrum, working parents and employees with roommates are feeling overwhelmed and distracted by all the activity in their homes.
Coping with external events: Although we’ve had time to adjust to the reality of quarantine, most of us still sometimes feel overwhelmed by the scope and scale of the virus— and the changes it’s made to our daily lives. Additional external stressors, like social unrest and natural disasters from floods to wildfires, haven’t helped. It’s a complex range of emotions that can be hard to navigate, leading to an overwhelmed feeling that can be taxing on mental health.
Howemployers can help
In general, most employees loveworking from home but dislike the sudden changes to work and life that have been experienced in 2020, aswell as the underlying issues the pandemic has brought to light. While employers can’t control the pandemic, they can use this opportunity to address many of the problems their employees face.
Provide real flexibility: Working from home might appear to offer flexibility, but that’s not the case for everyone. Employers should connect withworking parents and other employees struggling to juggle additional responsibilities during traditional office hours. Explore solutions together that work for them and the team.
Listen to your employees: Many employees arewary of sharing their current struggles— whether it’s feelings of isolation or being stretched too thin from the demands of childcare— for fear of losing theirWFH perks or underdelivering in a time of economic hardship and job uncertainty. Anonymous surveys are a greatway to gather candid feedback and ask employees specifically what they need fromyou.
Acknowledgemental health: Continuously engage in mental health conversations with all of your employees and make support resources available. Additionally, encourage employees to take time off to rest and recharge.
Theymay not be able to travel anywhere, butwe all need breaks fromwork.
Jacqueline Anderson has 13 years of experience in human resources. Since joiningNintex, she has taken on a key adviser role for engineering and R&D teams and runs an innovativeHR and facilities department across seven countries.