How can I make sure that colleagues are not overworking to help reduce stress levels? (When working from home)

21 Employee Wellbeing Questions and Answers for 2021

We’re championing #MentalHealthAwarenessYear, to sustain our focus to become happier, healthier and more productive.

We’ve gathered the 21 most commonly asked employee wellbeing questions asked by HR Directors, wellbeing leads and business owners and will be answering one a week.

Question 1 - How can I make sure that colleagues are not overworking to help reduce stress levels?

When we worked in an office there was a natural divide between home and work. Whether you love or hate the office commute, it created a natural separation. Then, as we all worked from home, the lines between home-life and work-life were blurred. 

Were we working from home or sleeping in the office? Many worked longer days and responded to late-night emails. There was simply no obvious ‘Trumpian’ way to “build the wall!”

Job insecurity increased as people were furloughed, reducing costs to protect the business. There was the added stress of ‘will I have a job to return to?’ and the ever-increasing demands on the remaining workforce. 

As we start to reform old habits and plan a return to the office, colleagues express concern and some will feel anxious. All of which contributes to increasing and sustained levels of stress, which could lead to burnout.

So how does a caring and compassionate employer ensure that employees don’t overwork and look after themselves? 

New working patterns require new skills - Organisation, self-discipline and forgiveness. If colleagues can get to grips with these fundamentals, then we start to find a better, healthier balance.  

Organisation is integral to maintain a work-life balance. An organised work-space, planning your day and structuring working hours and breaks, will all help.

 Ask colleagues to set and communicate clear start and finish times, to create stronger barriers between home and work. Some are even adding messages to the bottom of emails, such as  ‘My working hours are 9-6’. 

Self-discipline goes hand-in-hand with organisation. Will you choose a lunchtime walk or catch another episode on Netflix? We’ve seen some great role-modeling by business leaders, who have the self-control and discipline to ditch the screen of a Zoom meeting in favour of a walking meeting. 

Forgiveness, for some working from home is a dream and for others that have no proper workspace or perhaps young children at home, it is a nightmare. Some colleagues are frequently spending their evenings and early mornings diligently catching up on the hours lost. Forgiveness is all-important, demonstrating your understanding and empathy speaks volumes and can often give colleagues the motivation to do it better tomorrow.  

Creating the space for the employees to formulate strong barriers between home and work is truly important to protect the mental health of your workforce.