Four out of five respondents from a Telus International survey revealed it was challenging to shut down at the end of the work day when working from home.
The survey also found that over half of respondents have not taken a mental health day since the beginning of the pandemic, despite a staggering 97% saying that vacation days are vital to working from home.
So what can business leaders do to ensure that employees are able to achieve a healthier work-life balance while they continue to operate remotely?
Michael Weening, COO of software provider Calix, says encouraging workers to take time off is essential to preventing burnout.
“You cannot recharge if you are constantly checking in,” said Weening. “That’s a rule I personally follow. Everyone takes their cues from leadership, so you have to lead by example.”
Adopting asynchronicity is also important, particularly if your workforce stretches across several time zones. Keeping a 9 to 5 schedule is antiquated at this point, and giving your employees the flexibility of when they work allows them to be more productive.
Natalie Baumgartner, chief workforce scientist at Achievers, suggests implementing a ‘no meetings’ time frame. Doing so can allow employees to focus on work or personal-related tasks without the interruption of a meeting.
Lastly, encourage workers to prioritize exercise throughout the day. Getting in extra steps each day can do wonders to improve mental health, as well as cognition and memory.
