Traditional working environments are a memory of the past as the pandemic has embraced a need for remote and flexible working opportunities. Remote work brings numerous benefits and employers are beginning to recognise an increase in profitability, productivity, engagement, and staff retention.
Remote work can be particularly successful when you create a great company culture, enforce a collaborative environment, and establish a work-life balance. Whilst work-from-home roles offer many benefits, the loss of the office environment can cause feelings of isolation which in turn, can have a serious impact on mental health. To protect the wellbeing of your remote team, we have put together 4 top tips to ensure you have happy and healthy employees, and to allow for a more engaged, productive, and motivated approach.
- Reinforce the workplace culture remotely
Having a great workplace culture is proven to increase morale, encourage teamwork and lead to a surge in productivity and efficiency. If you’re a company who is now fully remote, it is key that you continue to enforce the company culture when not together. Having a great workplace culture will support the wellbeing of your remote team, and even though it can be hard to recreate this remotely, companies must think of new, creative ways to get the team involved and excited. Here at Spotlight, we like to have daily morning meet-ups to discuss work and Wine Wednesdays where we can discuss everything else at the end of the day!
- Offer access to digital mindfulness resources
Remote work can be lonely but offering wellness support of any kind is beneficial to your employees. By offering your team access to digital mindfulness resources, you can help them deal with stress and additional mental health issues. All these initiatives will improve your employee experiences and, in the long-run, strengthen your employee branding and workplace culture. A few of our favourites include, Welbot and The Mindful Employer, who provide telephone access to NHS Psychotherapists at any time throughout the year.
- Employee appreciation
Many feel quite lonely and isolated when working from home, so a great way to support the wellbeing of your team is through appreciation. Showing that you value and care about your employees will make them feel not only appreciated, but comfortable discussing thoughts, feelings, and ideas. It is key that you take the time to celebrate team achievements and individual accomplishments whilst also sending out messages of encouragement.
- Enforce a work-life balance and encourage breaks
It can be incredibly hard to switch off when working remotely, and being unable to disconnect can lead to an increase in stress and a decrease in productivity. As an employer, lead by example – make your own wellbeing a priority and let the team feel guilt-free about taking breaks and re-energising. Establishing boundaries between work and personal time is extremely important and one of the best ways to take care of your employees’ mental wellbeing.
By enforcing the 4 tips discussed, you can actively support the wellbeing of your remote workers and allow for a positive, friendly environment where the team feel cared for. If you are considering hiring remote workers for marketing, digital and communications roles do get in touch find out more about the clients we work with and how Spotlight Recruitment can help.
NICOLA MONGON is the MD of Spotlight Recruitment, a marketing job agency that has specialists in marketing, digital, and communications recruitment since 2008. Read our 5* Google reviews from candidates and clients to find out more. If you would like to discuss hiring plans or find out more about us, you can reach Spotlight at 020 3008 4254 or info@spotlightrecruitment.com