How to Keep a Remote Workforce Motivated

Since the pandemic, working from home has become the norm for many businesses and employees. However, it does come with its downsides as well as its positives. A study published by Researchgate highlighted four kinds of flexibilities that had a positive effect on remote workers, these included working time, workspace, contractual and functional flexibility.

Advantages of working from home

• More flexibility in managing home life with busy work schedules
• Less time commuting frees up more personal time and improves wellbeing
• Fewer distractions mean increased productivity
• Financial benefits for business owners due to less spent on office space and bills
• Fewer staff absences

Disadvantages of working from home

• Feelings of loneliness and isolation
• More easily distracted by household tasks
• Personal costs of working from home
• Blurred lines between work time and personal time
• Difficulty for employers to monitor staff performance
• Reduced team morale

Not everyone thrives when working from home and due to aspects, such as loneliness, distractions or financial costs, you may see levels of employee motivation reduce.

How to motivate a remote team?

Bearing all of the above in mind, it’s important to minimise the negative effects of working from home and maintain a high level of motivation, not just for the sake of productivity but also for mental health reasons.

Effective communication

Communication is key to managing a successful remote workforce. While it’s important to encourage autonomy, it’s equally as important to offer support on a regular basis, whether that’s in the form of a phone call, face-to-face meeting or an online review. Keeping in contact with the members of your team can help them feel valued and providing feedback is a great way to make an individual feel appreciated and maintain their levels of motivation.

Create clear expectations

When you begin working from home, it might feel a little strange working in a different environment and it could alter how you approach your normal working day. This may lead to some employees perhaps doing less work than they would normally or lapsing when it comes to work ethics. Managers should set clear boundaries and expectations from the start so that the team knows what is and isn’t acceptable with regards to the required amount of work and targets that need to be met.

Trust your team

Trusting your employees is vital in any work environment but especially so when it comes to working from home. Although you should still make expectations clear, you should also have a certain level of trust in your team. Micro management often has a negative effect on employees, causing them to feel inadequate or untrustworthy and this can lead to individuals becoming less motivated. Trust can instil self-confidence, meaning they are more likely to want to achieve greater success both for management and themselves.

Make time for social events

One of the biggest disadvantages for many people working from home is the lack of social interaction and this can cause feelings of loneliness and isolation. By organising social events or a team-building event once a month it can help them feel more included. Perhaps arrange a night out bowling, an escape room activity or an outdoor activity.

Managing parenthood and full-time employment

Gone are the days when women were expected to stay at home to look after the children while the man went out to work. Not only is the nuclear family no longer the ‘norm’, but many parents aspire to being successful in both their career and parenthood.

Whether you’re a single parent or in a relationship, juggling parenthood and full-time employment can certainly be tricky, and exhausting, at times. If you continue to struggle with the pressures of work, household chores, and looking after young children, you might start to suffer from anxiety, overwhelm and stress, which will eventually lead to burnout.

Not everyone finds the pressures of managing a successful career and parenthood a walk in the park. Juggling all the responsibilities of full-time employment and raising children can leave very little time for relaxation or social activities.

Because many of us want to appear that we have everything under control and we worry what our boss or colleagues might think of us if we show any signs of struggling, we continue in silence and avoid asking for help.

Nowadays, companies have a responsibility to assist working parents and offer alternatives for their work situation. Being unable to work overtime due to parental responsibilities, for example, shouldn’t mean that you can’t do your job properly during normal working hours.

Ways you can lighten the load

• Ask your manager for flexible working hours. If you discuss your situation with management, they may be able to suggest some options that will assist you, such as working from home a couple of days a week or working your hours in four days rather than five. Working from home can be helpful by freeing up valuable commuting time which can be used for work, chores or relaxation. 
• If your workload is unmanageable and it starts to eat into your home life, speak to your boss about how they can help. Maybe they can allocate some of it to a colleague or extend deadlines.
• If you’re in a relationship, ensure you share parental responsibilities. Perhaps one of you can focus on the morning routine while the other takes care of the evening routine. That way it can relieve some of the pressure for both of you. 
• Be more organised. We often get stressed because we don’t have any plans in place so the morning rush seeing to the kids and yourself and getting to work can seem frenzied. Make a plan the night before of what you need to do, or even prepare things such as packed lunches, P.E. kit, changing bag, etc. You could even make meals in a slow cooker to save time when you get home from work.
• Don’t set yourself unrealistic goals. Try not to compete with other parents who might have more free time than you. There’s no pressure to bake the best cakes for the school fayre or volunteer for the parent’s committee! Although they might be nice to do, decide whether or not they are priorities and don't beat yourself up if you can't/choose not to do them.
• Make time for yourself either alone or as a family. When you do more of what you enjoy your mental wellbeing will be in much better shape, meaning you’re more able to cope with any challenges and tasks that lie ahead. If needs be, recruit a childminder, friend or family member so that you enjoy some much-needed time off.

The importance of promoting digital wellbeing

In 2020, the world was whisked into a new digital era where working from home and online meetings suddenly became the norm for millions of people around the globe. While some people could adapt to these changes relatively smoothly, for others it was out of their comfort zone and became an additional form of stress alongside the confusion, fear, and uncertainty of the pandemic.

A study described on verywellfamily.com delved into how technology can affect our wellbeing. It found that although there are many benefits to the digital world, many people are concerned that the growing use of technology is a contributing factor of stress, lack of focus, and cyberbullying.

Negative effects of increased technology at work

• There is increasing pressure to always be available online when we’re working from home. Yet if we were physically in our place of work, this kind of pressure would be less likely to exist. 
• With the new way of working from home, in many instances online meetings have increased. Although this may partly be out of concern for employees’ wellbeing, in some cases it might also be a way to check up on employees. For many people this new way of holding meetings digitally feels uncomfortable because they feel that their every move or facial expression is being scrutinised. 
• Not everyone who’s been unexpectedly thrown into working from home is familiar with the apps designed for online meetings, and this fear of technology can trigger anxiety. Learning how to use unfamiliar technology and the fear that external factors might prevent you from getting online in time can all add to the stress. 
• Prior to working from home, you may not have been aware of 'mirror anxiety'. The use of online meeting apps such as Zoom mean that you can constantly see yourself on screen and this feeling of vulnerability has been linked to heightened anxiety and depression.
• Excessive online meetings and use of technology through working from home means that there is more pressure and less time to complete work and meet deadlines. 
• Because you’re less likely to video call a colleague for a quick chat when you’re home working, it means there’s a lack of face-to-face socialising which can make you feel isolated.

Ways to promote digital wellbeing

There are several ways that managers can reinforce wellbeing and help their employees adjust to a more digitally focused way of working.

• During online meetings, give the option to have the camera switched off.
• Give plenty of notice for online meetings so that staff are less likely to feel on edge about suddenly being called to a meeting, especially when they aren’t dressed appropriately.
• Loosen up on the dress code and don’t expect employees to attend online meetings in more formal wear.
• Organise out of hours social events online so that employees aren’t just seeing colleagues in work mode. Often emails and other forms of digital communication can get misconstrued, so this provides the opportunity for everyone to socialise informally.
• Have trust in your employees so that if they do decide to go for a walk outside at lunchtime, for example, they aren’t in fear of management accusing them of avoiding work.
• Streamline all forms of communication and stick to a minimal number of online channels so not to confuse people or create more stress. Ensure all employees are familiar with the channels being used prior to their use.
• Regularly ask staff to feed back on the new digital way of working from home. What is good for one person might not be good for another so try to accommodate each person accordingly.

Further information

First Psychology held three webinars on the topic of digital working. You can read more about these webinars and watch the recordings for free using the links below. 

• Coping with a changing workplace >
• The impact of gender roles on wellbeing at work >
• How to prevent burnout and maintain visibility while working from home >

Dealing with remote bullying in the workplace

Lockdown saw many people having to work remotely and although there are some key benefits to working from home, it isn't without its troubles. Just because we aren't in physical contact with our bosses and colleagues, doesn't mean that bullying in the workplace has gone away.

Toxic behaviour, offensive language and threatening attitudes can still reach people remotely, whether that's via email, video calls or social media and when the bullying is coming from colleagues rather than strangers or acquaintances, it's not so easy to cut it off.

What is remote bullying

Remote bullying comes in many forms and sometimes you might not even realise that it's bullying behaviour, even though it has a profound effect on your mental health. If you've experienced any of the below, then you should think about whether you may have been on the receiving end of bullying.

• Being excluded from social events, meetings, or important decision making
• Offensive or intimidating language
• Sexual or gender harassment
• Gossip
• Colleagues or management persistently criticising your work

This kind of bullying behaviour, even when it's done remotely, can have a serious effect on your mental health. Over time, it could start to affect your sleep patterns. Perhaps you're suffering from insomnia because you're feeling stressed or anxious and replay situations or conversations over in your mind. Or maybe the constant worry is causing you to have headaches and your self-confidence is at an all-time low.

Any form of bullying needs to be nipped in the bud. But it's not always that simple as you might fear that reporting the behaviour could lose you your job or create even more animosity among colleagues. A study carried out by Harvard Business Review prior to covid-19 found that 52% of remote workers felt excluded from decision making and that their colleagues were lobbying against them. While this was carried out by an American organisation, it is likely that following the recent large rise in homeworking in the UK, a similar study carried out in the UK would have similar findings. If you think you are being remotely bullied, ACAS has some helpful information on dealing with bullying and other problems at work. 

How to address bullying in the workplace

There are several ways for both the victim and the company to deal with workplace bullying. If you are the victim of bullying and you feel confident enough to resolve the issues with the bully directly, this could be an immediate solution. Sometimes they might not realise the distress that they are causing you and when confronted calmly, they might start to change their behaviour. However, if you don't feel that this is an option then you should speak to someone in HR, management, or your trade union representative (if you have one) who will then need to deal with the situation. You can also call the free National Bullying Helpline if you need advice and support from somebody not linked to your workplace.

All companies should have a procedures in place that prevent workplace bullying and protect their staff. If the complaint can't be initially dealt with informally, then further action must be taken. 

If you're an employer or manager, www.peoplemanagement.co.uk has a helpful article for employers tackling bullying of remote workers. 

There is also lots of helpful information on the UK government's website as well as on the ACAS website (link provided above). 

Managing a flexible workplace culture

If the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us anything it’s that a flexible workplace isn’t only possible, but it is in fact, necessary. Many businesses realised the benefits of providing flexible working a long time ago and have therefore become accustomed to how this can be achieved. However, for those companies that are only now experiencing the structure of a flexible workplace, they may require some assistance to do so successfully.

The benefits of a flexible workforce

During the pandemic, we were advised to work from home if we could and businesses were encouraged to ensure their employees had this option if feasible. The fact that many jobs can be conducted from home has revealed how flexibility and homeworking can have both positive and negative outcomes.

The positive impact of a flexibility

• Single parents are less likely to require childcare if they have the option to work from home, rather than in an office or other relevant workplace. This can help alleviate some of the stresses that are associated with juggling parenthood and full time employment. 
• Employees with dependents such as elderly or ill parents can continue to work while caring for their dependents.
• Workers with ongoing health conditions could find it easier to work from home rather than have their illness exacerbated by daily commutes or inappropriate work environments.
• Flexibility promotes a culture of care which makes employees feel respected and valued which, in turn, has a positive effect on their mental wellbeing, thereby promoting workplace productivity. A review of productivity figures by HSBC revealed that flexible working is an incentive for increased productivity. 
• Being flexible in terms of part-time and home working increases the talent pool to individuals who couldn’t access roles because of their personal circumstances.

The negative impact of working from home

Although flexibility has its perks for both the employer and employee, working from home full-time can have a negative effect on staff:

• Loneliness – without the interaction with fellow work colleagues, homeworkers can feel lonely, isolated, and excluded.
• Isolation can lead to mental health difficulties – prolonged isolation has been linked to depression, impaired function, sleep deprivation, and even impaired immunity.
• Stress caused by the need to prove yourself – some people may feel pressured to increase their workload or targets because they are no longer working in the office. This can lead to working longer hours and not taking breaks in an attempt to prove yourself.
• Expectation of working even when ill – this expectation may be self-inflicted or come from employers.

Successfully managing a flexible workforce

It is important to create a healthy, flexible culture that meets the needs of the individual and the entire workforce to ensure mental wellbeing is not affected.

• Allow flexible working hours to accommodate employees with dependents or with health issues that require shorter working hours and flexible days to accommodate medical appointments. This can release the pressure employees feel from trying to cram everything into a set time period. Less stress decreases the likelihood of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
• Make your expectations clear from the outset and encourage communication regarding workload. Clear guidance gives employees confidence that what they are achieving is what is expected, and it can prevent anxiety or feelings of underachievement.
• Organise online social opportunities for those working from home. This can also include weekly online meetings where teams can get together to discuss projects and ongoing work. Isolated working can lead to depression and loneliness so regular socialisation, even virtually, can help prevent this.
• Emphasise the need for homeworkers to take breaks rather than work through their lunch hour. Breaks are essential to ensure employees don't suffer from burnout which can lead to stress in the long term.
• Encourage discussions about mental health and make employees aware of places they can get support such as their GP and other health care professionals. Open discussions about mental health take away the stigma that is often associated with these kinds of difficulties. By approaching mental wellbeing right at the start there is a decreased chance that these problems will develop into more serious symptoms.

If you or your employees are struggling with the impact of working from home, you may benefit from a KeepWell Working From Home MOT, which has been designed to focus on the wellbeing and mental health needs of those working from home. Find out more about this service here >