While remote working offers a whole host of benefits in terms of employee comfort, there are also some disadvantages. In particular, the sudden shift from physical offices to remote working has caused many individuals to feel stressed or uneasy which can be seen in both their personal and work life. Due to this, managing and promoting mental health for remote employees is very important in today’s corporate world.
In this article, we’ll be going over some ways employees and employers can manage mental health in a remote working model. So,without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the options.
Activities & Ideas To Maintain Employee Mental Health
Physical Activity
One of the most ideal ways for an employee to keep themselves motivated and happy is with some physical activity. As an employee, as long as you are pushing yourself in a positive direction, physical activity can work wonders in both your work and personal life. What’s more, you can even work out if you are new to exercise. Here are just some types of activities you can perform:
- Relax your mind, body and spirit with some gentle Yoga
- Get your heart pumping by going for a jog
- Feel the rhythm and bust out some high energy dance moves
- Take time to appreciate nature and the great outdoors by taking a walk
- Gently stretch out tired muscles with some invigorating pilates
- No exercise equipment? No problem. Using your stairs is the ideal solution
Virtual Courses
Similar to the feeling of pride you might get from working out regularly, learning a new skill can also motivate employees. With loads of virtual courses and educational programs available online, anyone can pick up a course that appeals to them and start learning. With some dedication, you may end up with a new skill and a more balanced routine which ultimately can promote better mental health.
Online Team Building Activities
From a company perspective, one of the toughest parts of remote working is maintaining team closeness. This is because, unlike older systems where people would interact with each other throughout the day, online models only require short meetings and text messages for work to be managed. So, to tackle this and make sure all employees are interacting with one another productively, team-building activities are a great solution.
These activities can range from simple games to competitions amongst departments which can help people get to know one another and socially interact.
Clear Communication
While mental health problems are one thing, the true issue lies in a lack of clear communication. This is because unless you can find out who is facing issues, it can be hard to help them out. Keeping a clear personal line of communication open is essential in the fight against poor mental health. This doesn’t necessarily have to be restricted to just business activities, everyone should have the option and be able to share their feelings with someone who they trust.
Company Belongingness
Imagine being a part of a new company as an online employee. Now, unlike many older employees who already know the team, have worked at the old office, have company items, and more, the new employee has none of these things. This can sometimes lead to an alienated feeling which can have a negative impact on mental health. So, employers should make sure that each employee feels like they belong.
Takeaway
All in all, mental health is an important issue throughout the world and especially for remote working employees. It’s a good idea to try and incorporate some of these methods into a hybrid or 100% remote model of work, to make sure all employees are happy and productive.