Remote doesn’t work for everyone, but the reality is that the remote work model has been gaining significant traction. It can be done and highly successful; however, it has become increasingly crucial for HR professionals to adapt and innovate strategies that do more than support remote employees. It’s about enhancing the overall remote working experience, creating an environment where employees feel genuinely connected, engaged, and valued, no matter where they are. This proactive approach prioritizes balance and mental health, fostering a productive, happy, and sustainable remote workforce.
Maintaining dynamism is vital to cultivating an environment where employees feel connected to their colleagues, heard in their work, and have their mental wellness taken into account. A solid remote work ethic keeps everyone integrated from various corners across geographical barriers, strengthening productivity along the way. HR professionals with remote workforces should strive to motivate members, encourage connection with the team and the mission, and provide crucial benefits that allow workers to avoid burnout, prioritize mental health, and use unique travel benefits to get the most out of the digital nomad lifestyle.
Mitigating Burnout
When switching from in-person to remote work, a crucial aspect must include the time spent connecting with workers, leading to loneliness. However, there is another risk: difficulty unplugging.
Burnout is the result of chronic stress that has become unmanageable. It tends to come on slowly, meaning you might not notice it until late.
Exhaustion and low energy are significant signs of burnout, especially if they are ongoing. It comes with a sense of emptiness, meaninglessness, and a strong desire to quit. In many cases, these feelings weren’t there when employees began their remote work but have developed over time.
Burnout can cause a breakdown in employees’ relationships with coworkers. Remote workers also rely on the support of other people to make their day meaningful. Some people in this line of work will avoid forming bonds, preferring the freedom of working alone; this can be a bad idea as it will increase feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Instead, forming meaningful relationships with colleagues and clients must be a priority for mental and physical health. Get to know them on a personal level and create a strong bond. Reframing work is also a helpful exercise: think of it as a chance to give something of value to people who mean something to you. Giving something back has been shown to boost mood and physical health.
Prioritize Mental Health
Most employers offer days off for physical illnesses, but they rarely provide the same benefits for mental health problems. This doesn’t make much sense since mental health is just as important as physical health. For remote workers, paid days off to recover mentally can be hugely influential.
On the psychological side, mental health problems may arise as burnout increases your likelihood of developing depression and anxiety. Heightened irritability can weaken relationships, low performance can damage self-esteem, and your overall levels of self-care are bound to decline.
Around one in five Americans live with a mental health condition. That’s a considerable proportion of the workforce. However, everyone experiences stress, grief, breakups, and periods of emotional turmoil. Taking a day off to focus on self-care without worrying about lost pay can keep remote workers happy and productive.
There are a few simple ways to recenter focus and take mini-breaks to improve mental health, such as mindfulness meditation or taking frequent breaks from looking at screens. Soothing one’s nervous system is crucial to living a happy and healthy life while working remotely; solutions are unique to each person and should be taken advantage of whenever possible to keep mental health stable.
Take Advantage of Unique Benefits: Travel Stipends
Some remote companies offer additional benefits besides traditional ones, such as insurance and paid time off. At Anyplace, for example, we provide a yearly stipend and allow employees to use it as they see fit. If you’re more environmentally minded, a company could offer flight vouchers, railcards, and bus passes. These stipends help cover travel-related expenses such as flights, train tickets, and gas. How to approach travel stipends is entirely up to the company, and there is no set way.
A huge reason that people opt for or seek out remote work is for the freedom it allows. Why stay home in a boring city when you work in unique countries like India or Italy? This traveling lifestyle gives remote workers a creative boost, helping them remain fulfilled and motivated.
A stipend offsets travel expenses and allows you to work from different locations, which is a perfect fit for a new generation that can technically work from anywhere. Alternatively, a company could pay for an entire vacation once a year. There are no rules!
Workations are also becoming more popular. The word ‘workation’ combines work and vacation; unlike a traditional vacation where everyone goes offline, individuals continue working remotely at their new destination. Workstations are unique and flexible, prioritizing the individual workers’ schedules and needs.
By offering even small travel bonuses, companies can help remote workers maintain this happy work-life balance, which gives your employees a reason to stay loyal to your company year after year, knowing that they’re building towards a trip that other companies are unlikely to offer. Happiness, balance, and mental health are essential to digital nomads, and employers should afford remote workers the flexibility to explore, get inspired, and come to work with electric energy.
In this age of remote work, many companies are going above and beyond to prioritize the well-being of their workers. Just because your employees are in a different timezone doesn’t mean you should neglect their needs. Offering unique health-oriented benefits to remote employees will result in a loyal and motivated workforce optimized for productivity.
