While it’s true that working from home comes with a lot of benefits, it’s not all pj’s and coffee on the job, especially now. Like it or not, we’re living in crazy times. The pandemic has upended pretty much everything we took for granted. Heck, we can’t even see our loved ones without worrying for everyone’s health and safety.
There are (and will still be) days when the isolation just hits differently. Right now, everyone’s at risk for burning out. Keeping a business running or holding down a job, even remotely, will feel like an uphill climb on some days and we need to make allowances for that.
But cultivating a working environment that supports employee wellbeing isn’t just beneficial for your workers. It can benefit your company too. Let’s explore why.
The Definition and Importance of Wellbeing
Wellbeing is defined as the state of being healthy, happy, and comfortable. Given the current status quo, ensuring such for everyone in your company might feel insurmountable. But this is where good leadership comes in.
Traditionally, companies invested in their employees by providing opportunities for growth and career advancement. Various seminars, specific training, and team building events were all created for this very purpose. This is all well and good, but it’s time to consider a different perspective.
Aside from productivity, businesses should also consider their employees’ well-being as an asset. Happy, healthy, and rested employees are better equipped to perform better and to make wiser decisions. Thus, the cumulative effect of a happy, healthy, and rested workforce can translate to new, better products and services, more dedicated customer service, and a more resilient company on the whole.
Besides, with a renewed focus on wellbeing these days, building a reputation for a company that prioritises such can help you attract top talent too. (Not to mention retaining your existing key talent, thus sparing you high turnover costs.)
So, how do you get started?
Supporting Employees’ Wellbeing
Prolonged isolation and stress have negative effects on our mental health. In time, this can lead to boredom, demotivation, and eventually, poor work performance.
Forward-looking companies address these issues by empowering their employees in different ways. For example, being flexible with deadlines can give your staff wiggle room to recharge and catch up on sleep, rest, or exercise. If you can’t afford to do so, at least allow your staff to disconnect during non-working hours.
No matter how amazing your employees are, they won’t function at their best if they are constantly on the verge of burning out. There are various ways employers can support their employees’ mental health, so be sure to utilise what you can.
Respecting and Upholding Boundaries
Healthy boundaries at work are important, and it all starts with the culture, which you set as the boss/founder. How can your employees decompress if they have to answer emails even in the wee hours of the morning? Where will they find time to relax if they’re required to be on-call 24/7?
It’s high time to eliminate the notion that work should always come first. Remember, staff can resign anytime and applicants can refuse even the most irresistible job offer if your company doesn’t have a healthy work culture. Giving importance to your employees’ well being isn’t just kind. It’s also a smart move that will serve your business well in the long run if you do it right.
The workplace as we know it is changing. Anticipating and even embracing these changes is the only way for your business to survive and thrive.
Remote Staff has been providing Aussie SMEs and entrepreneurs like you with talented and skilled remote workers from the Philippines since 2007. Whether you need a virtual assistant or even an entire marketing team, we can help you out.
Call us today or schedule a call back and let’s get started.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home.
