Is your team suffering from work-from-home burnout? 8 ways leaders can help their teams

Work-from-home burnout is a very real thing.

The last 18 months have seen companies and employees adjust to a new way of working, most of which has been from home. These fundamental changes have affected people in different ways and, whilst many have embraced the changes working from home has brought, others have found it more difficult.

The blurring of the lines between work and home life has brought flexibility to people’s lives. But it has also resulted in some finding they are working longer hours, with work encroaching on their personal space at home and there being less ‘third-space’ time (the time spent commuting where you might indulge in reading, podcasts, listening to music).

The perceived instability of this ‘new way’ of working, which also has less face-to-face contact with colleagues, has led to many leaders and employees suffering from work-from-home burnout.

A recent study by the employment website Indeed found that 52% of workers feel burned out, with 67% blaming COVID-19 for their stress. In addition to this, a 2020 Gallup poll found that fully remote workers now experience more burnout than on-site workers.

So, how can we help ourselves and our teams reach a more balanced way of working?

Work From Home Burnout is real

Firstly, accept that work-from-home burnout is real. By acknowledging it, you allow your team members to express their difficulties and can find meaningful and effective ways of dealing with it.

Secondly, adopt a flexible approach. Different solutions will work for different people so keep an open mind about what it right and adapt your approach for the individual. Here are some ideas to kick start your thinking:

8 ways to combat work-from-home burnout as a leader

1. Prioritise selfcare – make sure your team are looking after themselves – insist they take annual leave, finish on time, eat well and get enough sleep. Also lead by example and show your team you are doing the same.
   
2. Implement Peer-Group Coaching – human connection is vital for mental health and Peer-Group Coaching allows members of your team to exchange and support each other, whilst fostering an informal learning network. Learn more about our Virtual Peer-Group Coaching training course here, download our free eBook on how to implement PGC or try our free PGC eGuide.
   
3. Introduce a virtual coffee morning – if team members are missing that coffee break they would normally have with colleagues, introduce a virtual one. The main rule is to insist they don’t talk about work but focus on what’s happening in their personal lives. Read more about the benefits of a virtual coffee morning here.
   
4. Personalise communication – good communication within a team in a WFH environment is vital. It stops team members feeling isolated and helps foster a greater team spirit. To learn more about how to do it well, read our blog about the Importance of Good Communication in Leading Hybrid Teams.
   
5. Strengthen work relationships – strengthening work relationships is vital for business success but it is even more important when the team isn’t physically together Read more about how to strengthen work relationships in a virtual world here.
   
6. Set your teams up for hybrid work success – if you need to ‘tune up’ your hybrid work structure it’s best to focus on what necessary tools and skills your team need to work remotely and increase productivity. We offer a Making Hybrid Work, Work! eLearning course that will help you do just that.
   
7. Don’t forget career development and progression – no one wants to feel like their career progression is stalling so make time to talk about next steps with team members and invest in their future. Remember that most learning happens on the job, so think more about task than hierarchy when you talk development with your reports.
   
8. Regular recognition – pay extra attention to whether you are recognising the effort your team is making. If you’re not seeing them regularly you will lose the chance to give them instant feedback that would have happened naturally in a face-to-face office environment. Make sure you’re still acknowledging effort and achievements.

Push the reset button

By identifying the very real threat of ‘burnout’ and putting strategies in place to mitigate it, leaders will be able to push the reset button for their teams and continue to build a more resilient workforce.

A focus on positive actions will help remove stress and anxiety from employees and will help to prevent and tackle burnout.