Ways to Manage Your Team’s Mental Health & Morale Remotely

Stress or demotivation at work can aggravate employees' pre-existing mental and physical health conditions and affect their lives outside of work.

According to the UK’s Health and Safety Executive Government Statistics, stress, depression, and anxiety disorders accounted for the majority of days lost due to work-related ill health in 2021/22, with 17.0 million and 7.3 million days lost respectively. On average, each person suffering took around 16.5 days off work over the course of the year.

Many companies are investing in long-term support for mental health issues and employee wellbeing initiatives to counteract lost productivity, as well as making the workplace a happier and healthier place to be. Along with the benefits to workforce productivity, investment in mental health initiatives has the power to enhance your employer brand and help to attract top talent - in fact, well over half (86%) of job seekers would be more likely to apply for work with companies that have mental health and wellness policies in place.

The impact of remote work on mental health

Although offering remote and flexible work has become increasingly attractive to both employers and candidates post-pandemic due to the increased healthy work-life balance it can provide, aspects of working from home can actually have a negative impact on mental health and employee morale. Some of the mental health challenges include:

• Loneliness

The camaraderie built through social interaction in the office can help relieve stress and offer motivation for the rest of the workday. On the other hand, the limited in-person interaction and absence of company culture that comes with a remote working setup can make employees feel isolated and anxious. It can feel harder to let off steam or talk through a problem when you aren’t face to face with your colleagues.

• Working hours

A survey conducted by Zippa explored the negative effects of working from home. 86% of employees who work from home full-time experience burnout due to a poor work-life balance as a result of working in their living space. 45% of employees who started working remotely due to the pandemic report working more hours than before, and 67% of remote workers report feeling pressured to be available all the time. These statistics highlight just a few of the challenges faced by employees working from home.

• Communication difficulties

The cues from body language and tone of voice that we rely on to understand each other can be harder to pick up when communicating virtually. While some remote workers may find their managers ‘check in’ with them far too often, making them feel overwhelmed and as if they are not trusted, other team members can feel they lack the support and leadership they would get from their manager in person.

Here are four tactics you can use to support your employees’ mental wellbeing and maintain the morale of your remote teams:

• Organise one-to-one catch-up sessions

Schedule regular one-to-one virtual drop-ins with your team. If you can’t meet in person, a video call is the next best thing - so that you can see each other face-to-face instead of just communicating through online chats or emails. A traditional phone call can sometimes be a good option too, especially as some people will spend most of their working day-to-day on video calls, a phone call can be a welcome change and more of what we’re used to. Remote drop-in sessions give you the chance to check in with each employee, to see how they’re doing and to offer support if you notice signs they might be struggling, such as a change in their behaviour or a lack of engagement with their work. It is important to empower your employees by making them aware of any wellbeing support they can access through the company, or recommend additional resources and apps. Encourage remote employees to tell you what they are finding difficult and put a positive action plan in place together – this could include breaking down large projects into smaller, more manageable tasks, goal-setting, and tracking their progress and accomplishments to keep them motivated. In your one-to-one catch ups, make sure it isn’t all work focused. By taking time to discuss each other’s personal life and any hobbies, interests and responsibilities outside of the workplace, you open the floor up to your employee to discuss joys and difficulties which you may not otherwise be aware of. A great act of self-care is the simple act of talking through frustrations and by offering this support to your team, this empowers them to feel more in control and connected.

• Establish new routines

Encourage your team to create and stick to a new routine when working from home, including having a designated workspace as well as sticking to a regular time to start and end their workday. Remind them to take regular breaks and ensure that your team are clear on when they are expected to be reachable, so that they are not overworking and feel guilty about enjoying well-earned downtime. No matter if your team is together physically in the office or remote, make the expectations crystal clear, so that team members aren’t in limbo about what is or isn’t allowed. Clarity helps people feel in control and motivated, as they understand the expectations and can plan accordingly.

• Communicate effectively

Although regular check-ins are necessary, frequent virtual meetings can cause ‘Zoom fatigue’, as explored in a study from the Microsoft Human Factors Lab. In Microsoft’s study of brain wave activity, researchers were able to confirm that employees experience higher levels of stress from continuous meetings. To reduce the mental strain which can be caused by video conferencing, consider whether it's better to share files or send an email round-up instead of conducting virtual team meetings. Try to keep sessions no more than 30 minutes long, or incorporate a short break mid-way through to encourage employee engagement.

• Recognise success

Take the time to acknowledge individual and team successes. Giving work-related praise and expressing thanks becomes an even more important part of leading and motivating your team in the absence of culture-building office activities. From ecards to a simple email, there are plenty of ways to recognise your team remotely and ensure they feel valued and appreciated. There are also social recognition platforms now available (such as Xexec or Perkbox) that allow team leaders to commend and reinforce positive behaviors and team morale. Also, don’t reserve celebrations for ‘big wins’. Oftentimes, employees find the most motivating days at work are those when they had little wins, as the day-to-day successes can lead to a tremendous feeling of accomplishment and encourages team members to feel engaged and committed. By focusing on the small stuff you’ll have more regular reasons to celebrate each other’s contributions and work, which is always a good thing. 

Whether your team is fully remote, work on a hybrid basis or are based in a workplace, we can give you the support and resources you need to keep them engaged and happy. If you would like to talk to a recruitment expert about the best hiring and onboarding plans for your business, contact us today.