To many people, the work-from-home (WFH) set-up seems inviting. What many do not realize is that it also causes burnout. Today, we will look at some of the measures that companies are taking to prevent burnout for their WFH employees.
No Fixed Schedules
Many employers know that working from home is tough. The parent has to balance time between work and the children or house chores. This process is difficult, and the only viable solution is flexibility.
What this means is that employers do not give employees fixed schedules. They do not work from 9 AM to 5 PM. Instead, their work is based on deadlines.
It is difficult to manage a team like this, considering that the world is used to paying employees by the hour. If anything, management will have to decide how to make this happen and use tools to implement it.
For example, there are timekeeping apps that people can download on their computers. They must turn the timer on if they are working and turn it off if they are on break. The timekeeping system takes a screenshot of the worker’s screen, giving the employer a way to check if he is really working on paid time or not.
The timekeeping system sends data, or pictures, to the employer. The employer can make a fair assessment of whether there is movement in the employee’s computer during the periods of the screenshot.
The system does not record videos of the employee’s station, as this is data-intensive and can result in privacy issues.
Rest Days According to Choice
Some employers implement a process where the employee can pick their rest days. This selection of rest days is not done in real time. Rather, it is planned.
For example, an employee can tell his manager now that he will take Tuesday and Friday off next week. As such, the management will know and plan ahead to have a balanced workload.
The employee will stay happy, as he is in a position to run errands as he deems fit. If his children have school activities, then he could take a rest day and ensure that his presence in that activity is not missed.
This process is not applicable to all businesses. It works for those that have no real-time demands. For example, it cannot work in a business in the customer service industry. There has to be someone sitting down by the computer and answering customer inquiries all the time.
Employers who are in the software programming business can do this. They can adjust their timelines since no customer has to wait for service.
An employer must carefully assess if his business model can support this. If it is a good model, he would also need a calendar app by which the employees can file these schedule changes.
Remote Accountability Buddy
Some employers, like this in the online casino industry, can implement a system where one employee has a partner. This partner is his “buddy.” What this means is that both of them are accountable for each other should the other has a failure.
The essence of this practice is to ensure that an employee in need has someone to turn to if he has an emergency. What he could do is to give this partner a phone call or message and explain the situation.
This buddy is going to take on the work of the other person while that person deals with his emergency. As such, no work has to be compromised.
However, there is an issue with this. One good argument is that it promotes a lack of accountability. There are those who would take advantage of this system and make their buddies work harder, while they won’t.
If management is eyeing this possibility, they need to seriously consider if it is going to work or not. It is difficult for an employee to fathom why he has to be accountable for the job of another employee.
Staying Connected
While Zoom meetings can be stressful, they can help. There are some people who yearn for human companionship, and a Zoom meeting once a week can make them feel that they belong to something bigger than themselves.
Employers give their employees a way to connect even if they are not together. Many apps allow employees to chat with each other, stay on a personal video call, etc.
Employers also provide their employees with a way to reach appropriate departments. For example, they have a channel for HR concerns. They also have a channel to contact their departments like payroll.
Giving employees a way to communicate prevents them from feeling isolated. It prevents feelings of being alone and lonely, and helpless. In the end, it certainly helps employees from feeling burned out from working from home.
Summary
WFM burnout is everywhere. Employees get tired of looking at their computer screens and balancing what they need to do in their homes. There are Zoom meetings, real-time events, deadlines, and so much more. If an employer does not address this, it can lead to chronic stress.
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