How do you ensure the well-being of teleworking employees?
Teleworking and well-being are intimately linked, and depend on each other.
Initially, teleworking is a source of well-being and quality of life at work for employees. It responds to the aspirations of individuals, enabling them to better reconcile their professional and personal lives, and giving them greater freedom and autonomy.
In the aftermath of the Covid pandemic , the use of telecommuting has accelerated and become the norm for companies. In fact, more than 95% of them have taken up the challenge when their activities allow it.
But the conditions under which telecommuting takes place tend to undermine well-being and attenuate the initial positive effects, notably with confinement and curfew measures, reduced social interaction and freedom to roam.
And yet, , according to the French Labour Code, "the employer shall take the necessary measures to ensure the safety and protect the physical and mental health of workers", regardless of whether they are in the office or teleworking.
In addition to the beneficial effects that employee well-being has on overall performance, it is also a company obligation.
As a company, how can you ensure the well-being of your teleworking employees? All our advice and best practices in this article.
Maintaining well-being while teleworking: a challenge for the company
1. Tailoring teleworking to the individual
Telecommuting relocates office space, usually to employees' homes.
While all employees enjoy similar working conditions on the company's premises, this equality does not exist when everyone works from home:
- some will have a bright room dedicated to the office, while others will work on the coffee table in the living room or on the sofa;
- some will have absolute peace and quiet, while others will be disturbed by noisy neighbors, roommates, family members or pets; and so on.
Each environment is unique, and it's best to discuss each individual's situation and daily routine with him or her, in order to propose the most suitable solutions, and thus achieve a degree of fairness, or at the very least, guarantee optimal working conditions.
⭐️ Best practices:
- carry out a test period and gather feedback to adjust if necessary;
- create the ideal telecommuting formula with the employee, depending on his/her situation;
- offer flexible working hours;
- collect training and equipment requirements;
- carry out a psychosocial risk assessment.
2. Organize virtual moments of conviviality
While some people are more exposed or sensitive to this than others, the feeling of isolation can have a real impact on the well-being of teleworkers.
It's true that when teleworking, you lose a good deal of interaction with your superiors and colleagues, and videoconference meetings are not really social occasions.
Even if everyone's needs are different, planning these moments and leaving everyone free to participate is a good compromise.
⭐️ Best practices to adopt:
- equip your company with videoconferencing software;
- schedule team lunches via videoconferencing;
- 5-minute "virtual coffee breaks" to recreate the atmosphere of coffee machines or afterworks;
- pay particular attention to people who are isolated or live alone.
- Adapting management to telecommuting
Has the idea ever crossed your mind to increase surveillance of your employees during working hours?
Although this practice is legal (as long as the people concerned are warned and privacy is respected), it is not ethical or effective.
Since the pandemic, intentions to purchase remote employee monitoring software have multiplied by 530 in 6 weeks.
Aberdeen Intent Score, 2020 by ISG research
This type of intention runs counter to the philosophy of telecommuting, which aims to promote a culture of results, rather than one of presenteeism.
It therefore seems essential, for the well-being of both the employee and the company, to rethink management so that it is better adapted to teleworking.
⭐️ Best practices to adopt:
- provide appropriate training for managers;
- make trust the cornerstone of the relationship;
- keep in touch regularly and individually;
- set objectives collaboratively with each employee;
- provide training for employees who need to acquire the skills they need to carry out their remote assignments;
- ensure that the right tools are provided and that they are properly adopted digitally.
3. Helping to maintain work/life balance
Originally, telecommuting was a way for employees to better manage their work/life balance, thanks in particular to :
- time saved from commuting ;
- fuel savings for those with a car;
- the possibility of being present at home (to open the door for the deliveryman, to hang up the washing machine, etc.);
- the ability to adjust working hours to suit personal needs, etc.
But the downside is that it's harder to finish the day's work when the two environments merge, especially if you don't have a dedicated work room at home.
⭐️ Best practices to adopt:
- raise awareness of the right to disconnect;
- managers can work with each individual to draw up a schedule for the coming week, if they are having trouble getting organized;
- invite employees to put away their work equipment at the end of the day, especially if they don't have a dedicated room at home;
- set a good example by disconnecting at a reasonable hour, don't phone or send e-mails or chat messages outside of set time slots;
- cut off access to the network outside working hours.
4. Ensure an ergonomic work environment
While it's a legal requirement to provide your workforce with an ergonomic workstation in the workplace, it's much more difficult to control this component when telecommuting.
Also, all employees have a limited budget to build a comfortable workspace, and some may be at a disadvantage compared to others.
Here are the basics of the most comfortable posture for screen work:
To find out more about the main principles of ergonomics at the workstation, we refer you to our article on the subject.
⭐️ Best practices to adopt:
- lend equipment or contribute financially to the purchase of home workspace equipment (desk, ergonomic chair, additional screen, etc.);
- provide regular information on how to set up your workstation properly;
- encourage short, regular breaks (stretching, walking, fresh air, etc.) for physical and mental well-being.
Towards greater well-being with telecommuting after Covid?
We're living in a time of health crisis, when telecommuting is essential to ensure the safety of workers whenever the activity permits.
In this particular context, telecommuting is experienced differently from a normal situation because :
- it is imposed by the company and not at the employee's request ;
- and it can be total, with no face-to-face days in the week.
As a result, it's difficult to take advantage of the benefits of telecommuting, such as the freedom to work from wherever you like, to organize your day to suit your personal needs, or to work from a location other than where you live.
What's more, limited social interaction makes telecommuting more difficult when you can't see your colleagues during the day, or your family and friends in the evening.
The company therefore has an important role to play in ensuring the well-being of its remote workforce, by implementing the best practices we have revealed.
The balance of well-being is particularly fragile at the moment, but there's no doubt that once normal working conditions have been restored, telecommuting will be a lasting solution for increasing employee well-being.
Article translated from French