ASK HR: What should I do to avoid burnout while working from home?
A man who is stressed at work. PHOTO | FOTOSEARCH
What you need to know:
- It is great that employers are genuinely worried about the well-being of their remote workers, but virtual team buildings may not meet the needs of all employees.
- Certainly, some would rather speak to a counselor to get professional support.
- If your employer is overdoing the whole check-in protocol, you need to speak up or decline some meetings with good reasons.
Q: I need help. I feel more overworked now that I am working from home than ever before. I no longer have any free time. There are so many meetings to attend, some which last hours, and so many unnecessary check-in sessions. I feel isolated, stressed, and overwhelmed. Much as I am grateful to have a job, I feel like quitting. How can I make my voice heard?
Your question is very timely and is anchored on a subject that affects many. Working remotely has not just come with technical and technological challenges. It has also introduced softer issues such as intrusion into workers’ personal spaces and time. While many employees have figured out how to balance this and avoid burnout, others feel so overwhelmed and cannot wait to return to the office. But as employers focus on enhancing the safety of their staff once they return to their offices, they should not overlook the wellbeing of the same employees now working remotely, otherwise some may choose not to return.
Urge your employer to provide guidelines on employees’ online interactions. Stating the maximum number of hours an employee will be required to sit in meetings per day is a must. This can go further and state how many hours a single meeting can go on for, and could even have a meeting-free day per week to allow staff to catch up with their work. I have heard of cases where managers schedule a two-hour meeting from 5pm, obviously infringing on the employee's personal time. If there is a need for late meetings, perhaps to accommodate colleagues in different time zones, there should be an arrangement to compensate the workers, such as a late start the following day. Managers should synchronise their calendars to ensure employees don’t get overwhelmed.
It is great that employers are genuinely worried about the well-being of their remote workers, but virtual team buildings may not meet the needs of all employees. Certainly, some would rather speak to a counselor to get professional support. If your employer is overdoing the whole check-in protocol, you need to speak up or decline some meetings with good reasons. I know many employees would be devastated to lose their jobs at a time like this, but seriously, if your job is driving you nuts and no one is listening, only you can decide how important it is compared to your health.
Mwikali Muthiani - Managing Partner, MillennialHR; @MwikaliN
