The COVID-19 pandemic has forced several businesses to turn to remote work environments to stay afloat. This means they have made the transition to allow their employees to work and complete their tasks from home safely. 

However, while this may be a step toward ensuring better health, it can also be a hindrance for some as it may cause remote work stress.

The Stress of Remote Work

Remote working can add levels of stress to an employee because there are many distractions one has to face in the home. This can cause a disconnect from their home life and can make it more difficult to unplug from work at times. 

To avoid this stress, people need to have more flexibility when it comes to the freedom of remote work, and they need to find the right balance between work and life.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind Mentality

One of the reasons for work stress may be the out of sight, out of mind mentality that seems to be more commonplace among remote workers. 

Some studies have shown that several remote workers feel that they are being left out and even mistreated because they are in a remote work environment rather than in the office. 

It also makes it increasingly difficult to deal with any conflict that may erupt between themselves and their coworkers. All of this can lead to work stress, as well.

Emails may be misinterpreted, and there is no visible body language to base a person’s reaction on. Therefore, it is tricky to find the best way to communicate and convey true meanings. 

Inability to Switch Off

Another cause of remote work stress is a person’s ability to switch off from work and go back to their home life. Some may even lack social support, which causes this stress to mount. This can ultimately lead to becoming less productive and can raise a person’s level of anxiety as they struggle to see if their productivity is in line with what is expected of them. 

Combatting Remote Work Stress

To combat remote work stress and maintain a healthy remote work environment, it is important to maintain the right level of communication. The employer is responsible for putting the right structures into place to help. 

For example, scheduled video calls, team building exercises online, and regular check-ins are all essential. 

A culture of value needs to be created, so remote workers feel that they have a sense of purpose, they are being included, and they are valued.

It is also important that a remote employee takes the time to move around. Daily movement helps reduce stress, prevent stiffness, and helps with headaches and eye strain. 

Warning Signs of Remote Work Stress

To better help remote employees, a company needs to have a grasp on the warning signs of remote work stress. 

Decreased resilience, difficulty concentrating, a loss of interest, lots of mistakes, and negative and emotional language are all warning signs that the stress may be quickly piling up for a remote employee.

If you know what to look for and the employee understands that there may be limitations to the flexibility that remote work environments allow, then you have a better chance of staying on top of things before they get out of hand.

When a remote employee is struggling, it is time to intervene and find a solution to help lower the stress level as much as possible. This may mean finding better ways to face logistical challenges and focus attention on the efforts of each employee.