6th March 2025
Poor mental health has always been a threat to the workplace – costing UK businesses an estimated £42-45 billion per year. In today’s remote environments, studies show that stress, anxiety, and depression are becoming increasingly prevalent. It’s your responsibility to do something about it.
How to Assess Your Remote Employee’s Wellbeing
It has always been easier to tackle the problems that you can physically see in front of you. Sadly, mental health issues can be almost invisible. Therefore, when an employee isn’t doing well, it will be challenging for you to notice… let alone provide the right support.
To successfully measure the well-being of your remote employees, we recommend continuously measuring performance outputs, such as productivity, all year round. Why? Well, one of the first signs of a struggling worker is a sudden drop in their performance. By tracking standard HR metrics across the board, you can better understand your people.
How to Manage Your Remote Employee’s Wellbeing
When you notice signs of poor mental health, you need to proceed carefully. Directly addressing a struggling employee might cause further upset, requiring you to get strategic to manage wellbeing in the workplace. We recommend…
Tip #1: Hosting Meet-Ups
Although people tend to withdraw from social settings when feeling anxious or depressed, team meet-ups are a great preventative to combat loneliness. Fostering a sense of community by organising fun, non-work-related activities (ie. bowling or a meal out) can boost spirits and encourage the formation of long-lasting friendships.
Tip #2: Promoting Teamwork
Your employees don’t have to come into the office to work with their colleagues! Assigning multiple people to a larger project will increase socialisation within your remote workforce, encouraging innovation, problem-solving, and open lines of communication.
Tip #3: Sharing Resources
Whether you’re a small or large business, one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to support your remote team is by sharing self-care resources with them. There’s plenty of existing advice out there for remote workers and you can help by connecting them with it.
Tip #4: Promote Healthy Habits
Did you know that you can promote healthy habits by encouraging your remote employees to take mini-breaks during the day, stretch away from their desk, and indulge in their favourite hobbies? Some businesses, like BGL Group, have even found that subsidising leisure, sports, and social events has had positive effects on their team.
Tip #5: Provide a Support System
Every employee needs an at-work support system, from the colleagues they work with right through to their reporting manager. It gives them a chance to seek help when they’re facing issues and is vitally important to overall workplace wellbeing. Therefore, you should encourage your remote team to check in with one another regularly and step up for each other when something arises.
Ross Clifford & Associates have always been a big believer in nurturing wellbeing in the workplace. We support our clients by building teams that work well together and hiring employees who are willing to go the extra mile. Contact us today to find out more.