Our approach to work has changed as a result of the coronavirus epidemic and social distancing. The slowly developing work-from-home culture has given way to a sudden change in the way we work. Unexpectedly, most office employees have found themselves in a new reality, yet only a few previously worked from home for just 1 or 2 days. This new way of working might be very difficult for them.
Even the people who have worked from home on a long-term basis, such as IT or marketing employees, face some difficulties: organisation of remote work used to be much easier. Today, however, they have to re-invent it, taking into account that their family are also at home and that they have to get involved in school duties.
Most employers are not planning to let their employees back into their offices within the next six months. Some of them have finally given up on conventional offices and have been working on a remote basis for several months without any detriment to their companies. Others use job rotation, or open offices to the few: only those who cannot work from home because of their duties or because they lack appropriate conditions to do so.
According to the Well.Hr – Na Zdrowie study, the vast majority (95%) of employees in Poland are happy with the possibility of remote work. Home office is no longer an argument in the recruitment process. For many applicants, it is a necessary condition when they consider a given offer.
Work from home used to be treated as a kind of benefit that only involves advantages. Employees who had the opportunity to work from home on a part-time basis stressed that they saved time and were more efficient. Naturally, in this context, the situation has not changed. However, there are new kinds of exposures with extended home-office working hours and changes in working conditions. By looking after the health and well-being of this occupational group, you can improve their health condition, but also make them even more effective and engaged in their duties.
The working conditions of remote employees are not strictly controlled by their employer. Most remote employees experience problems similar to those of office employees: they work in a forced body posture and spend many hours in front of a computer. When working from home, they are tempted to work on a couch, while lying down or sitting in a non-ergonomic way. It is important to educate and support them with ergonomic audits. In this case, a remote online audit is a great solution, and it can be accompanied by ergonomic training that can provide the necessary knowledge on how to organise a workplace at home.
Increasing the muscle strength and learning healthy habits while doing sports contribute to good health and well-being, despite working in imperfect conditions. Providing employees with the access to an online training platform guarantees the possibility of participating in various types of physical activities. The platform is an excellent way to reduce various complaints affecting employees’ musculoskeletal systems, and make your brand more attractive as an employer.
Remote employees may feel stressed and isolated. Phone consultations with a psychologist help cope with excessive stress and a feeling of isolation, which may otherwise lead to depression and mood disorders, consequently reducing your employees’ efficiency.
As we mentioned earlier, many employees are seriously struggling with the challenge of working from home and having to cope with their ever-present family, their needs, the need to take care of children and helping them with their education. These may be sources of stress. We can help them with a webinar during which employees will learn how to reconcile work and family responsibilities, how to relieve stress, or how to prevent weight gain due to the isolation and their ongoing stay at home.
