Issue #3: Let’s Stay Healthy
Encouraging good mental health among your workforce should always be a priority for organizations. This was always true, but with millions of workers still battling the anxiety of the pandemic - and all the uncertainty and changes that have come with it - executives, managers and companies at-large need to be more vigilant than ever.
Earlier this summer, HR Executive Magazine reported that 36% of remote workers reported a decline in mental health due to lack of appreciation and engagement from their employer, according to a Promoleaf survey. Just this past week, Business Insider highlighted the additional impact that the constant change in office plans and COVID guidance are having on remote workers. This is all in addition, of course, to the strain of a complete change in lifestyle that many have had to adopt for the past 18 months.
Want to make sure your organization is part of the solution? Here are 5 steps employers can take to support their employee's mental health.
Communicate 'return to office' plans as clearly as possible. With so much in flux and official guidelines continuing to evolve, it can be hard to make decisions for your organization on returning to the office. But it's critical the employees know if and how their routines will totally change! Additional guidelines around things like vaccine mandates and masking are all things people will want to understand, so don't gloss over them or roll out half-baked plans.
Give them lead time. So much anxiety comes from not knowing when a big change will come. As Dr. Benders-Hadi states "The difficulty with the shifting decisions and shifting priorities that come with the advancement of the pandemic is that it takes away from that [critical] planning time. If you're constantly needing to rethink, to reprioritize, it can make it extremely difficult to actually get to the point of being productive and accomplishing what you need to do." Give employees at least 4-8 weeks notice before any change is expected of them, and tell them immediately that they'll have at least that much notice, so they don't keep thinking the shoe will drop any moment.
Listen to employees' feedback. Want to know how employees will react to your 'return to office' plans? Ask them! Engaging with employees to understand their wishes and desires for an ideal work environment will help leadership make the right decision for the organization at large. No, you can't please everyone, but enlisting feedback will create better buy-in, a more nuanced policy and avoid major surprises and further reversals of policies that will whip-lash the whole organization.
Make them comfortable where they are. The Promoleaf survey found that 80% of remote workers felt their employers could do more to show appreciation for them. This could take many forms, from things like recognition, check-ins from managers, and mental health benefits to supplying needed supplies to make their home offices more ergonomic and effective.
Check on your team - and teammates. Remote work can make it hard for many to manage their work/life boundaries, leading to overworking and burnout. Make sure your managers are holding 1-1s and really connecting with their employees to check on their state and doing everything they can to support them. Not a manager? There's no reason you can't schedule a few virtual 'coffees' and see how your colleagues are doing. Even creating some of those casual social experiences can help us all feel more connected.
Tips & Recommendations
In the theme of Mental Health, here are app recommendations that anyone can use to reduce stress, increase your energy and improve your overall well-being.
Meditation
If you're new to meditation (or having a hard time making it a habit), check out one of these popular apps:
Sleeping
A good night's sleep can make all the difference in your day. Want to track your sleep? Try:
White Noise is shown to improve sleep. This app gives you all kinds of options:
Gratitude Journal
Practicing gratitude for the things you have has been shown to increase happiness and lower health-risks. There are a ton of options out there, but one of the most popular is the Gratitude: Journal App
Prefer an analog option? Check out the 5 Minute Journal
Health & Activity
Want to get exercise and get closer to nature at the same time? AllTrails is a great way to find hikes and nature walks in your area:
In the News
Dreaming of a tropical view while you catchup on Slack? We have good news!
Costa Rica has introduced a new 2-year visa specifically designed for Digital Nomads. In addition to upping the time visitors can stay from 90 days to 1-2 years, visa-holders will also be exempted from local income taxes, be to open local bank accounts and can drive in Costa Rica using their country’s license. Costa Rican Tourism Minister Gustavo Segura calls Costa Rica is an “ideal destination” for digital nomads, because of its high internet connectivity paired with warm weather and outdoor adventures like surfing and hiking.
Costa Rica isn't the first country to capitalize on the remote-work trend to drive tourism and investment in their countries. Check out this list of 20 Countries with Digital Nomad Visas.
...and one more thing
To celebrate the Digital Nomad lifestyle of working from anywhere, we want to feature a photo or two each week of someone enjoying their freedom and flexibility! (Send us your great photos here to be featured!)
In celebration of Costa Rica's new Digital Nomad visa, here are a few shots from my personal camera roll of the land of 'Pura Vida' from a few years back
