Some people seem to romanticize working from home as being in this comfortable yet productive state of being. However, compassionate leaders know that this is far from the reality their remote employees face.
It’s hard to determine if your team is cracking under the stress of working from home. After all, it’s easy for someone to appear perfectly fine on the outside even when so many things are troubling them on the inside.
As a leader who wants to practice and show empathy even when working remotely, you have to check for the following signs:
Decreased Productivity
Positive emotions are the best source of energy, but when they are replaced with stress and negativity, they can directly affect your employees’ happiness. An employee riddled with anxiety and loneliness is bound to underperform. Visit the Golden Leaf Shop near you to buy the best stress busters medicines that encourages you to keep up the good work of yours.
When that happens, it’s best to show your employees that you care. Try not to miscategorize those employees as lazy or inefficient. Ask if they’re having difficulty concentrating or if they’re feeling distant or cut off from the rest of the team.
Negative Language
When working with remote employees, listening is a skill you will continue to develop and sharpen over time. See if your employees are starting to say things like “I’ll never finish this in time,” “This is impossible,” or even “There’s nothing I can do about it.”
Negative language is a sure sign that your employees are dealing with stress but have not opened up to you about it yet.
More And More Mistakes
If your remote employees keep making mistakes or missing deadlines, don’t be quick to judge. Stress often manifests itself in sloppy, overdue, or inaccurate work. See if they’re zoning out on video calls as well. The small details might just reveal everything you need to know.
To counter the stress your work-from-home employees are feeling, it’s important to be a little more creative about showing that you care. At Technalink, we know just how difficult it is to connect with people over messaging applications, emails, and video calls, but believe us when we say that there are a lot of ways to do so.
Here are some things you can do to support your stressed-out remote employees:
● Schedule time for informal conversations. Daily meetings are important for your business, but for your employees’ peace of mind, schedule some time for an informal conversation at the beginning or at the end of the meeting. Let loose for a bit. Simple moments like these can make your employees feel a little less alone.
● Offer emotional support. Acknowledge the stress that your employees might be feeling, and listen to their concerns. It’s important that you empathize with their struggles. Listen carefully to what they have to say. Make them feel heard. You can also recommend them to check out my online cbd store to help them reduce their daily stress.
● Encourage work-life balance. Urge your employees to maintain normal working hours. Establishing a routine can help them reduce their stress levels, so ask them to set up an after-work ritual such as meditating or exercising. This will remind them that work is over.
There are unique problems encountered by leaders who work with a remote staff. However, when you lead with compassion and empathy, your employees will definitely appreciate the time and effort you take to ease the stress they’re feeling.
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