Remote work burnout, professional job stress, and employee emotional exhaustion during the COVID-19 pandemic PMC

Although many people feel happier now that remote work has become more popular, there are studies that indicate that remote work can lead to higher levels of depression due to isolation from everyday interactions. To avoid these dents to mental health, make sure you are practicing firm boundaries and self-care. With any job, there is the possibility for burnout or feeling overworked.

Studies suggest that almost 86% of remote workers experience burnout. Despite the fact that 1) 57% of workers would search for a new job if they couldn’t work remotely and 2) 65% said they wanted to work remotely all the time, many remote workers are struggling with serious burnout. Moreover, 32% of hybrid workers were open to taking a role with lower pay, as long as it meant they were also working remotely 5 days a week. Remote workers can feel disconnected without the right processes, tools, and strategies to improve company culture and employee experience.

Overcome Remote Work Burnout in 5 Steps

Remote work was feared by many employers due to the type of distractions that could arise. This type of perk has been a great selling point to attract talent for years. Even those passionate about their jobs are still stressed at work with 64% saying they are frequently stressed at work.

No team will make a drastic shift in how they operate if they don’t think you’re serious about it. Part of remote work burnout and general overwhelm can come from the sheer amount of apps or websites your team has to keep track of. Employees shouldn’t need to have five different tabs and apps open at a time just to do their job well. There are several reasons remote and hybrid work are driving more burnout. Working from home makes it impossible for workers to escape the source of their burnout.

Does remote work cause burnout?

Encourage self-care by creating a self-care day for your entire company. On that day, encourage every person in your organization to do whatever they https://remotemode.net/ need to do for self-care. Some people may use that day for a spa treatment, some might read, and others might do a physical activity like hiking.

• It is your responsibility to be aware of your behavior and speak to it with others.
• Some of the benefits remote workers celebrated back in the early days of the pandemic, like no commute and casual dress, have been overridden by feeling like you can’t ever step away from work.
• However, with intentionality and open communication, everyone is capable of overcoming remote work burnout.
• More than three-quarters of respondents agree that workplace stress affects their mental health, leading to depression or anxiety.
• Before you jump on email and get buried in the day-to-day workload, make time for this.
• But now, those instances almost feel like a distant dream you miss.
• That result included 38 percent of all remote workers and 28 percent of on-site employees.

When we talk of good work from home habits, creating a routine and sticking to it tops the list. Routines strengthen your mental health by reducing the number https://remotemode.net/blog/remote-work-burnout-fatigue-and-how-to-avoid-it/ of decisions you have to make in a day. Here are some tips and habits you can implement to take care of your mental health while working from home.

How Can Companies Reduce Remote Work Burnout?

Some studies following the pandemic have suggested that remote workers are more prone to feeling burnout because they don’t properly disconnect from their work. Although technology is a blessing, many workers feel like they can’t disconnect from their email or Slack leading to burnout. In 2023, approximately 12.7% of full-time employees work remotely, usually from home or a co-working space, while 28.2% work both remotely and visit the office (this is called the hybrid model). Across the world, 16% of organizations operate remotely, without a central office for their workers. While your company culture might support a healthy work-life balance, it’s up to you to stick to it.