Are you ready to handle WFH diversity?

Are you ready to handle WFH diversity? 

A survey of around 1,000 UK businesses by the Institute of Directors (IoD) has revealed how 74% are intending to keep to the home working regime they already have in place. 

More than half also have long-term plans to cut back on their use of physical workspaces. As Roger Barker, policy director at the IoD has pointed out, WFH isn’t good news for everyone: “Directors must be alive to the downsides. Managing teams remotely can prove far from straightforward, and directors must make sure they are going out of their way to support employees’ mental wellbeing.”

Downsides

Managers are struggling in the new context: 72% of senior executives have experienced poor mental health due to the pandemic experience (meaning insomnia (22%), lack of energy (31%) and anxiety and sadness (23%) according to Bupa’s Global Executive Wellbeing Index of 2,000 high-net-worth individuals.

58% of HR leaders say they believe the added strain of home working leads to stress and burn out (Mental Health Foundation research). Also, with more people being away from the workplace, fewer are taking holidays. An e-Days survey has suggested 37% of UK workers still have 14 or more days of holiday left to take until Christmas. 

Supporting diversity

EAPA chair Eugene Farrell said: “Employers are becoming much better at recognising the diversity of their people, more actively alert and willing to accommodate and respect difference, rather than expecting individuals to change themselves to suit the company culture. Now there’s a new – and bigger – challenge around WFH.

“Working from home works on a practical level for some and not others. Then there’s the more complicated level of psychology. More working-age people than ever live alone – so what does the prospect of being alone all day, with no workplace to go to, feel like? Even those living as part of big busy families can find being at home alone during the day something to dread. Long-term, all of these worries can turn into far more serious threats to mental wellbeing. 

“Most importantly of all HR need to make sure their people feel able to be open about their concerns, and that they know how to get help, via EAP resources and talking with EAPs. Managers need to be equipped to recognise signs of problems and know how they can help by flagging professional support.”