Telework is often thought to have many benefits, such as being able to work freely from home without having to commute, but continuing to telework for a long period of time can lead to unexpected stress. What measures should a company take to deal with such stress? In this article, we will explain in detail the characteristics of employees who tend to accumulate stress due to telework and how to relieve stress.
Table of contents
Characteristics of employees who are prone to stress due to telework
I have summarized the characteristics of employees who are prone to stress in telework into three major categories. Let’s take a closer look.
Young
Younger employees are most likely to be stressed by telework. This is because there are many young people who have started teleworking without being able to build human relationships within the company, so it is often difficult to receive support and advice from those around them. I could easily ask questions in the office, but telework makes it difficult to ask questions because you can’t see the other person. It is not surprising that young workers are becoming more stressed with telework, which requires them to work autonomously. In addition, not being able to get recognition for the completed work, or not being able to make use of the ideas in the work, is one of the reasons why it is easy to accumulate stress.
Many companies are busy with BCP measures due to the impact of the corona disaster, and are unable to turn their efforts to training young employees. Under such circumstances, there is great anxiety about not being able to see the long-term prospects, and since there are no role models nearby, it is difficult to understand what kind of future image should be drawn.
living alone
It has been found that people who live alone tend to be more anxious and stressed than those who live with them because they have no one to communicate with. In the office, there are opportunities to chat with colleagues, and it is difficult to feel lonely, but when you live alone, you have to spend time alone not only during work but also after work.
In addition, it is easy to get lazy because it is not visible, and it is easy to rest in bed or watch TV or cartoons. It seems to be one of the reasons that it is difficult to concentrate in such an environment and it is difficult to achieve results at work. Telework living alone is more stressful than expected for people who tend to feel lonely.
person waiting for instructions
In telework, it is difficult to receive step-by-step instructions from the boss or to casually ask questions about unclear points. Telework is not suitable for people who are the type of people who wait for instructions from their superiors. I don’t know what to do, so it’s hard to get results online, and my boss can’t see the process of working, so it tends to be difficult to evaluate. It is difficult to feel whether or not they are contributing to their work.
What is the cause of stress that tends to accumulate in telework?
What is the cause of stress in telework? I will divide it into three parts and explain in detail.
get lonely
When teleworking, you will be working alone, and you will only have minimal conversations with other people. If you continue teleworking for days without coming to the office, you may feel a strong sense of loneliness because you will not have the opportunity to chat with your colleagues or superiors, and you will not be able to consult with anyone about work. When you work in the office, you can keep your motivation high because you can see your colleagues doing their best, but when you work from home, you have to motivate yourself.
If you leave the feeling of loneliness unattended, your work productivity may decline, or you may be forced to quit your job due to a decrease in loyalty. Not only is it stressful, but it can also cause psychological illnesses like depression, so be careful.
Dealing with daily sounds and family
People who have a study will have less of a problem, but some people have to work in the living room or the like. It must be said that teleworking with a family gathering is an environment where it is extremely difficult to concentrate on work because the sounds of daily life such as children’s voices and cooking sounds are constantly heard. . If it’s the sound of daily life at home, it’s fine, but you may also be able to hear the footsteps of people upstairs and the voices of your neighbors.
If your partner is also working from home, you may need to have a video conference at the same time. If you have to be together for a long time, your work won’t go as planned, and you’ll accumulate stress, which can lead to fights and domestic violence.
longer working hours
One thing that tends to happen with telework is that some people try to work long hours to force themselves to produce results so they don’t think they’re slacking off. Also, there are people who work lazily because they are not monitored and work all day. Telework allows you to work when you want, but if you can’t do your work efficiently, you’ll end up working long hours, which can lead to stress. It is important to remember that telework, which is often thought of as a way of working freely, can be less efficient and stressful than working in an office depending on how it is done.
I can’t change my mind
People who are looking forward to commuting to the office for a change of pace, or who are looking forward to having lunch near the office or having a drink after work, will have fewer opportunities to change their minds when teleworking. It will end up. Whether it’s taking a walk near your house, finding a place to get in touch with nature, or finding a nice place to have lunch, it’s important to find a place to de-stress near your home.
How to relieve stress when working from home
Stress builds up before you know it, and you may find yourself in a state of physical and mental discomfort. It’s a good idea to spread out as often as possible. I’ll show you how to get it out in a specific way.
regular life
When I telework, I often wake up late in the morning, and on the contrary, I often continue working until late at night. It’s not uncommon for people to switch between day and night when there’s no monitoring and it’s performance-based. If you lead such a life, your autonomic nerves will be disturbed, and you may lose your physical condition, or you may become irritated by a little thing.
You can maintain your physical and mental health by maintaining a rhythm in your life, such as waking up on time and eating on time. Even at home, grooming your hair and wearing clean clothes can help. When you’re done with work, you should be able to change into your loungewear and have a clear turn on and off.
keep in touch
If you feel a strong sense of isolation during telework or are worried about the future, we recommend that you consciously communicate with others. One of the easiest ways to do this is to communicate with colleagues and superiors frequently using chat tools. It also leads to improved teamwork and makes it easier to be released from the loneliness of working alone.
Holding a remote drinking party is not only a great way to get your team together and create a good atmosphere, but it can also be a great way to reduce feelings of loneliness while working remotely. In a relaxed atmosphere, you can discuss things that are difficult to talk about during work, and you can also confide in your worries. It will also be an opportunity to talk with members and newcomers that you don’t usually talk to.
light exercise
Telework does not require commuting, so there are fewer opportunities to go out, and it tends to be a lack of exercise. If you work for a long time at the computer in the same posture, your shoulders and neck will become stiff, and your eyestrain will become stronger. When you’re feeling stressed or not making progress at work, make time to actively move your body by taking a walk or stretching. Exposure to sunlight and being in nature at parks and other places not only stabilizes your mind, but can also give you new ideas.
Telework stress relief methods and countermeasures that companies should take
As a company, how can we relieve the stress that tends to build up in telework? I tried to summarize the measures into three. Let’s take a closer look.
stress check
Since 2015, workplaces with 50 or more employees are required to undergo stress checks. By answering questions about work and the workplace in a question-and-answer format, you can find out whether you are accumulating stress that you are not aware of. Mental health problems are invisible. By doing stress checks regularly, you will be able to notice it early. If stress is high, you can consult a doctor and take measures such as thinking about improving the working environment.
Strengthening the consultation system
Teleworkers have to work with anxiety about whether they are properly evaluated by their bosses and colleagues. Supervisors such as bosses need to have regular interviews using tools such as web conferencing, and create a system that allows consultation at any time. Make sure to check if there are any abnormalities in the complexion or behavior of your subordinates. The sooner you notice a problem, the sooner you can take action.
Implementation of morning stretches, etc.
If you hold an online morning meeting or hold a morning stretch before work, you can have the opportunity to meet regularly even if you are teleworking, and you can eliminate the feeling of loneliness. At that time, if you create an atmosphere where you can chat as well as talk about work, active communication will be promoted between employees.
Recommended IT tools for stress-free telework
NotePM
NotePM is an “internal version of Wikipedia” that specializes in sharing knowledge. It is characterized by being strong in searches and easy to organize information, and is highly evaluated in terms of “ease of use and introduction” on major IT product review sites (ITreview).
Features of NotePM
- Manual creation, version control, file sharing function
- Powerful search function. Full-text search in PDF and Excel
- It can also be used as an in-house FAQ/question box and an in-house portal.
- Advanced security that banks and universities have also introduced. Information can be shared safely
Aipo
Aipo is a groupware with a lot of functions that make it easier for teams to work together. Since you can purchase from one function, you can start by selecting the minimum necessary functions such as chat, calendar that allows you to grasp team schedules at a glance, and workflow. The interface is simple, easy to use, and intuitive. It has a high level of security, such as IP address restrictions, prohibition of sending and receiving files, and recording in event logs, and is also used by large companies.
Features of Aipo
- Start with the minimum necessary functions (Cost can be kept down)
- Eliminate useless functions and select and use only the functions you need
- Fast and courteous chat support
Slack
Slack is the world’s most popular business chat tool. It is used in more than 100 countries and is used by more than 500,000 people every day in Japan.
Features of Slack
- No. 1 popular chat tool
- Easily share files of any type
- Can be linked with over 1500 external services
- Free video and voice calls. You can share your screen while talking
Backlog
Backlog is the No. 1 project management system in Japan provided by Nulab. It is basically a cloud type, but we also provide an on-premise type for enterprises.
Features of Backlog
- Project management system with No. 1 market share in Japan
- User-friendly design and operability
- Gantt chart, Git linkage, Kanban function
Zoom
Zoom is a web conferencing system provided by Zoom Video Communications in the United States.
Features of Zoom
- Stable environment even with 100 or more simultaneous connections
- Easy web conferencing just by sharing the URL
- Record video and audio of web conferences in the cloud
- Virtual background (function for people who do not want to show the room)
fondesk
is a telephone answering service for you who want to concentrate on your work. Received calls will be notified by chat or email without leaking. You can check the history on your smartphone and never miss an important call. You can improve your work efficiency by making your phone calls smarter. Recommended for companies that want to improve productivity by streamlining in-house telephone brokerage, and companies that want to shift to a telework system or want to make their in-house telephone response to the cloud in order to achieve both work and telework.
Features of Fondesk
- Receiving phone calls for companies and offices, notifying the content of calls via chat and email
- You can start using it today by applying online. In about 10 minutes, the operator can immediately start responding
- Services that can be introduced from a basic monthly fee of 10,000 yen
summary
How was it. Telework has many benefits, but it is important to be aware that invisible stress tends to accumulate due to loneliness. Conduct regular stress checks, meetings, etc., and check early on whether employees have any problems or malfunctions. In order to reduce the stress of telework, it is essential to maintain IT tools. One way to create a stress-free telework environment is to use an in-house wiki.
