Let’s face it: working from home really isn’t for everyone. Some get burned out because they don’t know when to stop working. Others flounder because they also need to take care of their kids while working.
Clearly, some people are better suited to connecting with people on a regular basis and working with a set routine, both of which are part of the traditional office experience.
But because of spread of the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year, companies have asked employees to start working from home. After several months, many have gotten used to the rhythm of remote work – while others have struggled.
There are three types of employees who may be affected by a remote work arrangement:
- Extroverts – They thrive on social interaction. If extroverts are isolated, they’re more likely to get bored and depressed, which can make decision-making more difficult.
- Inexperienced employees – Neophyte workers might not have the acumen and understanding to act independently when working from home. If they need direction or approval, they may struggle to adjust.
- Senior employees – They’re at the top for a reason – they’re used to performing at a high level. Remote work may hamper their ability to do so, and this increases the risk of depression.
This, however, doesn’t mean that veteran remote workers are not affected at all. Some may feel confined because other members of their family are now working or studying from home as well.
Signs an employee is struggling with working from home
Prolonged periods of isolation can cause changes to behaviour. So how do you know a remote employee is having difficulty with the setup? Here are some of the symptoms to watch out for.
- Irritability – Everyone gets annoyed at some point, but struggling people experience it more easily. They have a short fuse.
- Committing more mistakes – People don’t perform as well when highly stressed. This results in slipshod work that’s turned in late and comes with many errors.
- Distractedness – Your employee seems inattentive or preoccupied during activities like video calls.
- Forgetfulness – Do your employees fail to remember basic things (e.g. recording customer info, not following instructions)?
- Use of negative and emotional language – They speak in absolutes, but use negative terms (e.g. “This is hopeless”) or assume the worst (e.g. “My career is over”).
- Absenteeism – Does an employee take time off more frequently?
How to approach a struggling remote employee
It’s reasonable to feel apprehensive about approaching an employee. After all, you don’t want to overstep your boundaries, especially if you don’t have a close working relationship with that person.
But as a leader, you can’t just accept underperformance. It can fester on your team and affect your business goals. Here are some suggestions on how to address the matter:
- Before you act, ask someone the employee is close with for insight, but do so confidentially. Look for evidence that you’re wrong about your observations.
- Talk to the employee directly, but be calm and don’t judge. If they feel threatened, they might not be honest with you. Convey an earnest desire to know and listen intently to what they have to say.
- Be compassionate. Tell them it’s fine to not feel okay. Share your own struggles in working from home.
How to address remote employee performance issues
You still have a job to do: help your struggling employee get out of their funk and back to productivity. Here are a few ways how.
- Make sure the person is coachable. Otherwise, any effort to help them out won’t work.
- Put together a plan on how to help your affected employees. Not every approach is going to work. Some may need coaching while others probably just need regular human interaction.
- Introduce an employee assistance program which helps workers with personal and/or work-related concerns that affect their health, mental and emotional well-being, and job performance.
- Schedule regular meetings to check in on them. This would let you keep track of how they’re doing. Ask them if there’s anyone they trust who can give feedback on their progress. This conveys a positive message: that you want it to work while helping them feel comfortable.
- Offer to arrange access to affordable professional therapy or fitness coaching to help them cope.
- Praise and reward positive results. Consider that it takes effort to change. This would help reinforce their behaviour.
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