Remote workers have taken on the burden of keeping businesses going while the pandemic rages on in the outside world. They have turned their kitchen tables into office/school hybrids and are doing their best to do their jobs under stressful conditions. While about 10% of the workforce has already learned the ropes of working from home long ago, many companies were holdouts and their employees had to learn the ropes instantly and under extreme duress. Now that we know that many jobs can be done from home, working from home may become the new normal. It takes a lot of trust to make it work, however.
Remote workers experience better work/life balance, find their productivity and focus improve, and report less stress than when they worked in the office. Employers see benefits to remote workers, too. Fewer workers in the office means less office expense, and having a remote workforce means wider access to talent as employers aren’t confined to their geographic locations.
Unfortunately with the rapid transition to remote work, employers are making changes that are unexpected and uncomfortable, both for them and for their employees. This may lead to managers being overzealous and demanding of employees, and it can also lead to employees overworking themselves in an attempt to prove their value.
In order for businesses and employees both to succeed during the transition to remote work, there needs to be an environment of trust. Employees who feel trusted at work report more energy, better engagement, less stress, and are less likely to experience burnout.
You hired your employees to do a job, and if you don’t trust them to be able to do it at home how did you trust them to do it in your office? Let people set their own goals and pace – there is a deeply rooted human need to reach goals, and trusting employees to reach their own goals will lead to a better work environment for everyone.
Learn more about the psychology of trusting remote workers from the infographic below.
Source: Online Psychology Degrees
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Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
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