There’s no question remote work is here to stay. In fact, career site Ladders predicts that 25% of all professional jobs in North America will be remote by the end of 2023.
This is good news for employees who consider work-life balance one of the biggest benefits of working from home. But what about the team members who find themselves working longer hours and struggling with setting boundaries when the office is always just a few steps away?
Many companies may not be doing enough to minimize the resulting burnout. According to a recent survey from Deloitte, unrealistic deadlines and consistently working long hours on the weekends are key drivers of burnout. What’s more, 31% of those surveyed cited lack of support or recognition from leadership as a contributing factor.
The future of work may depend on how you help your remote employees nurture healthy habits. Here are some creative ideas for rewarding your remote employees that can do just that.
Paid time off (PTO) is critical to avoiding burnout. Everyone needs time away to recharge their batteries.
Offer as much PTO as possible and encourage your employees to use it. If your corporate culture has an unspoken rule that discourages PTO, then you’ll need to start by getting leadership’s buy-in to shift that way of thinking.
Then, you’ll need to remind employees how beneficial time away from the office can be. During your remote status meetings, have each member of your team report when they’ll be out of the office to reinforce that your culture supports taking time off.
To further drive home the point, weave in vacation ideas for rewarding remote employees into your recognition program.
READ MORE: 5 Milestones to Mark With Employee Loyalty Rewards
Offer digital rewards for getting away such as:
According to a McKinsey survey, more than one-third of employees feel they have to be “always-on” or available 24/7 at work. Under a new law called “right to rest,” Portugal recently banned bosses from texting or emailing employees after hours.
Again, modeling boundaries starts at the top. So be sure to ask your team about their weekend plans, and if they mention work, let them know you’re expecting them to unplug and unwind.
Encourage them to leave their home office more often with digital rewards to:
In a recent Flexjobs survey of employees, the No. 1 reason people quit their jobs is a toxic work culture (62%). Burnout wasn’t far behind at 42%.
Coach your leaders on the signs of burnout and empower them to talk about the issues affecting their employees. The ideas for rewarding remote employees here can also be used when training your managers.
Offer incentives for attending training sessions, using themes to make the call for change more appealing:
Bottom line? The best thing you can do for your employees is lead by example. So if you’re feeling the symptoms of burnout, here’s your reminder to take a break and take action.
Now, it’s easier than ever to empower managers to reward employees, thanks to our new integration with Microsoft Teams. Learn more today!
BHN Rewards puts the power of digital rewards to work for marketers, researchers, and HR managers. Don't forget to check out all the great content in our Resources section!
BHN Rewards puts the power of digital rewards to work for marketers, researchers, and HR managers. Don't forget to check out all the great content in our Resources section!
