Employers encouraged to focus on remote worker wellbeing

WorkBuzz: Improve retention by focusing on employee wellbeing alongside their work

LONDON, ENGLAND — Employers with remote workers should be mindful of their mental wellbeing, suggests HR platform WorkBuzz in its recently released “State of Employee Engagement” report.

The report surveyed some 300 British companies and business leaders and found that HR’s top three priorities were: employee engagement and experience (44 per cent), attracting talent (35 per cent) and retaining talent (35 per cent).

Of the metrics HR leaders expressed concern about, these three outpaced all others by far. The only other factor that fell within even 15 percentage points of the others was company culture at 31 per cent.

Such findings align with recent developments in the UK labour market, amid skills gaps and other shortages that have businesses in tight competition for top talent.

However, two of these top concerns can be addressed by focusing on employees’ mental wellbeing, WorkBuzz said.

“Given the cost-of-living crisis and a potential recession, it’s important that employers keep wellbeing at the top of the agenda,” the organisation recommended.

“There is a risk that financial pressures will impact the mental and financial wellbeing of employees, compromising productivity and contributing to employee churn as people leave for higher salaries elsewhere.

“This creates an opportunity for forward-thinking organisations to learn from their response during the pandemic.

“Companies that were proactive in supporting employees to adjust to remote working, prioritised their wellbeing and demonstrated authentic leadership, gave their employees meaningful reasons to stay and enhanced their employer brands.

“In doing so, they insulated themselves against talent shortages in the wider labour market.”

Flexibility and wellbeing for remote workers

In fact, the tight competition for top talent is one major reason why most UK-based companies have shifted to varying forms of remote work, which remains highly desirable among UK workers.

Of the businesses surveyed by WorkBuzz for its report, some 53 per cent had adopted hybrid working models, with varying days in-office and remote.

Just eight per cent of businesses surveyed were fully in office, and an even lower three per cent were fully remote.

However, 25 percent gave their employees flexibility to choose how they want to work.

Even further, around a third of the businesses surveyed said they felt employee wellbeing improved over the last year, with a shift to remote working and “an increased awareness and interest in self-care” being cited as top reasons.

Taking it a step further, WorkBuzz recommended, “If your employees are working remotely, consider providing them with money to spend on home office equipment, as well as a workplace self-assessment on ergonomic safety.

“They will be more connected to you and more productive if you consider their wellbeing alongside their working patterns.”

Find the latest remote jobs in the UK via RemoteWorker.co.uk.

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References:

WorkBuzz, “State of Employee Engagement Report 2022”