Can’t switch off? Digital presenteeism could be to blame.
How so?
‘Presenteeism’ a term originally coined to describe people ‘showing up’ for work when they really shouldn’t, i.e. due to illness, now more commonly refers to the unhealthy and detrimental aspects of overcompensating at work; like arriving early, finishing late or skipping lunch for the sake of ‘commitment’.
Likewise, ‘Leavism’ refers to people using their flexitime or annual leave to cover sickness, look after dependents or even play ‘catch-up’ to get through their workload. With recent changes in the way we work, many of us are no longer in the office, yet we’re unable to fully feel the benefits of WFH due to digital presenteeism.
People are working at home more, yet they’re finding it harder than ever to switch off. The lack of physical visibility means there’s a constant stream of notifications through various channels and online platforms that were (ironically) created to make life easier.
A recent study by Liberty Games shows 38% of people surveyed are more likely to work longer hours whilst working from home. Remote working is highlighting the ingrained detrimental behaviours that many don’t even realise they’re doing, like feeling the need to respond to that work chat instantly for fear of bosses thinking they’re slacking off. Instead, they remain online, available and working, which will eventually take its toll.
Encouraging healthy habits
To prevent your team from feeling drained, encourage healthy habits to break the bad habits that come with WFH.
To help, we’ve put together a whole list of tips to create a positive WFH experience (which you can read here), however you can also encourage positive behaviours by:
- Avoid sending or responding to email after hours (people can’t help but have a sneaky glimpse if alerted).
- Work with your team to actively create a wellness strategy – who better to get onboard than those directly affected?
- Encourage people to turn off notifications if they’re trying to get into FLOW! If it’s urgent, pick up the phone.
- Instil trust and autonomy, so people know they can switch off when they need to.
- Talk about it! Positive change won’t happen without discussion.
For further guidance on creating a happy remote experience, get in touch with a member of the team at HappyHQ, happyhq.co.uk.
