Flexible and remote work arrangements have remained highly sought after, but working from home has also tasked employees with drawing boundaries between their professional and personal lives.
According to McKinsey’s American Opportunity Survey, 58 percent of Americans have the option to work from home at least one day per week — including in blue-collar positions. Additionally, the survey found that flexibility was the third most important factor in job searches, following higher pay and better opportunities.
Still, many professionals find that the comforts and conveniences of remote work come with significant downsides.
Recent research by the Integrated Benefits Institute found that 27 percent of remote workers said it had become harder to balance job and family responsibilities. A majority of executives also said that remote work had a negative impact on the mental health of team members.
For companies, delivering a positive remote or hybrid work experience hinges upon a carefully considered approach that values healthy work-life balance with clear boundaries. By understanding telework’s downsides, leaders can begin laying the groundwork to build a great remote work culture.
It’s not just about the initial swing; it’s about the follow-through.
Learn how EDB has created systems that protect team members’ time and well-being.
EDB provides customers with PostgreSQL software to cut database spend and break away from costly proprietary solutions.
When leading a remote team, what are some of your best practices for protecting your team members’ time?
One of the hazards of working remotely is the tendency to always be available. Setting clear work hours and expectations is crucial, especially for a team that spans multiple time zones. Using a delayed delivery for Slack messages and emails helps prevent the feeling of having to respond when it is after hours. When scheduling meetings, it's important to set clear expectations, ensure the right people are involved and be prepared. Everyone is busy, so make sure your meetings start on time — and remember, it's OK to end early.
One of the hazards of working remotely is the tendency to always be available. Setting clear work hours and expectations is crucial.”
What role does technology play in helping you protect your team members’ time?
We use Slack and Google Docs a lot. It's much easier to start a Slack group or conversation to discuss something at the moment instead of trying to schedule a meeting in the future when all parties are available. Our team is very collaborative, so working in shared documents is a convenient way to ensure work gets completed despite many of us being in different time zones.
What benefits have you seen by taking a thoughtful approach to protecting team members’ time?
Removing nonessential meetings has increased our team’s productivity. Connecting on Slack or a shared document is far less disruptive than jumping in and out of meetings all day. Having clear expectations around work hours and the ability to use those times flexibly also allows the team to plan their day accordingly. Not only can they prioritize their daily tasks, but it also allows boundaries for a good work-life balance.
EDB has been exceptional in supporting employees' well-being. The company provides resources that support employee mental and physical health and well-being globally, as well as Wellness Fridays on a monthly basis, where staff are encouraged to log off and do what is needed to recharge in order to be successful in their personal and professional lives.
