Virtual Workplace Overwhelm
Managers are concerned about how to reduce virtual workplace overwhelm.
Compounding Stressors:
Workplaces were stressful even before the onset of the pandemic. According to the American Institute of Stress, 80 percent of US workers experienced stress on the job, and 26 percent reported that they were often or very often burned out or stressed out.
Flash forward to today. Those same employees now face new significant health, domestic and financial stressors, and isolation. In addition, they have limited options to address these issues. Consider as well that extreme uncertainty and insecurity will continue into the foreseeable future.
Get Clear On the Signs of Stress and Overwhelm
Not all managers and employees recognize the signs of stress, overwhelm, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In addition, some people hide or deny their experience because of embarrassment or fear of stigmatization and even discrimination.
Stable and certain environments are less likely to invoke a stress response. Connection and validation encourage a person to rebalance. Implementation of the options that follow will encourage both. These options give employees a greater sense of control over their circumstances as well as self-care practices to moderate their reactions to stressors. Management’s offer of assistance enhances employees’ sense of connection and commitment to their employers and restores a healthier, more balanced state.
Eight Ways to Reduce Overwhelm
- Offer a virtual workshop on the emotional, mental, and physical signs and symptoms of stress, overwhelm, and PTSD. Help employees identify if and where they are on this spectrum, and teach effective self-care practices to mitigate both causes and symptoms.
- Recommend that managers establish regular check-in meetings with their staff to gauge how well they are coping, and determine if there’s a need for assistance. Review and reassess work priorities and discuss public health and economic updates. Don’t avoid mentioning the worst-case scenarios.
- Build morale by making a greater effort to recognize and call out employee successes.
- Maintain open and transparent communication about plans and challenges the company or organization is facing.
- Create an internal online resource site. Post updates, health, and financial benefit reminders, hotline numbers, and referrals for various forms of assistance. Survey employees to determine other helpful topics.
- Take actions to minimize change. For example, avoid short notice or shifting meeting schedules. Set and respect reasonable work hours, and allow for sufficient personal time without interruptions.
- Allow employees to institute some personal flexibility in the workweek. Evolving circumstances may require adopting a modified work schedule temporarily or for the long term.
- Start an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Program content can be tailored to specific workplace needs. Through EAPs, employees gain access to additional resources to better address health, financial, and personal issues at work or at home.
Take A Step to Reduce Virtual Workplace Overwhelm
For many, virtual workplace stress is more intense and difficult to manage than pre-pandemic office stress. Adopting one or more of these suggestions will help to limit change and instability, provide additional staff benefits and resources, and validate the complex reality employees need to manage in their virtual workplaces.
For more information on reducing overwhelm, see
- Staff Development Workshop, in particular, Empower Staff to Be Stress Resilient;
- Blog posts The Benefits of Embracing Work-Life Flexibility and Aromatherapy For Stress Relief;
- Workplace Coaching; or
