Telecommuting: how to keep your employees fit and healthy

19-09-19

Teleworking, in all its forms, is here to stay. More and more people choose to exchange their office environment for a place at a flexible desk, at home or elsewhere, one or more days a week. This helps to avoid traffic jams, pick up the children from school on time, or work without distractions. But is working alone at home all day long really healthy?

Balancing work and private life is the challenge in any office environment. As an employer, you can partly supervise this, but in the end, your employees decide for themselves how they organise their working day, including when they work from home. But with the right stimulus, you can help them focus on a fit and healthy body while telecommuting. Use these tips to get them started: 

Tip 1: Work towards a healthy lifestyle

Get up!

Sitting down is the new smoking. The hours you spend sitting down every day increase the risk of all kinds of health problems in the long run. When combined with poor eating and drinking habits, it reduces your productivity. Working from home usually means saving time. Take advantage of it and go for a walk or get some exercise during your break. Or make it a point to move around your home or workplace every time you make a phone call. 

Choose healthy snacks

Eat healthy foods and large enough portions to suppress the tendency to snack. Feeling a little peckish? Choose healthy snacks such as fruit or nuts. Avoid caffeinated drinks as much as possible and drink plenty of water instead.

Want to know more about healthy eating at home and at work and why exercise pays off? Then read our blog about the new food and exercise pyramid.

Tip 2: Find the right balance

The impact of telecommuting on mental well-being is different for everyone. However, it is important to pay attention to some common pitfalls: too many distractions or the lack of social interaction. Here’s how to deal with these issues:

Keep work and private life separate

Working in the silence of the home can be inspiring for some and a source of distractions for others. Can you control the hustle and bustle of your playing children or pets? Are you able to resist the mountain of household chores or the lure of social media? Telecommuting can lead to more stress than initially considered. Therefore, it’s crucial to find the right work-life balance.

Draw up a clear work schedule for each day in which you also plan sufficient breaks. This way, you set deadlines for yourself and have time to relax in the evening. It also helps to use a workspace where you can work in isolation. As soon as your working day is over, you close off your space and you no longer answer emails.

Maintain contact with colleagues

If you often work from home, contact with colleagues can become diluted. Then there is a real chance that you will feel excluded from what is happening in the office. So use online platforms to communicate with your boss and colleagues regularly. Ask questions or respond to messages from others. This way, you stay involved with the ins and outs of your team.

Also remember to strategically plan your telecommuting days. Have you got a (staff) meeting? Make sure you can be there in person.

What can Mensura do for you?

Mensura EDPB helps you to create the optimal working conditions. This way, you not only boost the satisfaction and well-being of your employees, but their motivation and performance as well. Ask for more information at no obligation.