Although the stigma around mental health is still persistent, taking care of mental health is just as important as your physical health. Anxiety, burnout, and frustrations are part and parcel of a workplace so taking care of our mental health should be an essential part of our work routine.  

Managing mental health is a challenge faced by all workers, whether onsite or remote workers. The pandemic brought us a rare opportunity to finally evaluate the benefits of remote work on our mental health. Although we don’t have enough research done at the moment due to the short time that remote work has become mainstream, it has been proven that remote work might help with mental health and coping with anxiety and stress. 

Although it would be untrue to say that remote work is all good and it doesn’t cause any mental health issues, it comes with benefits in facing challenges. In fact, most remote workers prefer to continue remote work, and those who were asked to return to physical offices come back to remote work after just a couple of months. 

Some reasons that many remote workers prefer to continue working remotely are: 

Decreased Discrimination 

One of the major benefits of working remotely is that you experience less discrimination compared to onsite work. Stereotyping and bullying are common in physical workplaces and people not only get discriminated against for the most common reasons like gender, race, or sexuality but also for minute details like height, weight, clothes, and physical appearance in general. Remote work helps victims of bullying and discrimination to regain their self-esteem and focus on their productivity rather than being on constant alert about when they will be bullied. 

Relief From a High-Pressure Environment 

Working from home is relaxing for many because the high-pressure environment of a physical office can be a major cause of anxiety for them. The pressure to fit in, look busy, and be likable throughout the day can take a toll on your mental health and result in burnout. When you are at home, you are relieved of the panic and stress of a physical office and only need to worry about your deadlines and work in peace. 

Free From the Stress of Daily Commute 

Commuting to work is an important part of the day. Traveling to and from the office can be taxing for workers. Many office workers get stuck in traffic for hours a day which causes a lot of stress for them and their families. On the other hand, people who use the subway or other types of public transportation suffer a different type of stress due to the huge crowd. This is also a point of concern for women and neurodivergent individuals in particular. Women get regularly harassed on public transport, and a neurodivergent suffers from sensory overload and the crowd and noise trigger their anxiety and stress. Commute-free work is one of the biggest attractions for remote workers and many opt to return to the remote work model after experiencing the stress of the daily commute.  

Better Work-Life Integration 

Work-life integration is a perk that comes with remote work and getting to spend more time with your loved ones helps with stress relief and anxiety. Also, with remote work, you get to have more time for yourself and be able to exercise, meditate and get healthy both physically and mentally.  

On the other hand, we can’t turn a blind eye to the negative effects of remote work on our mental health. Some of the major mental health struggles of remote workers are: 

Feelings of Loneliness and Isolation 

For most introverted and socially anxious individuals remote work is a godsend. On the other hand, remote work may seem like a punishment for the more social and extroverted individuals. The feelings of loneliness and isolation can affect the mental health of those working from home and is a serious issue that needs consideration. Consequently, companies with remote work models need to come up with solutions to help employees cope with these feelings.  

What can be done? 

To curb the feelings of loneliness and isolation, employers and managers can have virtual coffee sessions or virtual water cooler chats within the department. They can also organize company-wide groups so that employees can get together and talk about issues ranging from anything personal to company issues. These virtual get-togethers can help address the feelings of loneliness and isolation and help employees feel like a part of a community. Companies can also organize company dinners at regular intervals throughout the year so that employees can meet and get to know their colleagues better.  

On a personal level, remote workers can have their own community of remote workers in their cities and plan meet-ups to hang out together and share their concerns and achievements.  

Imposter Syndrome 

At some point, we might feel inadequate and not quite fit for our jobs and feel like at any moment we will be caught and called out for being a fraud. Psychologists call this imposter syndrome. Everyone gets apprehensive from time to time and feels like an imposter at their workplace, but it is even more common in remote workers. Feelings of isolation and loneliness can add up and make us feel like we are just playing a part, and that we do not belong in our workplace. This can result in increased anxiety and stress and lowered self-esteem.  

What can be done? 

Regular check-ins and encouragement from managers can help employees fight the feeling of being an imposter at work. Similar to what physical workspace managers do, remote managers and leaders must celebrate the achievements of their employees to encourage and motivate them. They can: 

• Have a thread just for achievements and their celebrations 
• Personally call and congratulate the employee 
• Blast out emails to the whole department praising achievements 

By using such measures, remote managers can make sure that employees have a sense of belonging in the organization and that they are appreciated so that they do not suffer from imposter syndrome. 

Presenteeism 

Working from home means that you do not get to take sick leaves since you are already at home. So, what else can you do about it? This has given a rise to presenteeism in remote employees. Presenteeism is when you go to work despite being sick as you have work to do, or your boss wouldn’t simply let you, and sadly it is a habit on which many employees are praised and applauded. This behavior, however, does not only have a negative impact on productivity but also puts a strain on the relationship of trust and respect between employees and managers. The expectation to be present despite being sick can put extra pressure on remote workers and they may hide the fact they are mentally or physically suffering. This can only worsen their condition and in the long run, it may lead to productivity issues for the company.  

What can be done? 

Employers need to assure their employees that it is acceptable or even encouraged to take a day off when they are suffering from any health issues and that it wouldn’t reflect badly on them. Remote workers themselves should also know their limits and shouldn’t push themselves to the brink of burnout. It is also essential to keep open communication with your manager and build your relationship on mutual trust. Companies like Netflix and Genashtim Pte Ltd have taken the initiative to give their employees unlimited days off without tracking them.  

Coping with mental health while working remotely 

Mental health issues are a reality that can’t be ignored. Both companies and remote workers need to come up with innovative ways to combat mental health issues that come with working remotely. Since remote work is here to stay, the issues that come with it can be properly resolved as the benefits are far bigger than the inconveniences. Many remote workers still prefer to stay and even go remote again when they go back to their pre-pandemic routine. Most have gotten used to working from home and its perks and can’t go back to the stressful routine of going back to physical offices. Remote workers as well as remote companies have come up with solutions to curb feelings of isolation, loneliness, and anxiety.  

Companies like Genashtim Pte Ltd ensure that their employees have better mental health. From providing in-house therapists to virtual group activities as well as intermittent company get-togethers, Genashtim is striving to ensure a better work environment for its 100% remote employees.  

Genashtim has also launched a remote job portal to help remote employees find remote jobs without fear of being scammed and deceived. JEDI Jobs by Genashtim is a platform for both remote workers and remote companies to meet at the same location and find reputable employers and employees. You can register here for JEDI Jobs and check out global companies offering remote roles.