Experts are observing the effects of this on mental health and companies have a duty of care towards their employees. How can businesses help their employees achieve a healthy work-life balance and promote social interaction, and what role do digital technologies play in this?
Positive effects of hybrid working on mental health
Hybrid working can have both positive and negative effects on mental health. Positives include:
Flexible schedule and increased autonomy
Home working can provide a more flexible schedule as well as greater autonomy and control over one’s work environment, enabling individuals to manage their time better and accommodate personal needs, such as childcare or exercise, which can enhance job satisfaction and reduce stress.
Control of disruptions
If a hybrid worker needs to focus deeply on a project, they can do so on their home office days, where they can create a quiet working environment without external disruptions.
Additional personal time
According to Psychology Today 66% of hybrid workers reported improved mental well-being due to the additional personal time, and figures from Fortune show that 81% have more personal time to spend with others or on their health and well-being. This extra time is mainly gained by eliminating the daily commute on work-from-home days.
Reduced stress from commuting
Commuting can also mean stress, with long journeys to work, heavy traffic and congestion, lots of transfers on local and long-distance public transport, difficult weather conditions, etc. If hybrid workers no longer have to commute every day, this can therefore reduce stress.
Improved access for disabled people
Home working can also be easier for people with physical needs and disabilities. The personal homes of people with physical disabilities are usually already adapted to their physical needs.
A less challenging environment for neurodivergent people
Neurodivergent people may want to avoid crowds of people in the office and during the commute. Therefore, working from home may be a more suitable and comfortable environment for them to work, as well as being able to adjust their work environment to suit their individual needs and requirements.
Improved sleep
Without the need to commute daily and with the ability to organise management of work hours on their own, hybrid workers have more time available for rest or sleep, which is crucial for mental health. A recent study on hybrid workers published by the International Workplace Group (IWG) showed that respondents reported getting an extra 71 hours in bed per year compared to before they were hybrid working.
Potential challenges of hybrid working that can affect mental health
Despite the benefits, hybrid working can also lead to several mental health challenges. Common issues could include:
Isolation and loneliness
Many remote workers report feeling isolated and lonely. Nearly two-thirds of people working from home feel isolated or lonely at least sometimes, and 17% feel this way all the time. Additionally, 81% of under-35s fear loneliness from long-term home working.
Lack of personal interactions
Whilst online communication tools are great for many interactions, they can lack the personal nuances of a face-to-face conversation such as body language or impromptu/social conversations which come from more natural interactions.
Difficulty mentally disconnecting
More than two-thirds of employees who work from home at least part of the time report having trouble disconnecting from work at the end of the day. One reason for this may be that working and living takes place in the same physical space, which makes it more difficult to mentally separate both. The lack of separation can lead to increased stress, anxiety, burnout and decreased mental well-being.
Out-of-hours working
Hybrid workers may feel pressure to continue working outside normal working hours. A recent Remote Work survey by Forbes Advisor found that when it comes to out-of-hours work habits for remote workers, 37% found themselves completing administrative work compared to just 30% of office-based workers, and 27% made work-related phone calls compared to just 19% of those based in an office.
Lack of structured routine
It can be a challenge to maintain a structured routine if boundaries become blurred with hybrid working. The lack of a structured daily routine that an office environment can provide can have a negative impact on mental well-being, sleep patterns and stress levels.
Musculoskeletal problems
Working from non-ergonomic setups, like sofas or beds, has led to musculoskeletal issues for many. Nearly half (48%) of people who work from a sofa or bedroom have developed such problems. Living with pain and discomfort also has a direct effect on mental health.
Lack of team cohesion
Being part of a team in an office setting can enhance a sense of belonging and teamwork but can be harder to achieve with hybrid working.
Social Media distractions
According to a study by the journal New Technology Work and Employment, 75% of people who work remotely reported spending time scrolling social media when they should have been working. Other social media distraction statistics say 75% of Americans cite digital notifications as the reason for an inability to focus at work. However, many social media platforms become tools for business, making this line naturally blurring. Platforms like LinkedIn for instance also offer work-related content on new legislation, trends, good practice etc.
How to better support employees and their mental health
There are a number of positive things an employer can do to help support the mental health of its employees, which could include:
Find the best compromise for workers and the business
Having a choice as to whether they want to work in an office, a home/remote working location, or a hybrid combination of these enables employees and the business to find the best solution that encompasses the needs of the business, along with the mental health and well-being needs of the individual and their work/life balance.
Clearly define the expectations of hybrid working
Statistics show that people working at home do 2.5 hours extra compared to solely working in the office. Employers should regulate the working framework conditions to prevent possible overload for employees.
Encourage social interaction
Build connections and create opportunities both inside and outside the office for regular dialogue and teamwork to combat loneliness and isolation.
Provide additional training for business leaders on mental health and wellbeing
It can be harder to see signs of people struggling with mental health due to hybrid working when they work remotely. Managers need to be educated on the signs of potential problems and be proactive about checking mental health and providing training on how to respond appropriately.
Adopt a mental health policy
Develop a comprehensive mental health policy to outline how employees can raise concerns and find support for their needs which is easy and discreet to use, to preserve confidentiality.
Regular check-ins to ensure mental health and wellbeing
Ensure staff regularly check-in and give feedback on whether they have any mental health or well-being issues or require further support – particularly if they work remotely and face-to-face interactions are less common. Encourage them to speak openly without fear. Support needs to be available for everyone who needs it. This could be included in engagement surveys or pulse surveys, and leaders could be given support to help better understand how their teams are feeling.
Offer mental health resources and benefits
Provide access to mental health resources such as counselling services and employee assistance programs. Consider introducing benefits for employees to support their overall well-being, such as offering free/subsidised gym membership or organised group fitness sessions at the work premises if suitable, encouraging walking meetings, or charity challenges that encourage step counting, healthcare support, GP services or support such as healthy eating guidelines. Leaders should also role model healthy habits and behaviours.
Encourage your employees to self-care for mental health
It is vital to encourage employees to do something for their mental health on their own as well. For example, daily exercise is also linked to good mental health as well as having wider health benefits. This could include taking a daily stroll or more organised walking/running with colleagues to set distance targets, all of which promote physical health but also give a break from the working environment which is also beneficial for mental health.
Provide the right working environment
Ensuring the correct set-up when home working is critical, and organisations should offer DSE risk assessments for their employees to reduce risks. Support should also be offered for any employees who have other needs - for example those who are neurodivergent or have a long-term health condition or disability and may have additional requirements.
Digital technologies to support a positive impact on mental health
When it comes to supporting hybrid work, Konica Minolta offers a range of intelligent solutions, such as Microsoft 365 and M-Files, which make collaboration quick and easy – regardless of the location of hybrid workers – and therefore do not allow any hurdles on the technical side. These include solutions for collaborative work on documents, digital approval processes, internal intranet portals, project management, video conferencing and much more. They make it easier to work at distributed locations, help employees to network with colleagues and keep up to date with their company at all times. In addition, there are generative AI-based functions (e.g. M-Files AINO and Microsoft Copilot) that help employees do their work more easily.
Digital technologies that help employees do their jobs more easily, stay connected and informed can also ultimately have a positive impact on mental health.