{"id":621078,"date":"2023-03-23T11:49:45","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T16:49:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.sellorbuyhomefast.com\/index.php\/2023\/03\/23\/research-remote-workers-are-more-anxious-about-layoffs\/"},"modified":"2023-03-23T11:49:45","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T16:49:45","slug":"research-remote-workers-are-more-anxious-about-layoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2023\/03\/23\/research-remote-workers-are-more-anxious-about-layoffs\/","title":{"rendered":"Research: Remote Workers Are More Anxious About Layoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In a <\/span>recent study<\/span>, 89% of human resources leaders said that their teams have recently voiced concerns about job security, leadership changes, or reorgs. But there were notable differences between the responses of in-person and remote team members: Remote employees were 32% more likely to feel anxious in the wake of news about layoffs and were far more concerned about getting a new manager during a reorg. And 67% said this anxiety had an impact on their productivity. People who go to the office at least some of the time \u2014 whether that be hybrid or fully in person \u2014 were 24% less likely to say that uncertainty has impacted their productivity over the past six months. The authors offer five strategies for managers to help reduce remote workers\u2019 anxiety and help them feel more connected to the organization and to their colleagues.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Workplace anxiety is on the rise. Starting in the fall of 2022, layoffs began in the tech industry and started spreading more widely. These cuts, paired with continued uncertainty about the economy and the future of work, have left employees understandably skittish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past year at Humu, we\u2019ve analyzed employee engagement survey responses and behavioral data from more than 80,000 employees. In a <\/span>recent study<\/span><\/a>, 89% of human resources leaders told us that their teams have recently voiced concerns about job security, leadership changes, or reorgs. Anxiety also seems to be driving what employees want most: Half of workers prioritized job stability over both a higher salary and career growth.<\/span><\/p>\n

But what struck us most were the notable differences between the responses of in-person and remote team members. Remote employees were 32% more likely to feel anxious in the wake of news about layoffs and were far more concerned about getting a new manager during a reorg. And 67% said this anxiety had an impact on their productivity. People who go to the office at least some of the time \u2014 whether that be hybrid or fully in person \u2014 were 24% less likely to say that uncertainty has impacted their productivity over the past six months.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It makes sense that employees who spend less (or no) time in person with leadership, their manager, and their team might lose out on an important social buffer against workplace stress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But the answer is not to force everyone back into the office. Our research shows that people <\/span>really<\/span><\/i> want remote opportunities: 50% of employees say that remote work is a top priority for them in their next role, while only 4% would seek out fully in person work.<\/span><\/p>\n

So how can organizations continue to offer the flexible work arrangements top talent wants \u2014 and mitigate anxiety among remote workers? The key is to train managers to foster a strong sense of inclusion within their distributed teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Creating the conditions for wellbeing and productivity in a remote or hybrid setting can initially seem difficult. <\/span>Managing a dispersed team requires different skills than some managers may have used before, which might make it seem harder. But with focus and practice, it gets easier.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are five ways managers can reduce anxiety \u2014 and boost performance \u2014 among remote and hybrid workers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Put chit-chat on the agenda.<\/b><\/h2>\n

When everyone works in the same office, it\u2019s easier to get to know one another while making small talk in the kitchen or walking to and from meetings. Because remote workers don\u2019t have access to these casual collisions, building <\/span>relational trust<\/span><\/a> in a distributed setting requires structure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An easy way to combat <\/span>affinity distance<\/span><\/a>, or the emotional separation that can crop up between remote team members,<\/span> is to dedicate the first five minutes of team meetings to a shared ritual. Have<\/span> everyone say something they\u2019re excited about or try \u201cHigh, Low, Ha,\u201d where each person talks through one highlight from their week, one low point, and one thing that made them laugh.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Our remote team at Humu kicks off meetings by asking something light-hearted and easy to answer\u00a0 \u2014 and we rotate whose responsibility it is to come up with the question. We\u2019ve bonded over prompts like \u201cWhat food is underrated?\u201d and \u201cYou have five seconds to grab an object. Then share with the group what it is and why it\u2019s in your home.\u201d These activities make work relationships feel less transactional and create a social buffer against unnecessary anxiety.<\/span><\/p>\n

Create cross-functional connections.<\/b><\/h2>\n

Dispersed employees tend to lack shared context, from body language to shared kitchen snacks to inside jokes. They also often have less visibility into what\u2019s happening across teams, which can lead to confusion and an \u201cus vs. them\u201d attitude between functions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Managers should look to build bridges with other teams in their organization. Try to create opportunities for remote employees to work on cross-functional projects (people tend to feel closest to the people they work with the most) or connect your team members to people from another department for informal chats. You might say something like, \u201cTracy, Kim\u2019s expertise is related to what you\u2019ve been focusing on. Why not set up time with her this week to get her thoughts? Happy to make the intro.\u201d You can also regularly host colleagues from other departments at your team meeting to talk about their work, how your teams partner, and what they\u2019re excited to learn from your reports.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, make it a priority to take notes during important meetings and share them, either in a folder or summarized in a public channel. Among hybrid and virtual teams, <\/span>careful documentation<\/span><\/a> is especially important in boosting performance and trust.<\/span><\/p>\n

Make a list, and check it twice.<\/b><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s easy to fall into the \u201cout-of-sight, out-of-mind\u201d trap when you don\u2019t have much in-person time with your team. In other words, you\u2019re more likely to reach out to the people you\u2019ve worked with the longest or who speak up the most in team meetings. This bias can lead you to measure and reward access rather than performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To combat this bias, when you\u2019re evaluating who to delegate work to or who might be best suited for an exciting opportunity, don\u2019t just go with the first person who pops into your head. Write down every single person on your team. Carefully review your list and consider each individual\u2019s strengths and areas where they might need (or want) development. Then make a more informed, intentional decision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Think carefully about how you use 1:1 time.<\/b><\/h2>\n

Our research<\/span><\/a> shows that 49% of employees feel anxious before 1:1s with their manager. These meetings offer a great opportunity to intervene and try to alleviate your team\u2019s anxiety, but you might need to reconsider how you run them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you ask <\/span>check-in questions<\/span><\/a> (think: \u201cHow can I best support you?\u201d or \u201cIs anything unclear or blocking your work?\u201d) and seek input from your reports? You can do a lot to calm an insecure employee by saying, \u201cYour skills are very unique and important to this company, and I value your opinion and expertise. What do you think of this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If you focus your 1:1s on status updates, you miss out on a valuable opportunity to better understand and support your people. Worse, you inadvertently send the message that you only care about pressing tasks and to-do\u2019s, which can leave your team feeling expendable and stressed. Think about whether there are alternative channels (think email or Slack threads) in which you can get status updates.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflect on how you show up as a manager.<\/b><\/h2>\n

As a manager, you have an outsize impact on how employees feel in their day-to-day\u2013and on what they feel safe sharing. A big part of your job is to create an environment in which each team member feels comfortable being genuine and flagging concerns.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask yourself:<\/span><\/p>\n