Hybrid Work and Employee Wellbeing: Prioritizing Mental Health

Hybrid work arrangements can have a substantial impact on employee welfare and mental health, as they provide flexibility while simultaneously increasing the risk of burnout and isolation. To prioritize mental health, firms should encourage open dialogue, provide flexible work arrangements, train managers to detect and assist mental health needs, promote wellness initiatives, and implement clear, supporting policies and tools such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).

Mental health issues have escalated into a silent pandemic. According to a Mind poll conducted in 2023, one in every six persons in the United Kingdom would have a mental health disorder such as depression or anxiety at some point. Furthermore, Deloitte recently reported that poor mental health costs UK employers £56 billion per year, a 25% increase from 2019.

This issue is not limited to the United Kingdom. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of adults seeking mental health care in the United States climbed from 19.2% to 23.9% between 2019 and 2023, indicating that mental health disorders are becoming more widely recognized and prevalent.

Similarly, the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing found that during the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic, 21.4% of Australians had a mental health issue in the previous year, with anxiety being the most common.

These figures highlight the worldwide character of mental health issues, emphasizing the need for comprehensive measures to address and support mental well-being in many countries.

For businesses, this offers a twofold challenge: combining productivity with the emotional and psychological requirements of their employees. What is the good news? Companies that invest in employee mental health generally see significant results, ranging from enhanced employee satisfaction to higher retention rates.

Why Mental Health at Work Matters

Productivity Gains

Employees who feel mentally supported are more engaged and productive. According to a 2023 report by Gallup, engaged teams show 23% higher profitability and 18% greater productivity.

Retention and Recruitment

Younger generations, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, are prioritising mental health when choosing employers. A survey on LinkedIn revealed that 47% want to be provided mental health support at their workplace; 43% want to talk openly about mental health at the office and 41% want their company to be engaged in social causes the employee supports.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Employers in both the UK and the U.S. are legally required to support employees with mental health conditions. In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 mandates reasonable adjustments in the workplace, while in the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) imposes a similar obligation to provide reasonable accommodations. Neglecting these responsibilities can result in significant legal consequences and damage to an organisation’s reputation.

In Australia, workplace health and safety laws require employers to manage risks to psychological health. Safe Work Australia’s 2024 report indicates that mental health conditions accounted for 10.5% of serious workers’ compensation claims in 2022-23, a 19.2% increase from the previous year, underscoring the growing importance of addressing mental health in the workplace.

These statistics emphasise the critical need for employers worldwide to prioritise mental health, not only to comply with legal standards but also to foster a supportive and productive work environment.

How to Prioritise Employee Mental Health

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies moved quickly to build a psychologically healthy workplace, often while negotiating the problems of a totally remote workforce for the first time. As organizations transition to a hybrid model that combines remote and onsite working, employers must once again address the question of how to care for their employees’ mental health and well-being, this time in a hybrid format.

With hybrid working arrangements expected to remain an important aspect of our post-COVID-19 future, companies must understand how to help their employees retain their mental health and well-being while also ensuring that those who require assistance receive it.

As we change and adapt to a new hybrid way of working, it will become increasingly critical for us as leaders to transform our approach to leading our teams and ensuring that their mental health and well-being are prioritized.

Managing a hybrid workforce necessitates a unique leadership approach. It is a difficulty for many CEOs who have never had to manage a team that works from home.

Identifying the indicators that someone is struggling with their mental health is understandably more challenging when half of your staff works remotely at all times. As a result, it is increasingly necessary for you to be aware of the indicators that someone may require your assistance and support. Common indicators include a shift in attitude or behavior, changes in how they interact with others, withdrawal from work, a loss of motivation or attention, or feelings of exhaustion or anxiety.

So, how can you ensure that you are doing everything necessary to support your staff and prioritise their mental health and well-being during this time?

1. Mental health tips in your hybrid workplace

For some people, the transition to remote working was difficult, and they may continue to suffer in the hybrid working style. when a result, an extra level of understanding and compassion for each team member’s personal situation is required, even when things begin to normalize.

Ask yourself if your staff have what they need to be happy and productive. Do they have the appropriate level of support? If not, inquire what further support they require. For example, do their hours need to alter to allow them to manage home responsibilities? Are there components of their function that need to change to help them accomplish their job? Is training required to help them cope?

Open a two-way communication and allow them to express their concerns and be vulnerable. This will allow you to obtain a better grasp of their specific predicament. It’s also critical that you be a compassionate and sincere leader, showing genuine interest in your employees as individuals and consciously putting yourself in their position. Your staff will then feel safe approaching you for assistance. Don’t be embarrassed to admit that you, too, are simply human and suffer from time to time.

Also, think about the terminology you use with your employees. You must communicate your comprehension of their feelings and the difficulties they face on a daily basis. Consider how you refer to personnel based in different regions to avoid creating a sense of isolation or making individuals feel inferior by using terms like ‘Team A’ or ‘Team B’. Adjust your wording so that you empathize with their predicament rather than sympathizing.

2. Show your people that you trust them

Whether or not you are managing people in the same physical workplace as you, it is critical to sit back and allow your colleagues to deliver on their responsibilities. Trust is crucial during difficult times, as discussed in this blog on managing a remote team – and the advice is just as applicable to today’s hybrid teams.

Read Also: The Role of Leadership in Hybrid Work Environments

Being realistic and focusing on outcomes may make a person’s workplace location meaningless. Trusting them and giving them flexibility allows them to work around their own personal situation, whatever that may be. This allows your staff to work around other commitments, making them feel more supported.

Trust is also a vital aspect of the employer-employee relationship, and a lack of it has the potential to harm employee morale. Over time, this may impair their mental health as they doubt their own abilities and grow disengaged from their profession. Demonstrating trust in your colleagues empowers them and allows them to express themselves without fear of punishment.

While it may be difficult not to see your team in person every day, avoid micromanaging them and let them know you trust them to do their jobs. Giving them the reassurance they require will build your relationship to the point where they feel safe discussing any problems with you.

3. Facilitate open and honest communications

Over the last few months, organizations have taken proactive steps to guarantee that their employees do not feel alone. One way this has been accomplished is by increasing the frequency of communications. So, as we move forward into the next era of work, continue to take such proactive efforts.

Share positive news stories from around the firm, ensure that your employees are up to date on the latest corporate advancements, share best practices, and check in on a regular basis to see how each individual is doing. This is significant because in a constantly changing environment, things can change extremely quickly, and maintaining regular contact can assist to alleviate any anxiety that people may feel if they are otherwise kept in the dark.

When contacting your team on a regular basis, avoid continuously asking for updates on their work. Instead, make communication two-way by informing individuals about the positive things happening in the team and company. Importantly, let them know they are valued, as this fosters a sense of belonging amid a split team. Steps like these will assist to foster a sense of togetherness, allowing your employees to feel less detached from their colleagues and, as a result, improve their well-being.

4. Encourage connectivity and bring your hybrid team together

When teams are divided and everyone is not physically present in the room, it is even more critical to make sure everyone feels included. Inclusion was at the top of many HR leaders’ priority lists prior to the crisis, and it has grown even more crucial since the pandemic’s early phases. So, foster a sense of community among your team members and convey the notion that their opinions and feelings are valued, even if they are working remotely.

There will surely be obstacles; you cannot simply schedule a team call and expect that everyone arrives and shares their thoughts or ideas. Yvonne Smyth, Group Head of Diversity & Inclusion, has this to say about it: “Remember that while hybrid working patterns will require everyone to continue to use technology as part of their daily communication with colleagues, not everyone will or can engage and embrace it in the same way. Observe when and how people participate. Those who do not participate are equally important, and they may have a reason for not doing so. Do not make assumptions; instead, investigate and listen to the reasons why with the necessary sensitivity.

Then make acceptable alterations, such as varying the ways you choose to engage. Don’t let people who are out of sight go out of mind.

Given this, it is critical to make every effort to connect people. You can, for example, organize team events to bring together remote workers and office workers. In addition to formal work events and regular team check-ins, provide informal opportunities for employees to connect with one another. Many organizations and teams have accomplished this through enjoyable interactive weekly quizzes; having that social time together is crucial, and it will assist to prevent a separation between those in the office and those at home.

You may also utilize such interactions to reinforce your company’s principles and strengthen your shared identity by praising your team’s accomplishments and reminding people why you do what you do.

5. Encourage a positive work-life balance

Those who continue to work from home, even if only one or two days a week, will have combined their living and working spaces. This makes it even more challenging to achieve a healthy work-life balance. As a leader, you must guarantee that your staff takes time to unwind and rest at the conclusion of each workday. So check for indicators that this is not the case, such as emails received after hours.

In such scenarios, draw a clear boundary between working and non-working hours, depending on the situation. Encourage your team to pack up their laptops at the end of the day and use their entire vacation allowance.

Do not forget about employees who have returned to a co-located workspace. If you’re also using a hybrid model, you’ll probably see them less frequently than usual. These guidelines should be applied to both office-based and remote personnel.

6. Increase your focus on wellbeing programmes

According to our Hays Barometer Report, 72% of employers think their organisation’s focus on mental health and wellbeing has increased significantly or moderately during the COVID-19 epidemic. Despite this, 42% of professionals consider their present mental health and wellbeing as positive, a decrease from 63% pre-outbreak.

Given this, the mental health and well-being of employees should remain a top priority. There are several ways available to assist you in achieving this goal, so learn how to promote mental health and wellbeing in the workplace and put them into action.

7. Strike the right balance in the hybrid model

It is critical to strike the correct balance between remote and onsite working. Working from home was a temporary solution to the coronavirus pandemic. It is impractical to expect 100% of your personnel to work from home all the time. However, it is also impractical to expect your entire team to return to working only from the office after the need to stay from home has passed.

Consider what percentage of your workforce you might support working remotely without compromising client engagement, mental wellness, or team culture. Whether it’s 20%, 30%, 50%, or more, anticipate this to become the standard as individuals continue to work remotely.

Furthermore, not all of your employees will want to work from home, nor will they want to work in an office. As a result, it is necessary to accommodate all sides and comprehend what works for some but not others. Make an effort to listen to everyone’s worries, understand their circumstances, and help them in any way you can; this will ensure that you continue to prioritise their mental health and well-being during the shift. It is ideal to initiate these discussions with your staff as soon as feasible.

8. Be a role model

To truly understand what good looks like, you must model the behaviour you anticipate from your team. So, take care of your own mental health and set a good example.

For example, create your own clear hours and avoid sending emails outside of those hours. Make it obvious that you know when it’s time to work and when it’s time to unwind and maintain a healthy work-life balance. This will not only set a positive example for your employees, but it will also ensure that you prioritize your own mental health and well-being. Nobody is immune to the stress of daily life, including you.

It’s also worth noting that the hybrid working paradigm is new to most of us, so you can’t expect to have all the answers right away. Be honest with your team, don’t come out as all-knowing, show them your flaws, and tell them this is something you’ll have to figure out together.

We hope you find this advise useful. If you’re still having trouble understanding the issues your team is facing in a new hybrid model, ask them what they need to feel supported so they can be the best they can be.

How Does Hybrid Remote Work Impact Employee Wellbeing?

In an ideal scenario, hybrid work helps both employees and employers by combining the flexibility and autonomy of remote work with the collaboration and connection of in-person work. However, many businesses are still learning and adjusting. Research repeatedly shows both positive and negative effects on employee well-being, emphasizing the importance of businesses taking proactive steps to address this issue.

Some Pros of hybrid work on employee mental health include:

• Reduced mental health challenges: A University of Pittsburgh study found that states with a higher percentage of companies offering flexible work arrangements had significantly lower rates of depression among employees.

• Flexibility: Workers have greater control over their schedules, better work-life balance, time for personal needs, and reduced stress.
• Productivity: When employees work from their desired location, they tend to be less burned out, and experience fewer interruptions an office environment creates.
• Retention: Research from Stanford University showed that a shift from full in-person to hybrid work resulted in a 33% drop in resignations.

Some cons of hybrid work on employee wellbeing include:

• Feelings of Loneliness: Hybrid work creates less face-to-face time with colleagues, and can cause feelings of disconnection and loneliness.
• Blurred Boundaries: The boundary between work and personal life may become blurred, leading to longer work hours and increased stress.
• Communication challenges: Effective communication and collaboration can be more challenging in hybrid work environments.
• The need to be “on” all of the time: Constant connectivity and expectation of immediate responsiveness, also called “urgency culture,” can lead to increased stress and anxiety.

Emerging Trends in Workplace Mental Health

1. Tech-Enabled Support

Technology is transforming how organisations address mental health. Virtual therapy sessions, AI-powered stress trackers and wellbeing apps are becoming mainstream tools. For instance, Calm and BetterUp provide on-demand mental health resources tailored to individual needs.

2. Holistic Wellbeing

Mental health strategies are increasingly incorporating physical health, financial security and social connection. Programmes like gym memberships, financial coaching and team-building activities contribute to overall wellbeing.

3. Personalised Benefits

One-size-fits-all approaches are being replaced with flexible benefit options. Employees can now choose what works best for their mental health, whether it’s remote working, reduced hours or access to therapy.

Maintaining a strong, pleasant corporate culture is critical to employee engagement, productivity, and mental wellness. New employees frequently learn about business culture by observing their coworkers and bosses for norms, values, and behaviors that define the culture. Companies in a hybrid-remote workplace must be more intentional about codifying, translating, and maintaining a strong culture.

Here are three ways that organizations can accomplish this.

Codify and share company values and cultural touchstones

While company culture is more of a verb than a noun, codifying company values and how these values translate into action can help clarify what the culture it hopes to achieve. Values are often manifested through celebrations, awards, regular practices, and communications that reinforce and extend that culture. Employees can review the company values and description of its culture and actions can then be incorporated into accountability systems–such as feedback or performance reviews–to make them more concrete.

Inclusive Decision-Making

Inclusive decision-making processes ensure that remote employees have a voice in shaping the company direction and effectiveness. Soliciting feedback, conducting surveys, and involving remote workers in decision-making processes promote inclusivity and ownership.

Celebrating Milestones

Recognizing and celebrating milestones, both personal and professional, reinforces a positive company culture. Whether it’s work anniversaries, project successes, or personal achievements, acknowledging these milestones fosters a sense of appreciation and belonging.