As the world becomes increasingly globalized and the workforce continues to shift towards remote and hybrid models, the issue of remote work burnout has emerged as a significant concern. In my recent conversation with Kelly Knight, President and Integrator at EOS Worldwide, we explored how individualization can be the key to addressing this pressing issue.
A Vision for Remote Work
EOS Worldwide is a global entity, employing its Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), a practical set of tools and processes designed to help entrepreneurs get the most from their businesses. Their approach to remote work is grounded in the vision component of EOS – this means that the organization’s purpose, cause, and passion are consistently shared with the team.
In a virtual environment, without the luxury of water cooler conversations or hallway chats, this vision is communicated regularly during quarterly state-of-the-company meetings. Here, everyone is brought up to speed on where the company has been, where it is, and where it’s going. This creates alignment and allows individual contributions to be tied to the greater organizational goals.
Building Trusting Relationships
The first step towards addressing remote work burnout, according to Knight, is building trusting, vulnerability-based relationships with team members. Regular check-ins and quarterly conversations provide a space for open, honest, and authentic discussions about how things are going for team members both individually and as part of the team.
Using an EOS tool known as Delegate and Elevate, the team assesses whether an individual’s workload aligns with their skills and passions. This not only aids in maximizing productivity but also in reducing burnout by ensuring that team members are doing what they love and are great at.
Setting boundaries and expectations is crucial to preventing burnout. This could involve designating certain hours as response times or setting limits on how much additional time one can work beyond their regular work hours. By doing so, we ensure that employees don’t feel the need to be “on” all the time and can maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Addressing Individual Needs
Not all solutions to burnout are universal, and recognizing this is key. Knight shares an example of a team member who was tempted to work on weekends. To combat this, they created a visual aid – a sign that said, “Do not enter again until Monday” – which was placed outside her office door over the weekend. This simple yet effective solution provided a visual reminder of the importance of maintaining boundaries between work and personal time.
EOS Worldwide also introduced a “Take a Break Day,” an unexpected day off for the entire organization. This offers employees a much-needed breather and a chance to do something for themselves, adding to the overall positive impact on their well-being.
The Future of Remote Work
The future of remote work is not set in stone, but it’s clear that the pandemic has permanently altered how we view and conduct work. As AI technology continues to advance, it will facilitate even more remote work by enabling quicker and easier information sharing.
Knight believes that the future will continue to embrace the flexible, virtual, and hybrid models of work. With technology erasing borders, we can now source talent from anywhere in the world, leading to a more diverse workforce and better results.
Conclusion
Individualization is key to addressing remote work burnout. Understanding individual and team needs, setting boundaries, and maintaining open lines of communication are all essential. That’s not only Knight’s experience: that’s what I saw with the 24 organizations I helped transition to hybrid work models. As we continue to navigate this new world of work, it’s crucial that we keep these lessons in mind and continue to adapt and innovate.
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