The hybrid or remote workforce isn’t an entirely new part of the workplace, but it has become far more common among businesses. Employees appreciates the flexibility and additional control they have over their working arrangements and this can have beneficial effects on employee satisfaction, engagement, loyalty and productivity. Below, we explore the many areas, challenges and benefits of creating and managing a hybrid or remote workforce.

What is a hybrid/remote workforce?

Prior to the pandemic workforces were primarily focussed in one location. While it was possible for workforces to be in various locations, to work from home or remotely, it was generally accepted that going to work meant physically travelling to another location. It was a greater journey that simply moving from one room in your home to another.

The pandemic has a massive impact on where and how work was done. Through necessity employees had to come to terms with meeting virtually across computer platforms, working on their own, managing teams who were geographically apart and ensuring a business still. Actually looked like a coherent business, despite no longer having a central focus.

For some businesses this shift was relatively easy. Desk-based work, businesses where individual effort can be effective without dependence on others were able to accomplish the shift without a massive impact on productivity. Indeed, in some cases the move to remote work actually brought more positives to the business. Employees felt more in control of their time, the stress of the daily commute was removed and so on.

This is not to detract from the negative side of this occurrence however – there was no choice for this way of work and for some people it simply didn’t work. Home arrangements were not conducive to being able to work there. Dealing with the day to day stresses and demands of life under the naturally outweighed any positive remote working might have offered.

However, as the pandemic subsided many employees and employers found the benefits of remote working were worth keeping. With the right communications, technology, policies and support employees were very keen to maintain their autonomy from the office – or at least work with a mix of the two.

And so was born the hybrid working arrangement. An outcome where the employee could work from home for some of the time but would also be able to come into the office to complete tasks which were more appropriate to be completed in person. Again, this mix of locations and choice as to where and when someone would work needed to suit both the employee and the employers, and for some frontline staff it was clear that such an arrangement would not be possible. However, for those who did see the benefits of this, there was a huge amount of choice as to how the arrangement could be made to work.

At the same time, increased communications and the need to find specific skills for an organisation led to companies employing people who would potential never set foot in one of their offices or dedicated places of work. Where practical, fully remote workers offered employers the chance to access skills and knowledge without having to deal with their location – ensuring those people were close enough to their place of work and so on.

Remote workers can essentially work from any where in the world. As long as they are able to deliver what the organisation requires and they can receive the remuneration, reward and support they need in return, the world becomes the employer’s talent pool. For some employees the idea of remote working has become a life style – something they are able to do while traveling the world and satisfying their other goals in life. For others, it is simply an effective way to make a living using the skills they have for the employer and organisation that needs therm.

Both of these arrangements present challenges for HR, but both arrangements also enable HR to contribute significantly to the organisation. At a time when skills are scarce and productivity needs to be improved, hybrid and remote working can unlock some huge advantages for businesses. The practice can extend access for employers to get the right people to do the right thing for the organisation at the right time.

The Legal Angle on Flexible Work

It is worth bearing in mind the legal situation and responsibilities connected with hybrid and remote work. Current legislation on the right to request flexible work is also pertinent here, because while there are instances when the organisation might be very happy for its employees to work as and when they wish, there may also be disagreements about this. Employees have the right to ask for flexibility in the way they work and employers must consider these requests appropriately even from day one.

Employers can turn down such requests, but there must be very clear reasons for doing so. Moreover, employers must be careful about the reasons why they are turning down such requests. The request may have been made due to underlying reasons – caring responsibilities, disabilities etc.etc. – which if ignored or if reasonable adjustments are not made to accommodate to meet such issues, lead to accusations of discrimination.

Employers also still have a duty of care to their hybrid workforce. This means they must ensure that the work being carried out by their employees wherever that may be is being done is a safe way for that individual. Attention should be made to ensure that employees are properly equipped with the things they need to do the work, and this should extend to appropriate chairs, desks, computers and so on so that they can be as effective and efficient in their work as they would be were they in an office.

How much legal responsibility employers have will be dependent on the type of contract and employment arrangement made with the remote/hybrid workforce. After all, not all of these workers will be full-time employees of the organisation. Establishing any hybrid or remote workforce requires an amount of legal understand or consultation to ensure the company is protected against the risks associated with this employment model.

Hybrid Or Remote?

Hybrid and Remote workforces are two different things. With a hybrid workforce it is assumed that employees will work in a number of different locations. They have a choice in terms of whether they want to work from home, from the office or even from a third location – coffee shop, shared office location, and so on. Generally the hybrid worker will be expected to attend the office at some time – this might be for specific meetings, events or even just as a regular check in to be able to work alongside other employees. Such visits might bar important for maintaining teamwork or company culture which can be difficult to maintain remotely.

Definition and Characteristics of a Hybrid Workforce

Definition: A hybrid workforce is a blend of both remote and in-office workers. Employees have the flexibility to split their time between working from home and working in a physical office, depending on the needs of the job or company.

Characteristics:

• Some employees work full-time in the office, others work remotely, and some have a mix of both.
• The company may designate certain days for in-office work or leave it up to the employee’s discretion.
• Collaboration tools, like video conferencing, are used to bridge the gap between in-office and remote workers.

Definition and Characteristics of a Remote Workforce

Definition: A remote workforce is entirely based outside of a physical office. Employees typically work from home, co-working spaces, or anywhere with internet access.

Characteristics:

• No physical office for the team to meet daily.
• Employees can work from any location (across cities, countries, or continents).
• Emphasis on digital tools for communication, collaboration, and task management.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Hybrid and Remote Working

The advantages of a remote or hybrid workforce include:

• Flexibility in working hours and location – your employees can choose where they’d like to be stationed. This can be at home or somewhere else they find more conducive to working.
• Cost savings on office space and commuting – with fewer people coming to the office every day you can reduce the space you are using. You may decide to introduce hot design for those who are coming into the office. As long as you are clear as to how many people are expected on a daily basis you can reduce your office space and use accordingly.
• Access to a global talent pool. When recruiting for the organisation you are not just considering those who may be in a specific location and therefore find it easy to comment to where your business is. You can employ anyone anywhere.
• Provides flexibility for employees to choose where they work. Employee satisfaction and wellbeing can increase if employees feel they have more choice and control over where, when and how they work. Hybrid and remote working helps them achieve a good work-life balance.
• Encourages a balance between the benefits of in-office culture (team building, networking) and remote work (flexibility, autonomy).
• Cost control of employing people. The remote workforce can be scaled up and down faster than the traditional one. Remote employees may work as contractors/freelancers enabling the business to tap into their skills on an as and when required basis.

The disadvantages of a remote or hybrid workforce include:

• Finding the right people. Even though the approach means opening your search to a wider pool of talent it may still be a challenge to find someone who will deliver the work you need how you need and when. Rather than immediately knowing how and where someone will work there may be further negotiations around this area which makes recruitment and onboarding more complex.
• Managing team collaboration without in-person interaction. It takes different and arguably greater management skills to ensure a hybrid or remote workforce works together even though they are not in the same building or even country.
• Potential feelings of isolation. Employees can feel they are on their own and without proper and regular connection with the business and teams they may feel isolated. Disciplinary issue and difficult/challenging times at work need to be handled particularly well as remote/hybrid workers may not get the same support when such occurrences happen.
• Difficulty maintaining company culture and spontaneous teamwork. The ‘water cooler’ moments or the times when great ideas suddenly occur from an in person meeting do not happen as easily when the workforce is remote from each other.
• Ensuring fairness and inclusivity. Remote and hybrid workers who are not ‘seen’ in the office can be passed over for opportunities. They may be overlooked for promotion, left out of important decisions or just left out of the loop as work progresses.
• Coordinating schedules and availability for meetings. With people encouraged and supported to work to their own schedule it may become challenging to bring people together at particular times to discuss and work together.
• Managing technology and resources to support both office and remote setups. Remote and hybrid working will only be effective if teams and employees can share their information and work effectively. If the technology and networks which support this do not perform well employees will not be able to deliver.

HR Takes the Lead

This is an area where HR can take the lead for the organisations it serves. No other function is correctly placed to be able to identify how hybrid and remote working can benefit the business and no other function can ensure the model works across the business.

Moreover, this method of work can have huge benefits for the strategy and direction of the business. It can mean more work is done by more qualified employees.If HR takes the initiative it can lead the organisation to becoming a better version of itself, delivering more, attracting great talent and giving that talent the chance to work in the way it wants to.

Top Tips for Managing a Hybrid and Remote Workforce

1. Create a Clear Hybrid Work Policy

An effective hybrid work policy will are clear when employee are expected to work from the office and when they can work remotely. Include expectations for availability, communication protocols, and performance metrics.

2. Ensure Equal Access to Information

It’s crucial that remote employees have access to the same information and opportunities as employees in the office. Your technology and network must not discrimination the basis of employee location. Make sure meetings are virtual or hybrid, and all internal communications are accessible digitally. Use Collaborative tools like Google Drive, Notion, or Confluence can be effective for shared documents, while Zoom and Teams are great for group meetings. Ensure any online meeting (as with in person meetings) have a clear agenda and are properly managed.

3. Build Strong Communication Channels

With team members in different locations, communication is key to maintaining cohesion. Set up communication norms and guidelines to ensure both remote and in-office employees are on the same page.

4. Establish Regular Check-Ins

Create a system for regular one-on-one check-ins and team meetings, ensuring all employees – whether remote or in-office – stay connected and engaged. These can be daily, weekly, or bi-weekly, depending on the need.

5. Encourage Team Building Activities

Create opportunities for both remote and in-office workers to bond. This can help build camaraderie and improve the overall team culture. You can still arrange events for the whole workforce to attend and enjoy. Team-building event can occur both online and in the office.

6. Lead by Example

As a manager, you set the tone for the rest of the team. Be flexible, communicate clearly, and model the behaviour you want to see in your hybrid team. If you’re balancing remote and in-office work yourself, employees will be more likely to follow your example.

7. 7. Consider Time Zones

If your team is spread out geographically, and particularly for remote workers who may be in another country to others, be mindful of time zone differences when scheduling meetings or expecting work to be done. Find a balance that accommodates everyone, or rotate meeting times to be fair.

8. Emphasise Results Over Hours

Focus on outcomes and productivity rather than micromanaging time. For hybrid and remote working to work you need to trust your team to manage their schedule effectively.

9. Respect Work-Life Boundaries

Hybrid and remote working can lead to the assumption that employees are always available for work or a chat or ready to receive information. This is not the case and employees can start to feel harassed if there is no ‘down time’. Avoid after-hours communication unless urgent. Encourage breaks, time off, and model healthy boundaries as a leader.

10. Invest in Development

Just because you can’t always see your employees doesn’t mean you should stop investing in them. Support remote training, mentorship, and growth paths. A lack of physical presence shouldn’t limit professional development.

11. Actively Secure Feedback

Regularly solicit feedback from your hybrid and remote team on what’s working and where improvements can be made. This helps to identify potential issues before they escalate.

Conclusion

Managing a remote or hybrid workforce should not be considered lightly. There are many aspects to managing an onsite workforce which can be taken for granted and do not appear to be challenges until that workforce is off-site. Co-ordinating work, instilling a coherent and consistent company culture and ensuring the welfare of employees are among the challenges HR should consider before establishing remote or hybrid work.

Trust is a very important part of running a remote or hybrid workforce. Employees are likely to be spending considerable amounts of time working alone without oversight of managers or fellow team members. Unless the organisation can trust these people to do what they need to do and deliver to agree deadlines and standards, managing work across this kind of workforce can be very challenging. It is impossible – or managers should attempt – to micro-manage remote and hybrid employees.

That said with a considered and well implemented set of HR policies this kind of work can have great benefits for organisations. From talent attraction through to productivity, giving employees the opportunity to influence and even determine where and when they work can make the employment experience far more satisfying for everyone.

FAQs

How can I maintain team collaboration in a hybrid/remote environment?

Effective communication tools are crucial. At the same time ensure there are regular check-ins, virtual meetings, and in-person meet ups where possible to keep teams aligned. Create a culture of open communication, where feedback is encouraged, and team members feel connected, even if they’re geographically dispersed.

How can managers ensure productivity in a hybrid or remote workforce?

Be result rather than time focused at all times. Set clear expectations, transparent goals, and make performance metrics a priority. You need to trust employees to manage their own time while also providing the tools they need for success. Manager should ensure there are regular check-ins to monitor progress and provide support when necessary.

What are the challenges of hybrid/remote work for employees?

For employees, challenges include feeling isolated, maintaining a work-life balance, and dealing with communication barriers. It can also be harder to build relationships or network with colleagues in a remote or hybrid setting. Furthermore, employees may struggle with staying motivated or experiencing burnout due to blurred boundaries between work and home life.

How can companies maintain company culture in a hybrid/remote workforce?

Building a strong company culture in a hybrid/remote environment requires intentional effort. Companies can focus on virtual team-building activities, consistent communication, and reinforcing values through online platforms. Additionally, creating opportunities for employees to connect socially—whether through virtual happy hours or interest-based groups—can help keep morale high and strengthen the sense of belonging.

HR policies go further

Policies are about more than compliance. Certainly they govern how employees should be treated, managed and so on, but through this they affect every employee’s experience of working for the organisation. To this end a policy is the expression of company culture in action: this is how we recognise staff, this is the behaviour we expect, this is the reward we give, this is what happens when things go wrong. Exactly how the business reacts to any given situation will form a big part of the employee experience and therefore contribute to that organisation’s culture.

What your HR policies should do

HR – and wider management – cannot be on hand to micro-manage everything and everyone. Whether it’s how an employee does their job, how they interact with each or how they work together, there needs to be autonomy so that work can be done efficiently and effectively. HR policies provide a set of rules by which that workplace can operate.

Policies will help managers understand what is expected of them, and what is expected of the people they are responsible for. They will help  them organise and work with their people in a safe and effective way. Everyone needs to understand what is and isn’t acceptable and these policies mean people can be managed consistently, fairly and legally.

When do I need a policy?

HR policies should cover the entire life-cycle of the employee in the workplace.

Application

When an organisation seeks to attract new talent there needs to be a clear way in which this is done. Policies can govern where talent is sourced from and how they are attracted. It can affect the language, look and the feel of a job advert, ensuring diverse and appropriate candidates are attracted to the organisation.

Policies can determine how long the application process takes and what information/evidence the organisation needs in order to accept an application and process it. From a legal perspective there may be certain documents which must be presented and certain background checks under-taken before an individual is moved along the recruitment process.

Onboarding

Before an individual actually starts in their job there may be necessary processes to undergo and information they need to receive. This may be required so they understand their role and department in the organisation. There could also be legal requirements – health and safety information for example – without which the employee could find themselves at risk. This could cover the mental health side of the workplace ie. a policy which demands respect and fairness between employees – as well as covering physical aspects of the workplace.

HR policies can govern induction programmes, outlining where and when such induction will happen, who is qualified to run these sessions and how much training/information individuals need before an employee starts work for the company. Again, this policy may be important from a legal perspective, but it will equally be about ensuring the individual understands and accepts their employer’s processes, the way things are done, and their culture – expected behaviours in the workplace and the values upheld through the work done.

Ongoing employment

The HR World’s Knowledge Hub gives a clear indication of the diverse areas of working life that HR needs to consider and cover in order to create and maintain an effective workforce. Again, these areas combine legal issues, cultural aspects of life and best practice that can enhance the performance and productivity or a workforce and therefore the wider company.

In each area good HR policies will give employees a clear idea of what is expected of them and what to expect from the organisation. The HR policy will govern reward and recognition, behaviour at work, disciplinary matters when things go wrong and so on. They can also govern aspects of work such as expected career trajectory and the kind of resources that can be expected for training and development purposes.

Company culture will also be affected through policies around diversity, grievance policies, parental and caring duties, flexible/hybrid work and the inclusion of the employee voice.

Some HR policies will cover specific areas of the business – there may be policies covering particular job roles or occurrences in the company calendar. Policies may cover how assessments are made of employee performance or they may govern the standard to which a particular job must be done. They may also affect how a job is done, thereby upholding the company culture or reputation expected from the business by its customers.

Legislation and compliance

The government are currently introducing a new Employment Rights Bill which will see a wide ranging raft of changes and new initiatives brought to apply to employing people. For HR this will mean adapting and creating policies to reflect these changes.

To do this the current policies covering the areas of employment practice affected should be carefully reviewed and studied to understand what the business already covers.

Areas specifically affected by the Bill include:

• Bereavement, paternity and unpaid parental leave
• ‘Fire and rehire’ practices
• Statutory sick pay
• Unfair dismissal
• Zero hours contracts

Top Tips for Creating HR Policies

1: Be clear why the policy exists

There is no point in making your life complicated, nor for confusing your management team or annoying employees – the ones who have to uphold the policies and follow them. Policies need to be grounded, realistic and understandable. If the law says something needs to happen there is generally a clear reason for this. The health and safety – mental safety as well as physical safety – of employees must be prioritised within the workplace, for example. There may be policies which are particular to your industry, or company. There may even be policies to govern the work of particular groups of employees. In each case the reason for the policy must be clear and make sense.

2: Make it straight-forward and practical

Policies have to be realistic and they have to be actionable. If managers and employees do not understand them or understand why they exist then there’s a good chance they will be ignored or transgressed unknowingly. Employees will also feel limited and ‘over-managed’ if policies go too far or go into too much detail as to how something must be done. While ensuring activities in the organisation are acceptable and positive for the business there must also be the recognition that all employees need a sense of autonomy, to bring themselves to the workplace, otherwise they will not feel valued.

3: Be sure your policy is targeted

There is no point in applying policies across sections of the workforce where it does not apply. Not everyone needs the same level of health and safety training. Not everyone will be in a management position or need to know the right way to deal with others. Similarly, policies should not overstep their influence. They need to cover the requirements and no more than that. Policies which overstep the mark in whatever direction create a headache for those who are charge with following them – they begin to appear unnecessary and if so, employees are less likely to to take any of the policy seriously. Policy reach should be kept to an appropriate level, not too much but also ensuring that the important aspects are covered correctly.

4: Get legal advice

As a seasoned HR professional you will no doubt be confident in creating policies to cover aspects of your organisation. Similarly there may be policies within your business that are not based on legislation and do not have a legal implication: they are simply the actions and behaviours required by the business, identified as necessary for the smooth running of the business and the good of the workforce.

However, the policies which do have legal implications should have the backing of a legal professional to ensure they are fit for purpose. If a problem arises the company’s policy could be found to be lacking and therefore leave the business exposed to legal action. If a policy doesn’t go far enough to protect employees from physical harm or discrimination, for example, then the company may be at fault rather than an employee not following the policy.

Policy areas can include:

• Health, safety and well-being
• How to use equipment, site safety, lifting activities etc. Well-being may include areas such as how to communicate, how to raise a disciplinary matter and avoiding negative management behaviours.

Employee relations and general HR issues:

• Disciplinary and grievance policies, reward policies including: annual leave, volunteering, parenting, caring responsibilities
• Diversity & Inclusion policies, governing recruitment processes, shortlists as well as how people are treated within the business eg. Promotion, representation etc.

Learning and development

How, when and what employees are entitled to in order to further their skills and career. This could cover how much time employees can spend in L&D activities, financial arrangements – especially if employee are entitled to courses and material provided by external sources. This may also cover the experience require by employees to access learning resources or to quality for promotion etc.

Dealing with customers/members of the public

If your business is public facing you should have a code of conduct covering these interactions. This could include use of language, protocols for handling enquiries, how to deal with customer complaints and so on.

Other policies that organisations may want to consider include diverse areas related to the wider business needs (for example corporate responsibility or anti-bribery measures) or those associated with technology and new ways of working (the use of social networking sites, for instance).

Ending employment

When someone leaves the organisation you may needs policies in place to protect your unique products or processes. You may require employees to go through an exit interview to gather information about their experience with you. In some circumstances for senior roles you may need to offer ‘garden leave’ whereby your employee cannot immediately take a job with a competitor.

Why would you change a policy?

Changes in legislation: the law may change in a particular area of employment law which means your policy no longer provides the cover you require.

Changes to your business: if you change or add to what your business does you need to be aware of policy changes to ensure this can happen and that the new business is safe and compliant. If you business gets bigger you may find there is a need for new policies to govern an organisation of that size.

Change in strategy: the business may undergo a change in direction or even a change in brand that requires a different set of actions and behaviours from your people. Changing policies may be required to reflect this, particularly if you have frontline workers representing the business on a regular basis.

Change in personnel terms and conditions: you may need to change your benefit and reward policies in order to keep your business competitive in the talent market. If salaries increase within your sector you need to keep pace if you want to avoid attrition.

Always Remember

• Policies should be carefully designed to impact in the right way on the right employees
  Once a policy is in place, ensure it does have the desired affect. Are there conflicts created by someone upholding this policy or inefficiencies created by the policy? Does it help or hinder the workplace?
• Policies need to be understood fully by those who need to adhere to them, and they must be easily actionable
  Do your employees and managers understand the policy and is it something they are able to do as part of their work that does not interfere with the efficient running of their job? Is there any confusion or misinterpretation possible in the way it has been written? Is it clearly explained to those it affects?
• Policies should always remain under review, especially at a time of change for an organisation
  Businesses change, people change, governments change. There can be many influences which render a policy inadequate or obsolete, you need to be aware of when and how this can happen and be ready to respond as soon as possible.
• Policies must reflect legal requirements from the company, but they should also determine and support company culture
  There are many legal requirements which must be met by employers for their employees. From health and safety to pay and reward. HR policies can be designed to ensure the business meets these obligations. However some policies may be introduce to govern what the workplace is like – they can stipulate how things are done in the workplace and that has a direct impact on the culture of the organisation.
• Policies should be reviewed by legal experts where necessary
  If your policy has anything to do with upholding legal obligations it is a good idea to ensure it is check by a legal expert to ensure it meets the requirements and has the desired effect. When things go wrong it is the policy which will come under scrutiny: An employee who doesn’t follow the policy is one thing, a policy which isn’t up to the job required is another.

Conclusion

Every business need HR policies which govern and reflect the activities of the organisation. Policies will often grow with the business – rules and regulations emerging as and when required. Some HR policies do have legal implications because they are the way the business ensures it complies with employment law, but others are not legally binding. However, they may still form a condition of employment and could lead to disciplinary action or even dismissal if they are not followed. The content of HR policies and the way they are upheld will have a significant impact on company culture. In every case employees need to understand which policies are relevant to their work, how they can be actioned and maintained and what will happen if they do not follow the policy.

FAQs

Why do I need a policy?

Sometimes there is a legal requirement that can only be met through the creation of an appropriate policy, however as a general rule a policy is required if there is something in your business that needs to be done in a standardised and expected manner. A policy ensure that activity is always done in a particular way. If it isn’t an employee can be held to account.

How long should my policy be?

The policy can be as long or as short as is required for it to be understood and have the necessary impact. However it is worded it needs to be easily understood – or as easily understood as is possible – by your employees. Policies which are convoluted or long winded will confused people and may ultimately be ignored.

How many policies do I need?

Crucially policies are required when something needs to be done to a certain standard – for legal reasons or for the purposes of the business. They should be in place when the organisation needs to depend on something being done in a certain way – how someone is paid, how customers are treated, how employees interact with one another. The policies you have will depend on your business, sector and even the type of people you are employing. Again, you need to only do as much as is necessary – too many policies and employees will feel there is too much bureaucracy within the business. They may feel micro-managed or prevented from using their own initiative. Be certain to leave breathing space for employees to be themselves and make their contribution.

Can I take my policy from someone else?

Copying a policy from another company word for word would be an infringement of their copyrights, however you can take a policy as an example or model for your own. Bear in mind that policies are very much unique for organisations, because they impact on company culture it is unlikely that you would want to use someone else’s policy within your business.

The term ”burnout” has become more prevalent in recent times as employers try to manage the impact that increasing workplace demands have on employees’ health. this became more apparent during 2020, when many employees may have faced increased workloads, uncertainty and general pressure due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

In recognition of the potentially debilitating effects of burnout, the World Health Organization (WHO) included the term in the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), meaning it is now a globally recognised condition.

According to the WHO, common symptoms of burnout include:

1. feelings of energy depletion or mental exhaustion
2. increased mental distance from one’s job
3. feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
4. reduced professional efficacy

A key aspect of the WHO’s definition is that burnout only relates to work-related stress, which means that employers need to acknowledge that they play an important role in prevention. One of the key stumbling blocks is that burnout, and by association work-related stress, can be viewed as ”part of the job” in many industries, or a necessity due to the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Managing burnout

As burnout is recognised as an occupational phenomenon, it is obvious that it exists and is contributed to by employment. Employers are, therefore, best placed to interject and seek to prevent burnout occurring, or to support those who are burnt out. While some may think that this is a personal syndrome and something for an individual to deal with, this is an attitude which can lead to burnout becoming prevalent in their business and having a significant negative impact on factors such as retention, productivity and growth.

Employers can do this by:

1. assessing working hours and workloads for any imbalance and ensure employees have the support they need to meet targets
2. ensuring employees have the training they need to be able to efficiently carry out their tasks
3. avoiding creating a situation where staff are pressured into working long hours or taking work home with them
4. encouraging employees to take their rest breaks and annual leave
5. ensuring availability of cover during an employee’s annual leave so they don’t feel like they need to ”log on” to avoid a pile-up of work when they return
6. offering flexible working, or working from home
7. keeping an ”open door” policy so that employees can discuss any concerns they

While some may think that this is a personal syndrome and something for an individual to deal with, this is an attitude that can lead to burnout becoming prevalent in their business and having a significant negative impact on factors such as retention, productivity and growth.

Recognising the symptoms of burnout

 As with those suffering from poor mental health, individuals who are suffering from burnout will often display similar symptoms; however, this will differ from person to person. While most people will have a day when they are not motivated to carry out work, burnout is likely to present itself as a gradual worsening of symptoms as chronic workplace stress fails to be managed.

The difficulty, however, is that symptoms of burnout may look similar to symptoms of stress, depression or other mental health conditions leading to difficulties with how to appropriately manage such a situation. Managers will, therefore, need to be confident to identify behaviours that may be associated with burnout or poor mental health, and then seek to support their team.

Some common symptoms of burnout include the following:

1. Physical symptoms – including feeling tired, constant illness, change in sleeping habits or frequent headaches.
2. Behavioural symptoms – including procrastination, isolating and withdrawing from others, giving up responsibilities, increased frustration with others, and poor
3. Emotional symptoms -including a sense of failure, detachment, lacking motivation, increasing cynicism, negative perception or lower satisfaction

Supporting employees with burnout

Employees who feel burnt out will often feel that they are beyond caring and are worn out, while not necessarily recognising that these feelings are because they are suffering from burnout.

Managers who have identified any of the above symptoms, or have noticed a change in their employee’s attitude, should be taking action to ascertain the cause of this to ensure they are complying with their duty of care towards employees.

The first step will be to invite the employee to a meeting, conducted remotely if needed, to discuss their symptoms and ask them whether there is any workplace support necessary. It is at this stage that some confusion may be present regarding whether the employee is burnt out, stressed or suffering from other conditions.

Managers should, therefore, be prepared to ask a range of questions or signpost the employee to a professional service which can help this classification. Managers are not expected to be burnout experts however.

A popular expression is that prevention is better than cure. This may be why, according to recent reports, the founder of the dating app Bumble made the decision to temporarily close all offices to ”allow staff to de-stress and focus on themselves”.

The decision was said to have been made after a case of ”collective burnout” was observed across the business –  likely due to the increase in demand for the service the app provides.

This is one way of dealing with burnout and preventing the case from worsening. However, not all businesses will be in a position to close all offices, meaning looking out for the symptoms and dealing with the issue on a case-by-case basis will be most important.

Raising awareness

While certain employees and managers will feel familiar with the medical syndrome of burnout, there are likely to be just as many employees who have not heard of this or will simply classify this as unimportant. Therefore, it will be key for employers to raise awareness of burnout, the negative impact this can have, and how to identify and manage burnout when it occurs.

Not only will this be important for managers who will be responsible for tackling burnout causes among their team, but it will also be important for individual employees to be provided with burnout awareness.

First, if employees know what burnout is and how this presents itself, they will be able to identify when they are experiencing these symptoms. In turn, this will empower them to speak up and notify their manager that they are feeling burnt out, rather than being left to deteriorate and leave this unaddressed. Burnout awareness may take place as part of an organisation’s current awareness and wellbeing schemes, or as a separate area with its own initiatives, such as training and awareness days focusing on this issue.

Takeaway

As burnout is identified as a symptom of chronic workplace stress that has not been managed properly, there is a clear link between the workplace and the symptom.

Managers will need to speak to the employee and assess the internal workplace practices to identify the causes that have led to an employee feeling they are burnt out. It may be that the employee has an unachievable workload, is working excessively long hours or is lacking the support mechanisms to carry out key parts of their role.

Whatever the case, there are likely to be one or several workplace causes which, once identified, managers should review and agree on how the causes will be managed to ensure the employee is no longer being placed under chronic workplace stress.

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The HR World’s final podcast of the year, Building Certainty in an Uncertain World, gave three of our subject experts the opportunity to review 2024 and look towards trends and ideas for the next year.

Martin Mason – CEO & Co-Founder, TalentMapper, Julian Hemming – Partner UK, Osborne Clarke and Matt Norbury – CEO & Founder, Each Person explored the legal implications and fall out from this year’s election and the ongoing challenges and opportunities connected with AI and technology. Health and wellbeing was also on the agenda after the challenges of the past years look set to continue into the future.

The panel agreed significant change would continue into the new year – both through HR technology and its more general role for businesses. Issues such as the mental health crisis will not decrease in importance any time soon, and solutions are not always easy or straight-forward.

For HR, the task in hand is to find a way to navigate the issues and obstacles presented by the current socio-economic environment to the best outcome for employees and their businesses. While opportunities exist in terms of deploying technology and AI this must be designed and implemented carefully in order to avoid further complications. The Employment Rights Bill, while undoubtedly signalling more considerations for HR is more something HR needs to be aware of and keep track of, rather than immediately responding.

James Cust, Senior Account Executive, Deputy provided an over-arching industry voice together with insights from his company’s recent annual survey of shift workers. Meanwhile Kirsty Murphy, Chief People Officer and COO for Learning Disability, Alternative Futures Group (AFG) and Gareth Neale, Head of Human Resources, Crimson Hotels both spokes of their experiences and some of the initiatives their organisations were taking in order to attract, recruit and retain these types of employees.

There’s no doubt but finding the required talent is a challenge. However it was interesting to find that AFG was hiring for values only and then training its recruits with the skills required. Crimson Hotels also deployed a comprehensive training plan, one which had recently been updated and was continually being assessed to ensure that even at this early stage new recruits were engaged and motivated to work for the business.

As Neale pointed out, many flexible or shift workers work in this way in order to stage work around other commitments in life but it is still necessary to ensure they feel they are a part of the business – an aspect supported by Deputy’s survey which found a significant number of shift workers are motivated by doing meaningful work. It was also interesting to note that both employers clearly took an ongoing interest in the talent they brought onboard, offering them the chance to grow and contribute further to the organisation rather than simply staying in the hourly roles where they start.

All the panelist reported being engaged with the Employment Rights Bill and the implications for zero hours contracts and other aspects of employing hourly and contingent workers. Certainly the changes present further complications for employers to get to grips with, but they also establish an important new balance between employer and employees when it comes to what is expected from an employment relationship. As these development continue we will no doubt be hosting debates and information to help HR steer a compliant path.

If you want to bring in the best professionals and keep your top performers, focusing on your benefits package is a must. In fact, 65% of candidates consider benefits a crucial factor of a job offer and 70% of employees are more likely to stay if they receive fantastic offerings (1). So, what makes salary sacrifices so great?

1. Cater to All Aspects of Life

Salary sacrifices come in many forms, from savings on home and technology products to services like childcare or gym memberships and even booking holidays! Implementing a range of salary sacrifice options allows your people to access what matters most to them and covers all aspects of their lives. Providing an extensive range to your workforce will add significant value to their role whilst setting a clear example to prospective employees of the way you care for your team.

2. Support Your People Beyond the Workplace

Utilising salary sacrifices is a great way to provide bespoke benefits that support your people outside of the workplace. Salary sacrifices avoid a ‘one size fits all’ approach because your team can pick out exactly what they want when the time is right for them. Boost your employee’s morale and wellness by reducing financial barriers to everyday desires and essentials. Offering perks that can be customised to suit a professional’s needs, is a fantastic way to position yourself as a desirable company.

3. Offer Great Perks Easily and Hassle-free

Did you know salary sacrifices are an affordable option to upgrade your business’s benefits package? Many salary sacrifices are cheap to set up and easy to manage. As an employer, you can save money on National Insurance contributions by the reduced salary of anyone from your business who uses the scheme. Ultimately, this saves both employees and employers time and money while making your amazing team feel truly valued and supported.

With the rise of popularity in salary sacrifices, there’s never been a better time to implement them in your business!

References: Avado, 2024, ‘Employee Benefit Trends to Study in 2024’: https://www.avadolearning.com/blog/employee-benefit-trends-to-study/