4 tips for remote work

Tips for improving the well-being of remote workers

Supporting employee well-being is a primary goal for many organizations, especially those with hybrid and remote workers. After the pandemic, the popularity of remote work has not decreased; on the contrary. According to the Work Life Survey conducted by Verian in January 2024 (N = 1001), as many as 53 percent of those in the workforce report having worked remotely.  

Among those in leadership positions and senior officials, 86 percent have worked remotely. In contrast, 29 percent of employees have done so. The majority of remote work has been conducted at home (99 percent of remote workers). The share of remote work done from vacation homes has also increased, with 27 percent of respondents working remotely from there. 

Remote work has become a permanent part of Finnish working life, and for this reason, we at Edenred believe that especially in hybrid work, employee well-being must be at the core of all activities. Companies need to pay increasing attention to the smoothness of multi-location work, shared working methods, and especially leadership.  

But how can we motivate and inspire remote workers? How can we ensure that the entire staff thrives, even when social contacts in the workplace are limited to behind a computer screen? Here are some tips to enhance the well-being and engagement of remote workers.

1. Step and Well-being Challenges

Challenge your employees to participate in various group well-being challenges that foster engagement and build community. Through company-wide challenges and activities, you can actively maintain contact with a dispersed workforce in a positive manner. Utilize wellness apps and gamify employee well-being practices. Track the number of steps taken throughout the day, glasses of water consumed, or flights of stairs climbed.

2. Virtual Socialization Hours

Socializing outside of work is also possible virtually, even if colleagues are sometimes located all over Finland. After-work gatherings, trivia quizzes, or other fun competitions can also be organized virtually! Encourage employees or team members to showcase their homes, children, pets, or other loved ones, allowing you to get to know your colleagues better. Alternatively, ask them to present things that are important to them, facilitating a more personal introduction.

3. Learn at Lunch Events

Incorporating food into training can be a great way to increase engagement: send meal delivery gift cards to remote employees so they can order their own food for the meeting! Set aside an hour where everyone can enjoy a meal together, learn something new, and build community. DEI topics (diversity, equity, and inclusion), wellness seminars, and industry networking opportunities are all excellent options for Learn at Lunch events.

4. Schedule Meeting-Free Time

Meeting-free time blocks are essential for employees' mental and physical well-being—start by reserving one meeting-free day each month! Research shows that over 80% of employees spend a third of their workweek in meetings.

Creating meeting-free time slots allows employees to focus on their to-do lists and tasks that need to be completed. For introverted employees, meeting-free time is also vital recharge time and a prerequisite for well-being. Allocating time in the calendar for meeting-free periods significantly impacts each employee's well-being.

For eye health, it is also medically recommended to take a break from the screen every 20 minutes. While we know this isn't always possible, especially on meeting-heavy days, give yourself and your employees the opportunity to hold, for example, a 1:1 meeting over the phone while taking a walk.