Supporting wellbeing when working from home: some key tips

The increase in post-pandemic hybrid working means that more employees than ever are regularly working remotely at home and in ‘third’ spaces, like cafes and co-working hubs, as well as in their organisation’s office. In this article I focus on how to enhance the wellbeing of those working from home. Wellbeing is a broad concept: “Wellbeing can be understood as how people feel and how they function, both on a personal and a social level, and how they evaluate their lives as a whole.”¹ So, while it is widely recognised that wellbeing includes physical and mental health, along with fatigue and stress, it also relates to happiness, ambitions and a sense of belonging, purpose and achievement.

Photograph: iStock/martin-dm

Health is a key factor that people report affecting their wellbeing and, conversely, wellbeing can influence health.² So, providing a healthy home working environment is essential to wellbeing. Furthermore, it is worth emphasising that “the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees”³ covers all working environments, including working from home.

In the pre-pandemic era when the office was the primary workspace accompanied by occasional working from home, some organisations may have overlooked their responsibility for health and safety at home. However, now that employees are allowed, or even expected, to regularly work from home then it is clearly a core place of work.

A cautionary note for employers is that, for some time now, opportunistic law firms have been advertising ‘no win no fee’ offers for those who have experienced a ‘trip or fall when working from home’.

Ergonomics at home

So, when considering wellbeing at home, it starts with ergonomics and health and safety basics. Those working regularly at home need an ergonomic set-up to prevent ailments such as RSI and neck or back pain. Ideally a decent task chair and desk will be provided by the employer or the budget to purchase them made available to the employee. While a kitchen table is better than working on the sofa or in bed, the table needs to coordinate well with a chair and monitor to create a suitable workstation. A computer monitor at the correct height with a full-size keyboard and mouse (rather than laptop touchpad) are also essential – a laptop cradle with wireless keyboard and mouse is an inexpensive alternative.

Those working from home should carry out display screen equipment (DSE) self-assessment, for example using the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE’s) DSE Workstation Checklist⁴. This will identify any gaps in the equipment and set-up required to prevent harm when working from home.

For comfort and performance, the home working environment should offer some control over temperature, air quality, noise and lighting, including daylight. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs⁵ proposes that basic human needs – such as physiological and safety – must first be met, followed by a sense of belonging and self-esteem to ensure people meet their full potential. The lower part of the hierarchy relates more to health and the upper parts to wellbeing.

Daylight regulates sleep patterns and sunlight stimulates vitamin D production, aiding healthy bones, teeth and muscles. A space is required away from the distractions of dependents, flatmates, the television and household chores etc. If a separate room is not available, then some ‘house rules’ will need to be established. Having a separate space also provides boundaries between work and home and encourages movement (breaks) between the workspace and kitchen etc.

HSE’s DSE guidance also requires regular breaks from screens or a change of activity to help prevent eye strain and muscle fatigue etc. The length and frequency of breaks is not specified but should not be protracted.

After studying athletes and sleep cycles, Tony Schwartz and colleagues discovered that most people can only focus, and work at maximum performance, for 90 minutes before requiring a break.⁶ To maintain energy, by reducing fatigue and stress, they propose working in cycles with 90 minutes of full effort followed by 20 minutes break from work.

Many home workers are subjected to back-to-back online meetings, not having the time to decompress (for example, by walking between meetings, as typically happens in face-to-face meetings in the office), so consider scheduling 45-minute blocks rather than the default 60-minute meetings.

Rest breaks in nature

The research of John Buckley and colleagues shows that a break involving a walk or other exercise, especially post-lunch, improves health conditions related to sedentary activity.⁷ The Kaplan’s attention restoration theory (ART)⁸ proposes that spending time in nature can reduce mental fatigue and improve concentration and cognitive performance. Furthermore, exposure to nature can also enhance lateral thinking and creativity.⁹

Humans have an innate affinity to nature, termed biophilia, and extensive research shows that biophilic design elements, such as natural materials and views out into nature or greenery, have a positive effect on health and wellbeing.¹º In short, those at home and struggling with a complex work problem or feeling fatigued should move away from the screen and take a break, preferably amongst nature, in a garden or nearby park.

Recent research showed that better work–life balance offered by flexible working hours and reduced commuting are key benefits of working from home.¹¹ More control over work hours helps people meet family commitments and partake in activities outside of work, thus helping to reduce stress, connect with others and achieve personal goals – all of which enhances wellbeing.

A downside of too much working from home is the risk of isolation and loneliness.¹² A sensible balance of office and home working is therefore required for wellbeing. Employees, especially extroverts compared to introverts, seek regular interaction with their colleagues and the sense of belonging and connectivity provided by a well-designed and operated office.¹¹ Regular social events, team meetings, training, workshops, special lunches and amenities, such as a gym or crèche, will help entice people back to the office. Regular online meetings with managers outlining goals, objectives and achievements with positive feedback will enhance a sense of purpose and wellbeing.

Conclusion

In summary, wellbeing is a broad concept, including physical and mental health and also a sense of achievement. Offering employees the choice of working from home and flexibility over work hours facilitates their wellbeing. Nonetheless, an ergonomic and comfortable working environment is required with the autonomy to take regular breaks.

Nigel Oseland is an environmental psychologist, workplace consultant, change manager, researcher, author and international speaker. He is a visiting research fellow at Liverpool John Moores University and the founder and MD of Workplace Unlimited. Contact him at:

workplaceunlimited.com

linkedin.com/in/nigeloseland

E: [email protected]

T: +44 (0)7900 908193

References

1 New Economics Foundation (2012) Measuring Wellbeing: A Guide for Practitioners.

2 Department of Health (2014) The relationship between wellbeing and health. A Compendium of Factsheets: Wellbeing Across the Lifecourse.

3 HM Government (1974) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

4 Health and Safety Executive (2013) Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Workstation Checklist.

5 Maslow (1943)

6 Schwartz & McCarthy (2007) Manage your energy, not your time. Havard Business Review.

7 Buckley et al (2013) Standing-based office work shows encouraging signs of attenuating post-prandial glycaemic excursion. Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

8 Kaplan & Kaplan (1989) The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press.

9 Atchley, Strayer & Atchley (2012) Creativity in the wild: Improving creative reasoning through immersion in natural settings. PLoS ONE, 7(12).

10 Browning, Ryan & Clancy (2014) 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design. Terrapin Bright Green.

12 Oseland & Raw (2024) The enticing workplace: Attracting people back to the office. Proceedings of the 4th Transdisciplinary Workplace Research (TWR) Conference.

13 Loneliness Lab (2019) Progress Report: We’re Designing Loneliness out of the Workplace.