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Managers: Take Back Your Lunch Day Applies to Remote Workers Too

The average office worker takes only 20 minutes of their allowed lunch time, which is a shame. But do you know how your remote workers use that time? Most of them don’t do it…. the overwhelming majority of remote workers actually put in longer hours than those who work at a central office and that often means eating at their desk while working. This might sound like a good productivity tool but it might be causing big problems for your team.

June 23 is the first “Take Back Your Lunch Day”. It’s the brainchild of Tony Schwartz, author of “The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working” and brains behind The Energy Project. He says, “Human beings aren’t meant to work like computers — at high speed, continuously and for long periods of time”.

As a leader as well as a manager, part of your role is to help all your team achieve the right fit of work and rest to avoid burnout and do high-quality work while having a life. Here are some things you can do to help:

1. Watch for signs of overwork. People who work well remotely tend to organize their time. Some are early risers, so a time stamp on an email of 5 am might mean nothing…but if they’re also answering email at noon and at 6:30 (and that’s just on the weekends) they might need to learn to manage their time more effectively. Nobody can stay connected 24-7 for indefinite periods. 

2. Are they always available? Having someone who will pickup the phone any time and respond to you and their teammates sounds like a desirable trait- but at what price? Are they taking the kids to school, taking their spouse to dinner or just sitting around waiting for that data on the Johnson project? 

3. Their work volume increases but quality slips. One sure sign of burnout is the inverse relationship between the amount of activity and the quality of their work. Effective workers use shorter, intense bursts of concentration to achieve their work. Tired, stressed-out and ineffective workers spend tons of time on the task but lack inspiration and creativity that takes their work to the next level. 

4. Watch for changes in work style or personality. If the chatty, affable teammate suddenly doesn’t have time to talk football, or the person you can always rely on starts missing deadlines this might be a sign of stress. Take the time to pick up the phone or get on Skype and talk to the person. Ask lots of open-ended questions and really listen for the subtle signs things might not be right. Don’t accept “I’m fine” as an answer the first time they say it. 

Remote workers, especially those working from home offices can do great work and be incredibly productive. The fact that they are always around the office, though, means that many people can’t step away. Your job is not just to get the most from your people, it’s to make sure sometimes they take a break, too.