It has been discovered that remote working can impact thought processes which, in turn, are sabotaging worker confidence and increasing anxiety rates. Referred to as the “inner critic”, it’s the voice in our head that may tell us:
- You’re stupid
- Everything you do is wrong
- You can’t do this job
- Everyone is waiting for you to fail
Working remotely means staff are spending more time with their innermost thoughts and less time with managers or workmates who may regularly provide positive feedback. This lack of confidence and positive feedback will be most prevalent with new employees who haven’t had much opportunity to work on-site and experience your business’ team culture.
Feelings of anxiety come from our interpretation of external events. With the sustained uncertainty and stress of COVID-19, anxiety rates have rocketed.
As a business owner and manager, you need to be on the lookout for staff who appear to be overly anxious or exhibiting unwarranted negativity about their performance. To prevent or reduce staff anxiety, don’t forget to provide positive feedback and encouragement when a job is done well because it’s more important than ever! When needed, ensure any negative feedback is constructive and show particular patience when dealing with new staff.
If you have any concerns about the productivity or performance of an employee, get in touch with us. We can guide you on what to do and how best to manage the situation. To discuss how we may be able to support you, contact End2end Business Solutions.