Employee Wellbeing Hinges on Management, Not Work Mode

As organizations have moved toward offering more flexible work arrangements, employees across industries have hoped these shifts to hybrid and remote work would increase flexibility in how and where they spend their time. This enthusiasm continues today. As of May 2024, 93% of all employees in remote-capable jobs prefer to work remotely at least some of their work week.

However, research from Gallup and Workhuman finds that simply adjusting workplace policies does not always unlock the benefits of remote work for employee wellbeing benefits. Instead, implementing practices that put people first is the key to elevating employee wellbeing. Leaders and managers can cultivate a thriving workforce by aligning their support for employees with their remote work strategies.

The Complex Realities of Remote Work and Work-Life Balance

According to Gallup research, 76% of full-time hybrid workers in the U.S. most often cite improved work-life balance as a top advantage of hybrid work. This sentiment is even clearer among exclusively remote workers, with 85% saying that improved work-life balance is among the greatest benefits of remote work.

For many workers without flexible work arrangements, working from home at least some of the time has a strong appeal. A Gallup survey of 21,543 U.S. employees conducted May 11-25, 2024, found that a majority (61%) of on-site workers working a full-time job with remote capability would prefer a hybrid work arrangement and an additional 28% would prefer to be fully remote.

Hybrid and remote work appeal to many workers as a direct solution to achieving a healthy work-life balance. However, the data on daily experiences across work locations tell a more complex story. Fully remote workers are most likely (33%) to strongly agree that they are able to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal commitments, but hybrid (27%) and on-site (25%) workers report experiences with work-life balance that are not significantly different from each other. Similarly, employees across all three work arrangements experience frequent burnout at statistically similar rates.

Despite some clear advantages for exclusively remote workers, employees across all work locations have room for improvement in these vital aspects of their wellbeing.

Strategies That Enhance Wellbeing and Work-Life Balance Across Locations

Undoubtedly, work location plays a fundamental role in an employee’s work experience. Beyond employees’ wellbeing, fully remote (37%) and hybrid workers (36%) are significantly more engaged than their on-site peers (30%). However, key outcomes related to employee experience are much more strongly influenced by good managers and business practices.

Research from Gallup and Workhuman confirms that focusing on the human element of workplace culture results in meaningful differences in employee wellbeing, regardless of where work is done.

In a survey of 4,439 U.S. employees conducted April 16-30, 2024, Gallup and Workhuman identified several strategies that organizations can use to improve aspects of wellbeing for all employees, regardless of whether they are working in an on-site, hybrid or exclusively remote work environment.

Establish Clear Expectations

Over the past five years, Gallup research has shown a decline in clarity of expectations at work across the U.S. workforce, with remote and hybrid employees experiencing this decline at twice the rate. Consistent ambiguity at work generates stress, hinders productivity and burdens workers trying to balance the responsibilities of work and life.

Creating role clarity and helping employees know what is expected of them at work each day is increasingly important when employees’ schedules and work locations are less defined and structured. Gallup and Workhuman find that employees who strongly agree that they know what is expected of them at work are 47% less likely to experience frequent burnout and 23% less likely to say they struggle with work-life balance a few times a week or more.

Effective managers build clarity by explicitly sharing their expectations and collaborating with employees to prioritize projects and tasks. They make themselves easily available, virtually or in person, and approachable to answer questions. They are ready to partner with employees to reprioritize as demands change.

Set Realistic Performance Goals Together

Collaborative goal setting, where managers involve employees in conversations about setting performance goals, is crucial for helping employees set reasonable targets that align with a healthy work-life balance.

Even highly talented employees can burn out when expected to achieve the unachievable. Without clear boundaries or goals, employees with high achievement drives may feel compelled to work more at the expense of their wellbeing and productivity.

Managers who facilitate frequent check-ins with their employees to discuss progress on their goals create a dynamic system of accountability. They ensure each employee aligns with team goals while establishing reasonable objectives.

Uplift Employees and Communicate Values Through Recognition

Recognition goes beyond a simple “feel good” exchange among employees. When done right, it enhances wellbeing by allowing employees to feel seen and valued for reasons beyond their workplace contributions. Employees who strongly agree that recognition is an important part of their organization’s culture are 4.2 times as likely to strongly agree that their organization cares about their wellbeing.

Recognition is also a powerful tool that leaders and managers can use to communicate organizational values and expectations. Through positive reinforcement, recognition signals to employees the behaviors their managers and team members want to see more often.

To support employee wellbeing and work-life balance, organizations should focus recognition on the behaviors that align with their values. For example, if an employee is only recognized for staying late at the office or working overtime to complete a project, it may create an expectation that such efforts are necessary for success, leading to burnout.

Managers and leaders can promote wellbeing by recognizing achievements and actions outside of work. This acknowledges employees as people with lives outside of work and can include recognition for life events, volunteering or community service, and other personal milestones. Gallup and Workhuman find doing so is an effective but underutilized resource. Slightly more than one in three employees (37%) say they receive recognition for non-work-related things, but those who do are twice as likely to say their organization cares about their wellbeing.

Elevate Wellbeing for All Employees

The relationship between remote work and wellbeing is not always straightforward. Life’s responsibilities do not disappear when an employee moves to a more remote work arrangement. While increased workplace flexibility provides a small boost in healthy work-life balance for exclusively remote workers, human-centric business practices consistently drive meaningful improvements in the employee experience across work locations. Gallup and Workhuman find that all leaders and managers can support their employees’ wellbeing by setting clear expectations, working collaboratively to set goals, and providing strategic recognition.