Workplace morale is a huge topic in the modern office. There has been a big shift in focus toward employee mental health in recent years, but this is not the only challenge facing office employees.
As more light is shed upon common issues, the burden of fixing these problems falls on business leaders. However, you can only put systems once you know about these key issues.
With that said, let’s look at the most common challenges facing office employees today and suggest a few ways that you can resolve these problems.
Here Are Common Challenges Facing Office Employees:
1. Remote Working
There has been a big shift in the number of staff that now work from home in the last few years. Technology has improved enough that it is now possible for modern office workers to conduct their daily duties from the comfort of their own homes.
While these employees can receive and complete projects remotely, there are several issues facing those that work from home. The biggest of these problems in isolation.
Traveling into an office and working alongside provides your staff with the opportunity to socialize among like-minded individuals. Humans are social creatures, which is why this socialization is key to achieving good mental well-being.
Unfortunately, this environment isn’t always available when working from home. That is why it is necessary to provide your staff with communication channels.
These messaging and video services can help your employees solve their workplace issues while giving them the means to communicate with other members of staff to reduce their feelings of isolation. Therefore, your employees can reliably work from home and still feel like part of a team.
2. Eye Strain
Working at a computer for long periods is not good for your eyes. These screens can relay a harsh U.V light, something that will cause eye strain over time.
Eye strain can be quite painful to deal with and often presents itself as a mild pain behind the eye or a headache. If your employees experience any of these symptoms it could prevent them from using a computer screen, which means that they aren’t working to their full potential. Therefore, it is your job as an employer to reduce eye strain among your employees.
You can tackle this issue by allowing regular screen breaks. Most opticians recommend that people should take a twenty-minute break from a computer every two hours.
Alternatively, you can install blue screen shields atop all of your computer monitors. These shields protect your staff from the U.V light emitted from the monitor while still allowing them to see the screen.
3. Back Problems
Your staff needs to sit down to use the computer when working in an office. Since computers are essential to the modern workplace, this could mean that your staff is sitting in the same position for up to eight hours a day.
Staying in this position for so long can lead to serious back issues, something that isn’t going to be fixed by more sitting. Therefore, your staff may need to take time off to recover if they encounter this problem.
The answer to this problem is quite simple. All you need to do is ensure that you have provided proper back support for office chairs.
It is now easier than ever to obtain the right kind of office chair for your staff, and you can find out more at Branch Furniture. Your staff’s physical health is paramount when it comes to office work, so make sure that you have the correct tools at your disposal.
4. New Tech
It is no secret that computer technology has progressed more in the last twenty years than it has ever done. While this has provided businesses with several benefits, it can be quite daunting for your staff.
Every time a new advancement is made, your employees need to learn about it and implement it into their daily routine. Unfortunately, there are so many advancements being made that it can be difficult to keep up.
Anything that overwhelms an employee too much can cause them to lose faith in their skills and give up on trying to keep up to date altogether.
Therefore, it is important that you bring everyone up to speed at the same time with helpful training sessions. A new piece of software may seem easy to you; however, it may prove challenging to some of your employees.
Make sure that you acknowledge this by talking through these new programs before you expect your staff to use them.
5. Automation
Another benefit that comes with the advancement of technology is that many menial computing tasks can now be performed automatically.
This is extremely helpful when it comes to saving time and man-hours during the business day; however, it can intimidate some of your current employees.
Job security is an important factor in many people’s lives, especially those with a family. A new automated system may remove some of your employee’s duties, making them feel obsolete in the process.
It is natural to worry about being replaced in the workforce, so it is important that you put all of these fears to rest. You can hold a one-on-one meeting with anyone that is having some of their duties taken away while also making sure that they have a new set of responsibilities.
6. Cyberbullying
Bullying has always been a major concern in every workplace. Unfortunately, this activity has only increased with the rise of computers in the workplace.
Computers provide people with a means to contact people while remaining anonymous. This means that some workers can target other employees with abuse without fearing the consequences of such an action.
Sadly, many people that choose to cyberbully their colleagues fail to see these actions for what they really are as there isn’t a lot of information surrounding this issue. They are more likely to see it as a bit of harmless fun while the victim struggles in silence.
That is why it is important to conduct regular well-being training around the topic of cyberbullying. Pointing out the negative side-effects and examples of this behavior will deter people from engaging in this harmful activity.
Related Resource: 3 Types of Behavior That Constitute Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Summary
The modern workplace is always going to come with its fair share of issues. Some of the solutions to these problems are often out of your power.
Fortunately, there are some things you can do to ensure that your staff is always cared for, a practice that will benefit both parties moving forward.
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