The pandemic changed the game for the modern workforce. In theory, remote working offered more flexibility and better opportunities for a better work-life balance. In reality, it brought with it new challenges for the workforce. Studies found that during lockdown, remote workers largely worked longer hours and faced larger workloads than before the pandemic. Fast forward to 2022, and we see reports of increased workforce stress and burnout, which has led many people around the world to leave their jobs.                                   

It's easy to pin the blame on the pandemic, but even pre-2020, notions of the digital nomad lifestyle — a phenomenon that’s grown in popularity over the past decade — were beginning to inextricably link work and home. Since then, a whole host of factors, including the development of new workplace technologies, have continued to blur the lines between home and work. 

The result? There’s been a dramatic shift in the way people think about and carry out their work. Considering this, employers need to do more than simply facilitate a duty of care towards their staff. It’s more important than ever that they play their part in promoting a healthy and sustainable work culture.  

Challenging the norm in work cultures  

So, what does it take to create a healthy, mindful work culture, and what are different organizations doing to challenge the norm? Leaders today are recognizing the power of mindful cultures for productivity — as well as the link between personal and professional development. 

As we reflect on the past few years and the increasing pressure workforces have been under, we can recognize how the pandemic heightened dissatisfaction among employees, and ultimately drove more people to leave their jobs. In many instances, employees haven’t been able to fully engage with their work because they don’t feel physically or mentally able to perform at their best. 

In situations like this, mindfulness can be a powerful tool for workplaces seeking to meet the evolving needs of their employees. Workplace well-being and mindfulness empowers the workforce to feel present, engaged and aware of their thoughts and feelings without distraction or judgment. This in turn improves employee satisfaction and performance. 

The workforce wants more from employers

Headspace’s 2023 Workforce Attitudes Toward Mental Health Report revealed that nearly half (49%) of workers feel a sense of dread about work at least once a week, and rising expectations to take on more responsibilities and a lack of stability at work were the biggest drivers of this dread. While the impacts of overworking and stress on mental health are widely acknowledged, the physical effects are not often discussed. For example, stress can manifest itself in sleep disruption, along with more concerning health implications, such as high blood pressure and digestive problems. To address such issues, employers need to understand the cause.     

Why now? 

It’s not the case that hybrid working or remote working didn’t exist before the pandemic. The issue is that, almost overnight, everyone had to adapt to this new style of working, while very few were helped in acquiring the right skills to cope. Accepting that their home space was suddenly their workspace (not to mention their gym and social space) was a lot for employees to take on mentally. They also had to contend with the pressure to be “seen” — to counter the internal narrative many people have that they’re assumed to be “slacking off” because they’re not in the office. This pressure “to be seen” adds greatly to employees’ psychological drive to overperform — and overexert — in a bid to look like they’re “doing their job.”     

There’s still stigma associated with mental health in the workplace, but the seeds are being planted for a better future. If you’re interested in hearing more about the ways that leaders can take steps to improve culture in today’s hybrid workplace, read our guide here.