Here at Hastings Mutual, we’re returning to the office — or at least some of us are. The company decided to go to a hybrid model, with employees at home part of the work week and at home for the remainder. Then, of course, we have our staff who visit with agents and policyholders and meet them where they are.

There’s nothing unusual about any of that; hybrid work models are popular with businesses of all sizes, now that many employees suddenly experienced working from home for more than a year.

There has been plenty of discussion about what it all means: the question of work-life balance, the value of time spent in the office, and so on.

It’s been a topic of discussion here at Hastings Mutual, like many workplaces. Aside from plans to bring people safely back to the office and how to manage remote work, there’s also considerations of mental health and the need many people have for more face-to-face interaction.

Another consideration is burnout. While it might seem like a dream to work from home, to have your office commute down to a few seconds, it’s not ideal for everyone. We have employees who live in rural areas and don’t have the best internet connection. We have others who are trying to accomplish their work goals while managing their children each day, even if they were in school part of the time. Those are the kinds of things that being required to work from home won’t help. They may not improve even with a few days back in the office either.

What’s the solution? There’s probably no single way to answer that question, but expert recommendations include taking plenty of breaks, prioritizing the most important work over less essential tasks, and rewarding employees — a thank you note or a small token of appreciation could go a long way toward a worker feeling appreciated.

Dealing with burnout takes knowing your employees — a pizza party isn’t going to cut it for every office. And of course, some people never got a chance to work from home during the pandemic. Maybe the real answer is simply communication. Talk to your staff to see what they need to stay focused on their performance and learn how you can help them succeed.

What’s your best tip to avoid burnout? Let me know in the comments.

The Mutual Understanding blog and Hastings Mutual videos are made available for educational purposes only. The information referred to is not an official company statement, corporate policy, or offer of coverage. Refer to your insurance policy for specific coverage. There is no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of any information found by following any link on this site. Please contact your local independent insurance agent with further questions and for more details on any insurance policy-related information you read here.

© 2021 Hastings Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved.