Millions of businesses have been radically disrupted by the global coronavirus pandemic, resulting in the world’s largest work-from-home experiment.
While working from home has its benefits, the rapid shift to remote working, coupled with the current COVID-19 situation, has been extremely stressful for employees. Not only are many organizations not trained or well-equipped to handle a large remote workforce, but the current lockdown and social distancing rules make this situation even more challenging for an individual’s physical, social, and mental health. Here are 3 different ways you can keep your remote workforce productive and healthy during these difficult times.
1. Equip Employees with a Fitness Device
Did you know that fitness devices can help employees assess their current health status? For example, if employees want to track their physical health statistics, they can automatically track and sync to CoreHealth's platform their key activities with a Fitbit device. The device can help them measure activities like time spent exercising, food consumed, current weight, and quality of sleep so they can stay on task with their active lifestyle goals. 
The Fitbit also has an element of gamification and social support, which can help keep your employees motivated. They’re also highly popular. 19% of Americans over the age of 18 own a fitness tracker, while more than half of employees that are given fitness trackers still use them after six months.
By using the step-tracking wearable device, employees can automatically apply step data to coaching goals, wellness challenges, and incentive programs. This allows them to access accurate data so they can remain engaged with their fitness goals and plot and track their progress. Furthermore, the Fitbit device can also automatically sync with CoreHealth’s corporate wellness platform, automating manual logins and information uploads. By boosting engagement and automation, fitness trackers play a vital role in wellness programs, increasing their appeal for both administrators and participants.
2. Help Your Employees Structure Their Days
Without an office environment with in-person managerial and colleague support, it can be extremely difficult for employees to structure their days and minimize distractions. Working at home can make it harder to get work completed on time and to have clear boundaries between work and leisure. 
To keep your remote workforce healthy and productive, help your employees plan ahead so they can make a distinction between their free time and their working hours. You can begin by planning the start and end time of their days in advance with your team and ensuring they have a specific timeframe for all tasks. Check in with them regularly to make sure they stick to the working hours you set up together.
We also recommend you ensure your employees have enough time to eat by scheduling a lunch break into their calendar. To keep employees refreshed and recharged, you should also schedule short 5-10 minute breaks where necessary.
3. Make Sure They Have a Good Start to The Day
The first few hours of a workday can have a major impact on the rest of an individual’s mood and performance. If you want happy, productive, and focused employees, then make sure they have a good start to the day.
“Having a good start to the day where you have greater control is critical in achieving better results, and ultimately greater career success,” said Lynn Taylor, National Workplace Expert, and Author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant. “How you begin your morning often sets the tone and your attitude for the day. It can also derail or direct your focus. If you remain committed to good morning work habits, you won’t fall prey to feeling unproductive and distracted at the end of the day or week.”
While everyone has a different morning routine, it’s a good idea to have a policy whereby employees spend the first 30 minutes of their workday assessing their priorities so they know what to focus on. Quick team meetings can also help to make priorities clear.
Keep Your Workforce Productive
Keeping your remote workforce productive and healthy during this pandemic is an unprecedented challenge. Not only are your employees suddenly forced to work from home in a more isolated environment, but stress, fear, and anxiety are spreading just as quickly as the virus.
If you want to keep your remote workers productive and healthy, first take care of their wellbeing. 87% of employees expect support from their employer to balance work and personal life. During these challenging times, you must step up.
Leverage online tools to help employees track their physical and psychological health. Help them set up a realistic schedule so they’re focused and in control of their work hours. Also make sure everyone has a strong morning routine so they have a good start to the day. While these actions seem small and simple, they can have a profound impact on your team, their health, and their performance.
Contact us today to keep your remote workforce healthy and productive and supplying them with the necessary resources and support during COVID-19.
About CoreHealth Technologies
CoreHealth Technologies Inc. is a total well-being technology company trusted by global providers to power their health and wellness programs. Our wellness portals help maximize health, engagement and productivity for 3+ million employees worldwide. We believe people are the driving force of organizations and supporting them to make behavior changes to improve employee health is in everyone’s best interest. With the most flexibility, customizations and integrations of any software in its class, CoreHealth’s all-in-one wellness platform helps grow great wellness companies. Simple to sophisticated, based on you. For more information, visit the CoreHealth website or YouTube Channel.
