Opinion
The young professional’s guide to mental health while remote working
2020 was an unprecedented year for most young professionals. Many hopefuls successfully graduated and found themselves with great opportunities to climb the career ladder at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, their lives were taken for a spin once the COVID-19 pandemic hit. National lockdowns forced businesses to adopt remote workflows, effectively turning homes into workplaces.
Remote working is perhaps the biggest concern for young professionals these days. While it initially sounded great to work from home as the world weathered the pandemic, the reality was a lot harsher than we could’ve imagined. Remote working forced us into unhealthy habits, it damaged our mental health, and it limited the potential of many young workers that had only just joined their industries. This isn’t true for everyone of course, but it’s how the vast majority of young remote workers were feeling throughout 2020.
But that didn’t stop them from chasing success.
Young professionals are a hungry breed of employee that will stop at nothing to climb the career ladder and obtain success. Unfortunately, this hard-working nature is a double-edged sword that can end their career if they’re not careful. Overworking yourself in a remote environment can create many unhealthy habits, eventually leading to poor mental health and a feeling that you’ve hit a roadblock in your career. With few companies hiring, young professionals have found themselves trapped in their home offices by the COVID-19 virus.
So in this guide, we’re going to talk about the importance of looking after your wellbeing while remote working. We’re going to focus on young professionals and how they can progress their careers despite all of the challenges that come with remote working.
Why remote working is on the rise as a result of the pandemic
Globally, COVID-19 has over 91.4 million cases with just over 1.9 million confirmed deaths as of writing. This is a strong case for initiating lockdowns across the world in order to prevent the spread of the virus. By closing non-essential businesses and limiting travel options, lockdowns hope to slow down the spread of the virus while still maintaining the economy. In order to do this, many people need to switch to remote working positions with help from cloud-based workflows and other online-based systems.
This is the main reason why remote working is on the rise; it’s a countermeasure against lockdowns that prevent employees from coming to work. However, it’s also in the best interests of the business itself. Nobody wants their employees to get sick and being unable to work, so keeping them safe at home where they can still be productive is usually the best course of action.
It’s estimated that around 56% of the U.S. workforce currently has a job that is compatible, even if partially, with remote working. However, we also know that only 3.6% of the employee workforce actually practices this. Data from 2016 shows that 43% of the workforce does work from home at least some of the time, but this data was well before the lockdowns began.
With current data, it’s estimated that up to 30% of the workforce could be working from home by the end of 2021. This is due to a combination of factors:
- Businesses are starting to realize that work-from-home employees can be just as effective if given the right tools.
- It lowers operating costs since a smaller office can be used to run the business.
- More people are starting to overcome the challenges of working from home as they get accustomed to it.
- Reduced employee commuting means a lower carbon footprint for everyone.
- It opens up more recruitment opportunities across the world.
There are certainly benefits for both employees and employers when it comes to remote working, but it’s also surprisingly taxing on our mental health.
Why does remote working take a toll on our mental health?
Working from home has many psychological effects that a lot of people simply weren’t prepared for. This is something that freelancers and existing remote working employees had to cope with even before the pandemic, but it’s only recently coming to light due to the huge influx of remote working employees now.
Here are some of the most common problems that remote workers face when it comes to their mental health:
- Pressure to work extra hours or hours that they’re not accustomed to.
- Difficulties unplugging from work due to it being accessible on their computer or laptop.
- Loneliness due to a lack of colleagues to speak to in-person.
- Isolation due to being stuck at home because of lockdowns.
- Stress due to a lack of time management skills that are required when working from home.
- Depression caused by a lack of tangible career progress.
That last point is particularly important because depression can have far-reaching effects. The symptoms of depression can include bursts of anger, anxiety, agitation, increased cravings for food, or even unexplained physical problems like headaches and back pain. If you notice any of these symptoms when you work from home, then there’s a possibility that remote working has caused you to develop depression.
Thankfully, your mental health doesn’t have to suffer as a result of working from home as long as you take the right approach.
Addressing the challenges of remote working as an employee
Taking care of your mental health when working from home is important. Few people realize that burnout is a real medical condition that can easily affect people that work from home. In fact, 82% of remote working professionals said they experienced some kind of burnout while working from home, 52% of remote employees said they ended up working longer hours compared to when they were working in the office, and another 40% said they felt pressured to perform better and contribute more.
This shows that there are real consequences to working from home, especially if you’re not prepared. If it’s your first time working remotely, then it’s important to listen to advice from remote working professionals in order to take better care of your mental health. Here are some practical tips for young professionals to take better care of their mental health when working from home.
- Stick to a schedule. Although 40% of remote workers say that a flexible schedule is one of the biggest benefits of working from home, not sticking to a schedule can actually be detrimental. Having a predictable schedule is much easier on your mental health and ensures that you only work the hours you’re supposed to.
- Schedule regular breaks. It can be easy to forget to take a break because you’re more comfortable in a home environment. Make sure you schedule breaks now and then to ensure that you don’t overwork yourself. Give yourself some time to relax between work sessions.
- Create a comfortable work environment. A comfortable work environment will help you stay focused and relaxed. Make sure you have a great chair that is comfortable, ensure your desk is organized and has plenty of storage, and make sure your computer or laptop is at a height that is comfortable to use.
- Remove distractions. Distractions can prolong your work hours and make it hard to stay focused.
- Consider co-working spaces as an option. Some people find that co-working spaces encourage them to be more productive. It’s also a good option if you find it hard to avoid distractions at home, but of course bear in mind the lockdown situation in your area.
- Understand your limits. Working at home is no excuse to push yourself further than you normally would. Make sure you understand your limits and stick to a schedule so you avoid overworking yourself.
- Unplug from your work–literally. It’s important to unplug yourself from work if you find yourself staying up late to do last-minute things. Try literally unplugging by turning off your laptop and ignoring any calls or messages to your work phone.
- Don’t forget to communicate and engage. Despite feeling isolated at home, it’s a good idea to remember that you can still communicate and engage with people in order to further your career and be productive. Use messaging programs, video calls, and regular calls to stay in touch with colleagues and communicate effectively with senior managers.
It’s difficult to determine the best course of action to take if working remotely is mentally taxing for you. Everyone has their own problems, so it’s important to identify the issues that concern you the most so that you can deal with them step by step.
Addressing the challenges of remote working as an employer
A young professional doesn’t need to be an employee. “Young professional” can also be used to describe a line manager or even a young entrepreneur. If you’re in a leadership position in charge of multiple employees, then you also have a responsibility to look out for your team and their mental wellbeing.
A survey carried out by FlexJobs showed that around 40% of people have experienced burnout that is related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, around 37% of employed respondents said they were working longer hours than usual due to complications and unfamiliarity when working from home. As an employer or manager, it’s important that you look out for the wellbeing of your staff and seek ways to improve their remote working experience. This can help them stay productive, healthy to ultimately boost your business.
- Make mental wellbeing a priority. Far too many businesses overlook the importance of mental wellbeing in the workplace. This makes it even less likely that companies will be paying attention to mental wellbeing now that employees work from home. Burnout is a real issue that affects many workers around the world, so it’s important to make mental wellbeing a priority instead of an afterthought. Be proactive about your approach to mental wellbeing and you’ll find that your employees will be happier, more productive, and more likely to continue working with your company.
- Establish new channels of communication. Hearing from your employees is important, especially if they’re relatively new to remote working and the flexibility that it can offer. Stay in touch with employees by opening new channels of communication such as instant messaging with services like Slack, or check in on a weekly basis by emailing all of your team to give them an update on your projects and expectations. These channels should be used freely by encouraging your staff to come to you with any questions, concerns, or even if they have a lack of direction.
- Consider individual needs. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented complication for businesses. As a result, there are likely going to be many unique circumstances that arise as a result of it. For example, parents may need to spend more time at home tutoring their children and preparing them for exams, or they might need extra help with home responsibilities and commitments. As such, you should always consider the individual needs of your staff and adjust accordingly but within reason.
Taking care of your employees is difficult, especially during these challenging times with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, you can minimize the impact it has on your business by taking care of your team and keeping their mental wellbeing in mind.
The COVID-19 pandemic is certainly having a massive impact on American mental health and wellbeing. It’s more important than ever before to consider your mental health as you work from home, especially if you’re concerned about personal commitments or even planning ahead with your career choices. COVID-19 has pulled the brakes on many of our careers, and the psychological damage it’s caused is immeasurable.
But with the right approach, it’s possible to stay positive, productive, and look ahead to the future in regards to your career. Whether you’re a young professional taking up their first management role or an employee hungry to climb the career ladder, balancing your wellbeing with your work responsibilities is the key to staying healthy both physically and mentally.
This guide was shared by our friends from Ezra – the professional coaching app.
Feeling the Pinch?
The rising cost of living is difficult to avoid. April 2022 saw food prices increase by 6.7 per cent, the highest petrol prices on record and inflation rise to a staggering nine per cent. As millions of customers see their mobile tariffs soar, Ross Slogrove, UK country manager at cloud calling specialist Ringover reveals his advice for avoiding the price hike.
From July 1, 2022, Virgin Media will hit its 3 million customers with a price hike of 1.5 per cent. So, if a customer signed up to, let’s say, a £30-a-month tariff after May 5, 2022, they will pay an additional 45 pence each month. EE has already increased its prices by 2.7 per cent each year — or £11.30 if you have a £35-a-month contract — while O2, Three and Vodafone are all increasing by 2.5 per cent.
Pay-as-you-go prices are also taking a hit. From July 2022, call costs with Three will jump from 10p to 35p per minute. The cost of sending a text will double, affecting the 14 per cent of Brits that use a pre-pay mobile.
Given Brits are already battling with price hikes from every angle, these costs mount up. 45 per cent of UK households have at least two mobile phones, while according to Ofcom, just two per cent don’t have one at all. And then there’s the toll on businesses, with many still relying on mobile packages to keep employees connected.
Take a Hike
When a mobile contract comes to an end, it’s common for that tariff to be rolled onto a monthly rolling contract at the same price, even though the customer has paid off their handset. Research from Which? shows that customers who allow their mobile phone contracts to roll over without enquiring about better deals could lose up to £100 a year.
Ditching a contract mid-term and without penalties isn’t possible. However, consumers should evaluate whether their minimum contract period has ended if they’re considering switching. If a customer was on a standard 24-month contract that’s rolled on after this, they’re probably over-paying and need to negotiate a better deal.
Claiming that mobile phone networks overcharged UK businesses and consumers by £7.6 million last year, BillMonitor can provide analysis into the best mobile tariffs for your needs. Money Saving Expert has an easy-to-use price comparison tool, too.
Ditch the Big Guys
Some research into mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) may also be worthwhile. Unlike the “Big Four” mobile network operators (MNOs) in the UK, MVNOs do not own their own wireless infrastructure, so use radio networks operated by EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. They include the likes of Giffgaff,Tesco Mobile and Sky.
In Which?’s Annual Mobile Network Survey of the best perceived mobile operators, O2, EE, Vodafone and Three were outperformed by MVNOs. Three fared poorly in the customer survey, receiving the lowest rating for network reliability with customers unimpressed by its technical support.
In contrast, virtual networks Smarty and iD, which both use Three’s infrastructure, were among the highest scorers in Which?’s table with customers applauding the networks’ value for money. Three of the highest scoring carriers in Which?’s survey were Giffgaff, Tesco and Sky, which all use O2’s infrastructure.
Head to the Cloud
Shopping around and switching providers will save consumers from the Big Four’s price hikes, but what about businesses? It may be best for them to ditch traditional telephony altogether.
There are currently 4.98 million business landline numbers in use, according to Ofcom figures. However, this is expected to drop below 2 million by 2024, from a high of 8 million in 2013. With the switch off of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) imminent, businesses that rely heavily on calling should consider an internet-based alternative.
Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is often a cheaper alternative to traditional telephony. While a traditional landline phone system sends voice communications via an analogue PBX system, VoIP phone systems transmit voice calls over the internet as data packets to bring voice and data capabilities together on a single network, eliminating the need for separate lines and providers for each.
A company using a VoIP service doesn’t need to work with multiple service providers for its office, mobile, and data services, IT support is reduced and hardware and installation needs are condensed. Furthermore, because users are no longer tied down to a particular country, address or phoneline for their communications, companies can save on the cost of international charges.
With the cost of living rising, price hikes are difficult to avoid. However, consumers must check in on their current mobile contracts or they risk losing money. For businesses, it’s time to move on from the landline and onto more cost-effective, future-proofed alternatives.
About Ringover
A leader in cloud communications, Ringover seamlessly combines unlimited calling, group messaging and video conferencing into one easy-to-use app. No expertise is needed to set up and integrates with your CRM or helpdesk tools. Within a few clicks, you’ve gained access to all the data you need to enhance your call centre or sales team’s performance and boost customer engagement.
Big Tech’s entry into telecoms is shaking up the industry
2021 was a huge year for tech giants and telecoms with Google, Verizon and most recently Amazon Web Services (AWS) all announcing plans to enter the telecoms space. The convergence of Big Tech telecoms is nothing new and each company has their own plans to disrupt the current landscape for the better. But is this disruption a dream or disaster for telcos? Here, Hamish White, CEO of digital-first telecom software provider Mobilise, navigates the benefits and drawbacks of the growing tech-telecom convergence.
Despite seeming similar, in many ways telecoms and Big Tech are polar opposites. While Big Tech tends to position itself at the forefront of innovation, paving the way for new upcoming capabilities, the telecoms industry tends to stick to its traditional but stable principles and ways of working. But could a unification be just what’s needed?
Better Together
Big Tech’s entry into telecoms has a wealth of potential for service providers (SPs) and their customers. Big Tech has what many providers are lacking — the resources, financial resources and culture to accelerate the pace of innovation of the telecoms industry by applying a Big Tech approach product development and improvement. Big Tech brings its own way of innovating to the market, resulting in quicker, better products and services that smaller providers can tap into too.
This has a positive knock-on effect on consumers, who ultimately receive a better experience from their SP. Through their advance data management techniques, Big Tech has the potential to gather, organise and present more customer data from various sources. The more a SP knows about its customer, the greater the level of personalisation they can offer. A greater level of personalisation leads to more relevant marketing, great customer satisfaction and increased customer lifetime value (CLV) for the SP. A win-win for both the SP and the customer.
Personalisation is complicated to deliver, often requiring significant investment on new technology and involvement from stakeholders across the business. As a result, smaller and medium-sized providers often cannot offer personalisation services on par with Big Tech or Tier 1 SPs, leaving them uncompetitive and missing out entirely on new opportunities.
With the help of Mobilise’s HERO platform, small and medium-sized SPs can now deliver personalisation on par with industry leaders. This is because they have access to all customer data needed for such services through one central location which also houses an orchestration layer which acts as a single entry point between interconnected systems in order to capture the data required for hyperpersonalisation.
Fair Share
Despite the potential benefits that Big Tech could bring to the telecoms market, there’s also shared concerns from mobile operators all over the world. SPs’ ongoing dissatisfaction with Big Tech’s lack of investment into the physical telecommunications infrastructure has been documented publicly.
In December 2021, the Financial Times published an open letter from Europe’s 13 biggest SPs addressing tech giants to demand a greater contribution to network investment. Why is this so crucial?
Data from Sandvine’s Global Internet Phenomena Report revealed the top six tech firms are generating over 56 per cent of global network traffic. Their entire business model and profitability relies on the infrastructure funded by SPs, but despite their successes, they’re still not contributing investment that is commensurate with the gains they’ve reaped.
What’s more, telecoms’ frustration with Big Tech’s lack of infrastructural investment is without even considering the latest layer of the problem: Big Tech’s attempt to launch products and services that directly compete with SPs.
A Market Monopoly
Several tech giants are developing or already have developed telecoms business areas. There’s concern from regulators, SPs and consumers that if Big Tech’s expansion continues, they could monopolise the entire technology sphere.
From a SP’s perspective, monopolisation has already begun. AWS and Microsoft have both acquired SAS-SM accreditation, required for the cloud deployment of one of telecoms’ latest development: eSIMs. eSIMs allow SPs to onboard subscribers remotely, virtually performing the traditional functions of a physical SIM card, directly provisioning a device over the internet.
While the intentions behind AWS and Microsoft’s acquisition of this accreditation are unclear now, it’s possibly linked to the development of eSIMs for Internet of Things (IoT) use cases covering sectors like manufacturing and supply chains, where their use improves operational efficiency.
While Big Tech is free to do this, and has the technology and resources to develop products quickly, this approach of cherry picking certain areas of the telecoms network could negatively affect the industry.
Double-Edged Sword
The implications of Big Tech’s lack of infrastructural investment is concerning. Currently, SPs are entirely responsible for the physical infrastructure that keeps our modern digital societies connected. But as of yet, Big Tech’s shown no interest in supporting this activity.
If Big Tech continues to only cherry pick certain elements of telecoms it wishes to enter, it could jeopardise the revenue SPs can make from their products and services, reducing investment availability, which could then place the critical infrastructure under threat.
There’s buzz from regulators and consumers around the impact of Big Tech’s potentially anti-competitive app store practices. In the US, in February 2022 the Senate passed the Open App Markets Act, which seeks to remove the control of Apple and Google over their app stores, creating a more accessible and diverse market. Similarly, in the EU, in October 2022 the Digital Markets Act will be adopted, banning practices used by Big Tech to gatekeep information and encourage competition.
While these steps promote consumer choice and a fair market, regulators also must consider how Big Tech’s partial entry into telecoms could have a detrimental impact on infrastructure development. The juxtaposition we see is that Big Tech could provide much needed innovation to the telecoms industry, but the infrastructure required to support this innovation won’t exist. Mobilise offers a suite of advisory services, including strategy and regulatory policy consultancy, to assist SPs and regulators in navigating these uncertain times and to see Big Tech as an opportunity rather than a threat.
The tech-telecom convergence will undoubtedly shake up the market. But more consideration needs to be taken to ensure infrastructure investment remains stable and the market remains competitive.
About Mobilise
Mobilise is a leading provider of SaaS solutions to the telecommunications industry. Focused on delivering highly engaging digital-first service propositions with excellent customer experience, Mobilise has a proven track record, deep industry knowledge and a team of specialists to support clients to building and executing transformational strategies.
Clients range from large corporate organisations with over 100,000 employees to small enterprises with under 20 employees. Mobilise has a deep knowledge of the telecoms business model and our experience includes working with over 40 service providers across eight markets for brands including Virgin, Dixon’s Carphone, Red Bull Mobile, Manx Telecom and Freenet.
A seamless UX enabler
In its Top 7 trends shaping digital transformation in 2022 report, Mulesoft claimed the 2020s as the era of seamless digital experiences, enabled by modular software design. All more often, consumers are expecting the same quality of user experience (UX) from their service provider (SP) as they receive from tech giants like Amazon and Meta. Here, Hamish White, founder and CEO of telecoms SaaS solution provider Mobilise explains how a composable business model and a modular API-led connectivity architecture is an SP’s best friend.
Organisations that have adopted innovation must not just be able to use it, but use it well enough to deliver a seamless digital UX. Consumers expect the same highly engaging experience from every single brand they interact with, so smaller SPs must offer a UX that’s on a par with tech giants to remain competitive and keep their customers happy.
Offering digital services is essential in our modern digital society. A consistent, intuitive user interface is a core differentiator for SPs seeking a competitive edge, contributing to a positive CX and ultimately preventing churn. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Future of CX report, 32 per cent of all customers would stop doing business with a brand they once loved after just one bad experience. So, a positive UX right from the start is crucial.
APIs Enter the Chat
In today’s digital society, data is king. But despite the widespread recognition of its power, most organisations don’t have a comprehensive data strategy in place. According to Capgemini’s Master the customer experiencereport just 21 per cent of brands have an integrated, holistic view of all customer information. For the others, data is scattered in silos in incompatible formats, and in some cases it’s not even captured and stored. But APIs help to solve these issues.
API-led connectivity links data to applications through application programming interfaces (APIs). It decouples data from the business logic and experience layer to create functions specifically with CX in mind. APIs are developed for specific purposes, but once created, they are reusable. So, adopting an API-led connectivity model allows an organisation to create ecosystems of applications that are modular, purposeful and reusable, enabling businesses to operate with more agility.
Elevating CX
Implementing API integrations, or an orchestration layer, into an organization’s digital infrastructure supports digital CX in many ways. APIs enable the full integration of external systems and third-party services so that processes appear seamless. What is actually a sequence of several individual processes and triggers behind the scenes, enabled through applications from several vendors, can appear as single interaction to a customer.
For example, in telecoms, when onboarding a new customer through an in-app eSIM subscription, subscriber provisioning, stock management and Know Your Customer (KYC) is all handled by APIs. Yet for the customer, all that’s required is the tap of a button.
For smaller SPs, having the resources and expertise to successfully implementing a API-led digital architecture may seem an impossible task. Mobilise’s HERO is a digital BSS platform that enables SPs to deliver digital-first customer experience. Through its orchestration layer, which is fully compliant with the TM Forum Open API Specifications, there are over 60 APIs available to integrate into front and back-end systems, for functions including self-service, eSIM provisioning, payments, in-app push notifications, marketplace for cross selling, and user profiles maintenance.
Preventing churn, maintaining satisfied customers and elevating CX is essential to success in the ever more competitive telecoms space. Creating a consistent, intuitive digital ecosystem, powered by APIs gives SPs the ongoing flexibility to adapt and keep pace with innovation.
About Mobilise
Mobilise is a leading provider of SaaS solutions to the telecommunications industry. Focused on delivering highly engaging digital-first service propositions with excellent customer experience, Mobilise has a proven track record, deep industry knowledge and a team of specialists to support clients to building and executing transformational strategies.
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Ian Terblanche, Global Strategic Sales & Channel Director at Sigfox
