4 Tips For Leading Hybrid Teams Through Digital Exhaustion

Oneof the many adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is how significantly it increased dependence on digital devices. For example, both engagement in social networking platforms and use of online streaming services increased considerably since 2020. 

Similar trends have been observed in the workplace.

A study conducted by Harvard Business School gathered email and meeting data for 3.1 million employees across 16 global cities within a time period spanning eight weeks pre-lockdown and eight weeks post-lockdown. The report revealed that, on average, employees sent 5.2% more emails a day and 8.3% more emails after business hours. It was found that, overall, their workdays increased by 8.2%, or 48.5 minutes. 

It is unsurprising, then, that employees who work in hybrid environments are experiencing high rates of digital exhaustion. Corporate Wellness Magazine defines digital exhaustion as “…a state of persistent mental fatigue and diminished cognitive capacity resulting from prolonged exposure to digital work demands.” 

Signs of digital exhaustion include cognitive fatigue and slower thinking, reduced attention span, impaired recovery, reduced creativity, increased error rates, and poor decision-making. All of which leads to decreased productivity. 

When leading hybrid teams through digital exhaustion, here are a few things leaders can do: 

The same HBS study referenced above found that, compared to pre-pandemic levels, the number of meetings attended by employees increased by 12.9%, while the number of attendees per meeting increased by 13.5%. 

Considering that 35% of meetings are considered unproductive, leaders may want to stop and ask themselves: are all these meetings necessary? 

Given that hybrid employees have indicated that they feel “meeting recovery syndrome” after 28% of their meetings, here are some ways in which they can be optimized:  

• Ensure that only those who need to be in the meeting are invited. 
• To the extent that you can, do NOT schedule back-to-back virtual meetings.
• Consider meeting free blocks or days.
• If the meeting involves both in-person and remote participants, ensure that those remote participants are included in the conversation.
• Use an agenda so that objectives are clear and topics are focused. 
• Keep it short, silly: The ideal length, as per meeting analytics platform Flowtrace,  is 30 minutes, a perfect balance between efficiency and depth. 

When it comes to digital exhaustion, it is not the technology itself that’s the problem; it’s what comes with the screens: constant alerts and notifications, pressure to multitask, information overload, and going back and forth between overlapping platforms and apps. 

Hybrid workers are 2.54x more likely to face digital distractions than in-office employees. Due to these distractions, the same research found that these employees are also more likely to feel emotionally drained from work. 

To limit distractions:

• Evaluate which platforms are really necessary and remove those that are not. 
• Reduce redundant communication across channels.
• Establish guidelines for when to use certain tools. 
• Encourage the use of time management apps that improve focus.
• Encourage employees to set boundaries around communication 
• Encourage employees to block out”focus” or “do not disturb” times when able to.

Many employees suffer from what’s been dubbed “Digital presenteeism”, the need to be constantly visible, available, and responsive while remote. Digital presenteeism keeps employees “on” even outside of business hours, even if they’re sick, and even if they’re not being productive. 

Given that our devices keep us perpetually connected, it may be difficult for employees to separate their professional lives from their personal lives. This is a problem, as 43% of employees report increased stress due to blurred work-life boundaries.

Leaders can encourage hybrid employees to set boundaries by:

• Encouraging them to set expectations around response times and work hours. 
• Measuring performance based on impact/outcomes rather than hours worked.
• Encouraging employees to disconnect after work hours. 
• Supporting flexible work schedules when possible. 
• Modeling healthy boundaries so that employees can follow suit. 

A  McKinsey study determined that people who feel anxious about hybrid work tend to be the most burned out. Employees feel anxious when there is a lack of clarity, structure, or support. 

Leaders can support hybrid employees by:

• Being available for check-ins and quick chats. 
• Keeping an eye out for early signs of burnout, such as decreased engagement and responsiveness, declining productivity or creativity, and irritability or withdrawal. 
• Providing meaningful recognition when appropriate. 
• Creating space for honest conversations about burnout