Supporting Wellbeing for Remote Workers: What HR Needs to Know

Remote work is now firmly embedded in the modern workplace.

For employees, the benefits are clear: improved work-life balance, cost savings, and more time with family. For employers, when managed well, it can lead to higher morale, productivity, and performance.

But alongside the advantages, remote working creates new challenges for HR leaders. With employees less visible, stress and burnout are harder to spot, boundaries blur between work and home, and feelings of isolation can take hold.

Supporting wellbeing for remote employees is not just a nice-to-have, it is a business-critical priority for engagement, retention, and long-term organizational health.

Here are seven strategies HR teams should consider when designing effective wellbeing support for remote workers.

1. Create a Culture of Listening in the Workplace

Every workforce is unique, so the first step is understanding what your employees actually need. Regular pulse surveys, one-to-one check-ins, and anonymous feedback channels help HR leaders identify the challenges remote employees face, from technology gaps to digital literacy and social isolation.

For example, some organizations run monthly wellbeing surveys to quickly surface concerns and tailor responses, whether that’s providing better equipment, offering virtual training, or creating more opportunities for connection.

2. Address Financial Wellbeing Too

Employee wellbeing is not just about mental health. Financial stress is one of the biggest drivers of distraction and disengagement at work, and remote employees can feel this strain even more acutely if communication is limited.

Practical solutions include offering financial literacy workshops, partnering with external advisors, or providing access to confidential debt support services. Making resources easy to access without the need for uncomfortable conversations with managers helps remove stigma and ensures employees can get help when they need it.

3. Reduce Loneliness and Isolation

Despite constant digital connection, many remote workers report feeling lonely. In fact, nearly half of employees working from home say their sense of belonging to their organization has decreased.

HR leaders can tackle this by:

• Encouraging regular check-ins that focus on wellbeing as well as performance
• Creating virtual and hybrid social opportunities (e.g. informal drop-ins, virtual coffee breaks, or hybrid team events)
• Reviewing policies that may inadvertently reduce opportunities for interaction, such as discouraging meetings without providing alternative connection points

Loneliness is more than an individual issue; it directly impacts engagement, productivity, and retention.

4. Support Managers’ Well-being too!

Line managers are on the front line of employee wellbeing, but they are also at high risk of burnout themselves. With the added responsibility of supporting remote teams, managers need training, resources, and their own wellbeing support.

Practical actions include:

• Providing mental health training for managers so they feel confident in wellbeing conversations
• Encouraging managers to model healthy boundaries (finishing on time, taking breaks, disconnecting outside working hours)
• Ensuring managers have access to support networks, coaching, or peer groups

A sustainable wellbeing strategy must protect managers as much as their teams.

5. Reinforce Boundaries Between Work and Home

Remote employees often feel pressure to be “always on.” Without clear boundaries, this leads to longer hours, stress, and eventual burnout.

HR can help by encouraging:

• Rituals that simulate a commute, such as a walk before and after work
• Policies that reinforce breaks and discourage out-of-hours communication
• Practical support such as co-working allowances, which help employees separate home and work environments

The most important factor is trust. When employees believe they are evaluated on outcomes rather than presence, they are more likely to establish healthy work patterns.

6. Strengthen a sense of Belonging for Remote Teams

Belonging is a cornerstone of engagement. HR leaders can foster belonging among remote workers by connecting them to the company’s mission, values, and vision. Recognition programs, values-based awards, and regular all-staff events (virtual or hybrid) are all opportunities to reinforce shared purpose and celebrate contributions.

7. Balance Wellbeing With Workload

Remote employees are at risk of both overwork and disengagement. HR should encourage managers to set SMART goals, review workloads regularly, and provide both formal and informal check-ins.

Leading by example matters. If managers take breaks, block out no-meeting times, and normalize healthy working practices, employees will feel more empowered to do the same.

Final Thoughts

Wellbeing in remote work is about more than offering perks; it is about rethinking how culture, policies, and leadership practices support employees in a digital-first environment. By proactively addressing financial stress, isolation, boundaries, and manager support, HR leaders can create healthier, more resilient organizations where remote work thrives.

If you would like to discuss how OrgShakers can help you design tailored wellbeing strategies for remote and hybrid teams, please get in touch with us today.