The great working from home experiment is over a year underway now. It was back in March 2020 that so many of us were told to retreat to our homes and continue our jobs from there.

We had to bid ‘goodbye’ to the offices and instead adapt to our new normal: working in our bedrooms and living rooms, dealing with distractions, and missing out on the watercooler talk with colleagues.

What’s more, working from home provided us with the new challenge of trying to remain productive. If you want to find out some useful tips on how to do so, check out our article here.

And asides from the natural increase in home office desk sales, working from home is also having another impact.

The impact on our brains.

That’s right, our brains when working from home are a lot different from our brains when working in the office.

After all, working from home in your childhood bedroom surely isn’t great for brain development, right?

But what’s the science behind this?

The working from home boom has led to many studies and experiments being carried out to assess the change in our brains when working from home.

They seek answers to questions many of us have: how are we supposed to concentrate in our video meetings with our children screaming in the background? How is my lack of human contact impacting my socialisation skills? Is working from home doing any lasting damage to our productivity levels?

Thankfully, at Shape The Market, we thought we should collate these answers and make it easier for you.

If you’re looking to find out the impact on our brains when working from home, continue reading.

What is perhaps one of the most expected and understandable impacts on the brain when working from home is a change in mental health conditions.

Sometimes, for the worse.

With many of us now approaching the year and a half marker for working from home, it’s hard to believe that we haven’t seen our colleagues in this long.

Sure, we may have video calls and online socials. But the lack of social interactions with our workplace friends is having a negative impact on our mental wellbeing.

In fact, many employers have reported feeling concerned and worried about their employees’ mental states.

And it’s with good reason, too.

According to Nuffield Health, over 80% of people in the UK say that they feel that working from home has had a negative impact on their mental health.

Specifically, the Office for National Statistics has reported that the number of adults dealing with depression has doubled since June 2020.

Whilst this cannot be entirely attributed to working from home lifestyles, it’s likely that the change in workplace dynamics has contributed.

But why is this?

Scientifically speaking, social interactions, particularly workplace social interactions, are extremely important for our social skills and mental wellbeing.

Our brains have a very important nerve called the vagus nerve: this is responsible for 80-90% of our nervous system and state of wellbeing.

When we work from home and miss out on socialising with colleagues and speaking with people (other than the ones you’re trapped quarantining with), this nerve doesn’t get used as much.

As a result, it can almost enter a state of atrophy. The impact of this on our brains is that we feel less awake, less enthusiastic, and less happy.

Which would certainly justify many of our feelings of mental health decline.

If we’re being honest, very few people are fans of video meetings.

We’ve had to learn to adapt to new forms of communication, mostly operating over Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

And whilst video meetings do have some benefits, like only having to get dressed from the shoulders up, there are also some downsides too.

In fact, earlier this year we wrote an article about mistakes you’re likely making on a video call – like being ill-prepared, or having a distracting background.

If you want to read the article to discover what you need to know about video calls, click here.

But there are also some more serious side effects of video meetings, other than getting bored easily, that are impacting our brains when working from home.

In a study carried out by Microsoft, they looked into how our brain functions differently when problem-solving with another team member in person, and problem-solving with a team member through a video call.

Surprisingly, their EEG study found that when working remotely and having to communicate through a video call, the brain waves associated with stress and anxiety were significantly higher than the results when working in person.

What’s more, they found specifically that when a person is participating in a video call, the maximum time for this to last is only around 30 minutes.

This is because once the 30-minute mark hits, our brainwaves start to crash.

We then become less concentrated, sluggish, and less energised.

But why is this?

Well, we actually require more attention when it comes to using digital forms of communication. Whilst you might think that a video call allows you to slack off a bit, it’s actually demanding more energy and more brain functionality from you.

So when we’re digitally communicating with our colleagues and working online, we’re actually demanding more from our brain.

And, when it can’t keep it, that’s when our energy levels and brain functionality start to crash.

Working from home does come with some benefits: the commute is significantly decreased (unless you’re traveling back and forth between the fridge and your home office), and you’re able to benefit from home cooking during your lunch breaks.

But, working from home can be a diversion from the usual office hours.

Whereas in the office you’ll typically be working 9-5, working from home can sometimes see you working longer hours.

In fact, 43% of people have found themselves working longer than a 40-hour workweek.

That’s almost half!

And with so many of us working longer hours than we usually do, it would make sense why we would feel burnt out and overworked.

What’s more, working these long hours doesn’t even necessarily mean an increase in productivity either.

There have been numerous studies that have found that a shorter workweek – a week with only 4 days in work, for example – is much more beneficial for productivity than a long week.

This means that, effectively, employees are overworking themselves for very little benefit.

But just how bad is burnout, really?

Well, according to Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a New York psychologist, “your brain loses the ability to shift states easily, utilize energy, and maintain positive mood balance.”

Consequently, the performance of our work decreases and we produce work of lower quality.

Perhaps a point that will surprise a lot of people, our posture when working impacts our brain function.

Working from home has seen many of us taking to unusual places to set up a home office. Some of us are in our bedrooms, some in the living room hunched over a sofa.

It’s no surprise that home office desk sales have soared since the pandemic, with many of us having to work in places we didn’t anticipate working.

As a result of this, many of us around the country are putting our posture to the test.

Without the benefit of supportive office desks we were so used to pre-Covid, our posture and spines are recoiling and folding.

Hunched over a tiny, makeshift desk every day isn’t very good for your back.

But other than the back pain and the constant need to stretch every 2 minutes, poor posture can actually effect your brain function too.

According to Chiropractic Health Centres, posture has a direct correlation to our brains and how we’re feeling.

They claim that “this is due to the activation of the prefrontal cortex in the frontal lobe of your brain, which controls your cortical thinking, concentration and emotions.”

Meaning, that leaning over your desk for 8 hours a day is actually placing a strain on your frontal lobe and therefore impeding how you work.

Who knew that posture would impact the brain when working from home?

Whilst there are a lot of ways that working from home is negatively impacting the brain, there are some positive cognitive impacts.

We know that working from home allows you to have a reduced commute, save money on travel, and spend more time with your family, there are actually some positive impacts on the brain that working from home creates.

Primarily, that working from home creates greater job satisfaction.

In a survey carried out by Microsoft, 52% of UK employees said that they have more empathy towards their colleagues and workplace friends now that they are working from home.

It seems that with everyone having to adjust, co-workers are becoming more understanding of each other’s problems.

As well as this, 77% of workers say that they have greater job satisfaction when they are working from home.

Whether this is because they don’t have managers closely supervising them, or because they’re spending more time with their families, employees are finding greater pleasure in their work.

As a result of these positive changes, our brains are experiencing a higher rush of satisfaction and happiness.

We become more productive, positive, and engaged with our work.

Perhaps working from home isn’t so bad for our brains after all?

Working from home can see a lot of negative impacts on our brain.

Increased stress, poor brain functionality, and larger demand for energy mean that we could potentially be suffering as we’re away from the office.

However, the impact on our brains when working from home can be positive too.

Not everyone will experience poor mental health or an increase in stress when working from home.

For some people, they’ll have an increase in job satisfaction and a greater sense of happiness when they’re working out of the office.

It’s entirely dependent on the individual.

But, with businesses so desperate to move back to the office soon, it could be an issue that remedies itself.

What about your business? How have your employees been impacted by working from home?

Let us know in the comments!

If you’re applying for a job or scrolling on LinkedIn, you’ve probably found yourself coming across one or two unconventional job titles.

Maybe there’s a job posting for a ‘website ninja’, or you’ve got a new connection request from a ‘digital wizard’.

As strange as it may seem, job titles like these are actually becoming more popular.

But, where have they come from?

Well, it’s not unusual for a job role to change its name. Originally, HR departments were known to employees simply as ‘personnel’. Then, they became known as ‘human resources’. And now, it’s common to see an HR department named something like ‘talent acquisition’.

At the same time, individual job roles have evolved too.

Whereas an old retail job may have been called ‘sales assistant’ or ‘shop floor staff’, now you can find clothing companies employing ‘stylists’ and ‘designers’.

Supporters of unconventional job titles say titles like these encourage productivity and can help to make staff feel valued and important.

However, some critics believe that it’s gone too far. Titles like ‘wizard’, ‘ninja’, and ‘genius’ are rising in popularity. But not everyone is happy with this.

So, what are the impacts of unconventional job titles on the workplace? And, are they worth it?

Below we break down the positives and the negatives so you can decide for yourself!

It’s no surprise that the younger generation is feeling disillusioned about the current job market. Between Covid-19, the rise in unemployment, and the state of the economy, many young people may feel like their job prospects are low.

This is particularly true for recent graduates and those only just getting into the job market.

The types of jobs available to those just getting started would usually be intern, graduate, and trainee roles.

Even the names of these jobs sound boring, right?

This is where unconventional job titles come in. By giving graduate and trainee roles a more engaging and dynamic name, the chances of the job role appealing to a younger applicant are higher.

But why is this?

Well, Susan Heathfield, a Human Resources expert for about.com told The Boston Globe, “Generation Y, or our millennials, were groomed by families to have an overly inflated emphasis on their own self-worth. You are going to see this increasingly reflected in job titles. They are not going to have a title like receptionist and feel rewarded.”

Whilst Heathfield clearly thinks this stems from a need to feel important, this could also come from a need to feel like a valued member of the team.

The job title ‘receptionist’ doesn’t imply much importance or value, but a ‘director of first impressions’ sounds a lot more respected and esteemed.

It’s no wonder why the younger generation would find the latter a much more appealing job title.

Consequently, you’ll likely see an increase in applicants when the job sounds more unique and important.

However, not everyone is totally on board with unconventional job titles. In fact, some critics believe that these bizarre titles can lead to a rise in job title inflation.

But what is this?

Job title inflation is when an employee’s job title changes as means of a promotion, but their responsibilities – and more importantly, their salaries – remain the same.

The Economist says that this is because of the lack of money and opportunities that businesses have.

They write: “When it comes to job titles, we live in an age of rampant inflation. Everybody you come across seems to be a chief or president of some variety…The most immediate explanation is the economic downturn: bosses are doling out ever fancier titles as a substitute for pay raises and bonuses.”

The impact of this is that unconventional job titles will become superficial and not really carry any meaning or significance.

After all, is there actually any difference between being called ‘Human Resources Manager’ and ‘Personnel Wizard’ if you’re doing the same job and being paid the same wage?

It’s obvious that most employees would prefer an increase in salary and responsibilities when looking for a promotion, over a fancy job title that doesn’t change anything else.

These days, businesses want to seem fun and trendy. Even if you’re dealing with something more serious like finance or law, no one wants to come across as boring or dry.

But how do you let people know that you’re a good business to work for, and a place where you like to have fun?

Well, one of the easiest ways to do this is by using unconventional job titles.

Think of everyone’s favourite film company Disney.

Whether you’re a sales assistant in one of their many stores, an actor pretending to be one of their beloved characters, or a ride attendant at one of their theme parks, you’ll find yourself being called a ‘cast member’.

And why? Because it conveys a sense of fun and importance. The title ‘cast member’ sounds a lot more creative and exciting. You get a clear sense of Disney’s values and how they treat their staff thanks to the quirky titles each member has.

But Disney isn’t the only business that’s doing this.

In an HP office in Kansas City, there was a vacancy for someone called a “workstation evangelist” – essentially an office supervisor.

As a technology company that needs to seem trendy, current, and a fun business to work and buy from – having such an extremely unconventional job title helps to convey this.

In an interview with Business Insider, Ladders CEO said that “companies like to play ‘dress up’. By wearing the clothes, adopting the lingo, and mimicking the behaviour of companies they want to be like, they hope to have some of the magic rub off on them.”

Perhaps, it’s a tactic for businesses to inject some enthusiasm and excitement into their business. By starting with the job titles, they hope that it spreads to the rest of the business.

Whilst for now, it’s only some companies that have decided to adopt unconventional job titles, this makes them more of a rarity than a norm.

And the impact of this sees that some companies and individuals may find these titles unprofessional and unserious.

When it comes to applying for a future job, it can be a shock to a potential employer to see someone worked as a ‘Content Ninja’.

How are they supposed to know what this means?

Unconventional job titles, whilst sometimes fun, can also lack clarity and definition. As a result, this can put prospective employees at a disadvantage as they struggle to convey to employers what their duties were. And, for employers, this could put them at a disadvantage as they’re trying to recruit new staff.

What’s more, it’s not just with regards to job hunting that these titles can seem unprofessional.

This can also happen when it comes to networking and making new connections.

If you’re pitching your business to a prospective customer or trying to meet new clients, it can be off-putting to introduce yourself as a ‘data storyteller’.

You want to make a good impression and convey to your connections that you’re taking them seriously, something that can be hard to achieve when your job title is on the funnier side.

One of the positives that can come from using unconventional job titles in your business is that it can actually make employees more productive.

Multiple studies have found that there is a direct correlation between an employee’s job title and the quality of work they produce.

In fact, Small Business goes as far as to say that “an employee who feels that his job title requires leadership and responsibility is more likely to exhibit these qualities and perform his work at a level that matches his title.”

Meaning, that the more impressive a job title sounds and the more responsibility it seems to connote, the harder an employee will work in order to reflect this.

Conversely, this also impacts the performance of employees who have job titles that are more common and less special.

Someone who is simply called a ‘receptionist’ may feel less special and less integral to the business, and therefore will be less motivated to give their 100%.

One of the largest issues that come with unconventional job titles is that often they can complicate the hierarchy within the business.

If everyone in the office is called a ‘ninja’, then where is the chain of command?

With no clear hierarchy or management line, it can be difficult to know who is your superior and who is your subordinate.

What’s more, unconventional job titles can also stunt your progression.

If your starting position is some sort of ‘executive’ role, where is the room for you to grow?

This can become somewhat of a self-fulfilling prophecy, where you then need to come up with exceedingly more unconventional titles like ‘super executive’ to compensate for the lack of room for progress.

As a result, it can actually have an impact on motivation levels.

When people don’t feel like there are any opportunities for them to develop and progress, they can feel disinterested and less likely to put in the effort.

It’s clear to see that unconventional job titles have plenty of both positives and negatives.

They can help to make the working environment more fun and engaging, boost productivity, and can make your employees feel more important and valued.

But, they have their downsides too.

Unconventional job titles can also seem unprofessional or unserious, can complicate workplace dynamics, and also limit personal development.

Meaning that they’re a hard thing to get right.

However, unconventional job titles are still on the rise. It’s possible that several years from now the role of a ‘receptionist’ will be replaced by ‘front desk wizards’.

So, will you be adopting unconventional job titles for your business?

Let us know in the comments!

More increasingly, companies are abandoning typical office etiquette and working hours for plans which they deem more beneficial for employees. One such change to the typical working week is a rise in companies adopting a 4 day work week.

Once, it was believed to be the only way to work. Now, the 9-5 Monday- Friday routine is becoming less popular; especially in a post-Covid world.

Companies are opting either for employees to take Fridays off and thus have a longer weekend, or to stagger attendance and have a revolving schedule of the days they are in.

In either case, more people are starting to see the benefits of the shorter working week.

But what are they?

Believe it or not, having a shorter working week seems to make employees more productive.

With fewer hours in work, employees spend less time in pointless or long meetings, chatting at the water cooler, and generally procrastinating.

As such, their productivity increases as they spend more time on designated tasks.

It means that the office becomes a more efficient workplace and the deadlines given are more frequently met.

Sounds good, right?

What’s more, a study by Sanford University noted that there was actually a correlation between productivity and working hours. That being: employees who were deemed overworked or too tired were actually less productive. This is in comparison to employees who spent fewer hours in the office.

You only need to look towards countries like Luxemburg and France to see this in action.

As of 2015, Luxemburg, with the lowest average working hours of 29 hours a week, also has the highest productivity.

They made an impressive 93.4 GDP per hour worked.

Whereas Mexico, with an average of 41.2 hours of work per week, is the least productive. Out of the 38 countries surveyed, they were generating only 20.3 GDP per hour.

But what does this mean?

Well, it seems that productivity/task fulfilment, as well as financial generation, is most impressive when working hours are lower.

This not only makes sense for the employees but also financial sense for the companies too. And, unsurprisingly, is one of the most appealing advantages of a short work week.

With more time devoted to extracurricular activities and time spent at home, employees are more willing to fully commit to their work when in the office.

The correlation cannot be denied.

When working hours lower, productivity rises.

Leading on from productivity, the shorter working week also lends towards higher employee satisfaction.

After all, who wouldn’t want more time at home?

It seems that with long weekends and one less day spent in the office, employees have more time to rest and recuperate.

Subsequently, employees are less likely to phone in sick, take personal days, or complain whilst at work.

Productivity is increased because employees are happy to be there.

This was proven when Microsoft Japan decided to drop its workweek to 4 days for the summer and saw a 40% increase in productivity.

Why?

Because employees felt happier coming to work as they were more rested.

What’s more, employees working under a 4-day working week also recorded better emotional and mental wellbeing as well.

They felt as if the company valued them as people too, not just workers, and by being allowed the longer weekend – they felt more appreciated.

This even had a knock-on effect on something else too: employee retention.

With employees being happier under the 4 day work week and feeling more motivated, appreciated, and rested, they were less likely to look elsewhere for employment.

But why does this matter?

Well, when it comes to running a business, employee satisfaction is one of the most important things.

Your company’s success means nothing if you’re being run by a team of employees who feel undervalued and overworked.

By considering the work-life balance more fairly and with a kinder approach, it can result in happier staff.

For the majority of employers who hear ‘4 day work week’, they envision benefits only for the employees. They see it as a massive challenge that will be difficult to implement, and even harder to regulate.

But this isn’t the case!

A shorter working week actually provides many benefits for the employer as well.

One of them being financial.

Liz Supinski, director of research and product for the Society for Human Resource Management stated that “generally speaking, work-flex variations are one of the least expensive ways to make employees happier.”

In comparison to other ways to increase job satisfaction – such as workplace benefits, office renovations, and extracurriculars – the swap to the shorter workweek was actually one of the least expensive options.

But more than that, it’s also not that hard to make the change.

Many companies such as Microsoft Japan, Shake Shack, and Perpetual Guardian, all initially started with a trial period.

It began with a conversation with their employees about how they would be able to increase productivity, and how the 4 day work week would work.

Some companies found it more beneficial for all staff to have the same day off, whereas others found it more productive for staff attendance to be staggered.

A staggered attendance with employees meant that there was always someone in the office, and therefore always someone to help out clients.

What’s more, staggered days in the office are also appealing in a post-Covid world.

Eliminating the number of people in the office makes for better social distancing.

On the other hand, the option of everyone having the same day off also has its benefits – Microsoft Japan saw a 23% decrease in their electricity costs when no one was in on Friday.

There is no doubt that with a shorter workweek, a reduced carbon footprint would also follow.

On an individual basis, staff who are working only 4 days a week do not need to commute to work more and thus their carbon footprint decreases.

Less time traveling to work = better for the environment.

But how big of an impact will this really have on the environment?

Well, on a small scale, it would still see huge differences.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst found that if each individual cut down their working hours by 10%, it would lead to a 14.6% decrease in carbon emissions.

For the average 40 hours working week, that’s only 4 hours.

But what if we dream bigger?

A study carried out by Monster revealed that if the number of people working from home – around 13.4% pre-Covid – doubled, then London would see 374,931 fewer cars on the road.

As one of the most populated cities in the world, the effects of this would be tremendous.

This would mean that, for the average individual, their carbon footprint would decrease by 420kg of CO2 per year!

But imagine a world where everyone was home for one extra day a week.

According to the Guardian, that would mean a 36.6% decrease in our overall carbon footprint. And, according to The Conversation, this would translate into a 558 million mile reduction in travel if the workweek was shorter in the UK alone.

But it doesn’t just stop with travel.

A shorter workweek also means less pressure on finite and precious resources in the office too.

With less energy spent on lighting the offices, powering the electronic devices and anything else within the building, you can see how much of an impact a shortened working week would have.

Believe it or not, it was only in the early 1930s that the UK saw the introduction of the 5 days working week. It was inspired by allowing employees the weekend off for religious worship, and to reduce the running costs of factories.

That’s right.

The coveted 5-day working week which is so entrenched in our society isn’t actually as old as you think.

This shows us that, contrary to popular belief, changes to work schedules aren’t that hard to implement.

In fact, 15% of the 60,000 US companies who completed the Society for Human Research Management survey said they had a 4 day work week. The most companies to have announced this as of date.

Which means, the shorter workweek is on the rise.

It’s clear to see the many benefits that accompany a reduction in working hours, for both employee and employer.

Whether it’s a financial boost or an improvement in wellbeing, there are plenty of reasons for your company to consider the shift to the shorter working week and see if it’s the right fit for you.

When it comes to office life, a boss can make or break your work.

Ideally, everyone would like a good boss. Someone who is nurturing, kind, supportive, and motivating. What’s more, a really good boss goes beyond this. They need to be able to hold you accountable, tell you when you’ve done something wrong, and show you how to fix it.

Sadly, not everyone has a boss like this.

Chances are that at some point in your life, you will deal with a boss that you don’t like. This could be for a variety of reasons.

Maybe their management style conflicts with your work style, and you feel suffocated or unsupported.

Perhaps they play favourites, and you feel excluded from the office environment.

Or, maybe, they have anger issues and take it out on their employees.

In any case, having a bad boss doesn’t necessarily mean work will be unenjoyable. Or that you need to quit your job.

Simply, it just means that you’ll have to find some ways to adjust your working style to cooperate with them.

But how do you do this?

Read on to find out.

There are lots of different types of leadership styles a bad boss can have.

Maybe they like to be informed consistently of what you’re doing and expect you to send them updates throughout the day about your work. Perhaps they prefer you to get on with what you’re doing, and just update them at the end of the day. They don’t need to be in constant communication with you.

Or, maybe they yell at their employees a lot when they’re stressed. They don’t really know how to communicate well, and can sometimes take out their frustrations on you and your colleagues.

In either way, it’s important to know how it is they like to run the office.

This way, when things start to go wrong or you start to get annoyed or upset – you can realise it’s not personal.

It’s just the way they like to do things.

Have a sit-down and think about what your boss likes and how they prefer the office to be run. There are lots of resources online that can explain the different management styles a person can have.

Once you’ve done this, you’ll find dealing with your bad boss a lot easier when you know what to expect.

Whilst you may be the type of person who just likes to get on with their work without any supervision, your manager may not match this.

In fact, according to the book My Way Or The Highway by consultant Harry Chambers, 79% of employees have felt like they’ve been micromanaged in their careers.

As such, the likelihood of you being able to just ‘get on with your work’ is unlikely.

Once you’ve discovered what type of management style your boss has, you need to make a list of what it is they like and what you need to do to match it.

Because, ultimately, you will have to change your working style to match your bad boss.

So, how do you do this?

If your boss likes to be kept up to date consistently, send them hourly updates. Or, if your boss prefers it when you work alongside your colleagues, make sure to coordinate your tasks together.

Dealing with a bad boss will be drastically easier when you start building these steps into your working routine.

It can be a little difficult to make these changes to your way of working. But, ultimately, it’s the best step to take. Your boss will appreciate it when you start to mould to their way of management.

On the back of finding out what your boss would love you to do, find out what your boss wouldn’t love you to do.

And, steer clear of it!

It’s not worth facing the wrath of your bad boss because you’ve sent them an email past 3 pm when they’ve explicitly told you not to.

Every manager and boss has an unwritten list of things that really get on their nerves. Whether that be breaks that take too long, non-office related talk during work or bothering them when they’re in a meeting.

It’ll be helpful to determine what the characteristics of work your bad boss hates, and to try and avoid them.

This list may seem ridiculous or trivial to you. If your bad boss is as bad as you say, it probably will be a little unreasonable.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still stick to it.

From your boss’s perspective, they probably find you doing these things unreasonable.

Meaning, that for the sake of making your office life easier – just don’t do them.

The extra long coffee break really isn’t worth it when you know how mad your boss will be when he finds out.

One of the most common problems that people will have with a bad boss is that they are unwilling – or unable – to lead you.

Meaning, that they don’t supply you with much direction or instructions on what to do.

This may be fine for the first few times it happens. You may be sitting at your desk, scrolling through the internet, waiting for them to tell you what to do.

You’re not going to complain about that, are you? Who doesn’t want a longer break from work?

But the novelty soon wears off. Boredom starts to set in, and you start questioning why it is that you haven’t been told what to do today.

If you find yourself in this situation, it likely means that you’re going to have to lead yourself. This means being proactive in looking for tasks, keeping track of how you’re doing yourself, and looking after your own KPIs.

Don’t be afraid to badger your boss for some direction. Using your initiative is great, but sometimes you need some instruction on what to do. They’re your boss for a reason, after all.

Plus, asking for work shows that you’re being proactive too. This is an impressive quality to have as it demonstrates your eagerness to work.

This can be difficult to do if you’re new to the office, or if you’re not a very assertive person.

But that doesn’t make it any less important.

Setting boundaries is one of the most important tips for dealing with a bad boss.

Tell them explicitly that you won’t reply to emails in the evenings or weekends – it’s outside of work hours and you’re not getting paid for it.

Be unwavering in this. They need to know where you stand.

Or, tell them that you don’t find it beneficial when they yell at you in front of the rest of your colleagues in the office. You’d prefer it if you were pulled aside and spoken to privately.

Setting boundaries and establishing certain things that you don’t want to compromise on is a great way of clearing the air with your boss.

However, the most important thing to remember when you do this is to remain polite and respectful.

You can get caught up in your frustrations, and may get carried away with ‘laying down the law’ with your bad boss. But this isn’t a good idea.

Be sure to remain polite when you have this conversation. You don’t want to overstep a line, or come across as rude or insolent.

Be calm, be respectful, but be firm.

Now, this doesn’t mean taking part in office gossip. Talking about your bad boss behind their back is a sure-fire way to make them even angrier.

However, if you’re finding your boss to be particularly difficult to work with, you should talk to someone about it.

This could be a confidant in work, someone you’re close with, and who would understand.

Or a friend or family member who is willing to sit down and listen to you rant about your work life.

And, if things get really bad, don’t be afraid to speak to someone in HR either.

Often people working in HR will have a good understanding of office life – and they’ll be more than happy to listen to you. It is their job after all!

Ultimately, having to deal with a bad boss at work doesn’t mean that the job is ruined. You can still have a lot of fun and remain productive despite this.

And, it doesn’t mean you have to quit your job either!

There are lots of ways for you to cope with dealing with a bad boss at work. From assuming more responsibility, distancing yourself from your manager, and adapting your working style – you just simply need to find the right way to adjust and adapt.

According to the World Health Organisation, it’s estimated that 264 million people around the globe suffer from depression. What’s more, the organisation Our World In Data estimates that 284 million people around the world suffer from anxiety.

So, if mental health issues are so prevalent in society, why don’t we talk about it in the workplace?

There can be a bit of a stigma when it comes to discussing mental health. Some people don’t feel comfortable opening up about their mental health problems, and some people feel that there may be judgement if they do.

And this problem can be all too prevalent in the workplace.

With workplace stresses, harsh deadlines, a bad boss, or unsupportive colleagues; there are many reasons why taking care of your mental health in the workplace can be challenging.

But if you’re looking for ways to take care of your mental health and look after yourself in the workplace, keep reading!

We give 7 ways you can look after your mental health in the workplace.

One of the simplest ways you can protect your mental health is by taking time away from social media.

This can be difficult to do if your job literally involves social media – like if you’re a social media manager. Sometimes, looking at social media can be unavoidable.

But we need to be aware of the effects that social media can have on our mental health and if you’re using social media for work, how to take care of yourself.

According to a survey carried out by Origin, Hill Holiday, 34% of Generation Z surveyed (those born in the mid-1990s to early 2000s) are quitting social media for good.

And 64% of them are taking a break from it.

Why? Because it makes them unhappy.

Social media can have very detrimental impacts on our mental health. Whether it’s reading something sad, getting FOMO from seeing something you want to do, or feeling pressure and insecure to live up to social media’s standards – social media can be a dangerous place.

So how do you begin dealing with your mental health if you’re using social media for work?

Firstly, you need to take time away from it. Giving yourself regular breaks helps you ground yourself in reality and calm your mind.

As well as this, you should start by only following social media accounts that are relevant to work or make you happy.

Unfollowing social media accounts that don’t pertain to work helps streamline your feed and can eliminate anything that has the potential to cause your mental health to dip.

This is something that any seasoned veteran of retail or customer service will tell you: sometimes, customers can be unnecessarily rude.

And you need to be aware that this isn’t your fault, and you shouldn’t take it personally.

This doesn’t stand true if you actually have made a mistake. If you’ve fulfilled a task or project improperly, spoke to a customer rudely, or done something wrong, then you should own up to that.

But, sometimes, things are out of your control. Sometimes things go wrong, and yet you find yourself on the receiving end of abuse from a customer.

So, how do you deal with this?

When taking care of your mental health when it comes to customers, you need to separate yourself from the situation.

A customer or client yelling at you or being rude isn’t a reflection of your job, and it isn’t anything personal.

They would be doing the same to any other person stood where you are.

Separating yourself from the situation and taking a step back can help protect your mental health.

You simply need to remain calm, be polite, and try and resolve the situation.

It can be very easy to let a rude customer ruin your day and impact your mental health. But by separating yourself and taking a step back you can protect your wellbeing.

The importance of mental health in the workplace cannot be overestimated. It helps you feel better, be more productive, and manage your workload better.

So, what’s another way of taking care of your mental health in the workplace?

Boundaries.

That’s right. Setting clear workplace boundaries is a fantastic way to protect your mental health as you’re eliminating the things which can be triggering for you.

One of the most obvious ones is by making sure you don’t do any work outside of your business hours.

This can mean eliminating the occurrence of taking your work home with you and keeping a clear distinction between work time and home time.

And this can be done very easily. You can set up an automatic email response when you get sent an email outside of office hours or on weekends. This is letting them know that you won’t be responding until the next day.

Or, you can set boundaries within the office too.

Perhaps you have a colleague that likes to overshare and talk about inappropriate topics. Maybe it can be distracting and stresses you out. Or perhaps they bring their home life to work and rant a lot about their partner.

In any case, letting them know gently that, whilst you care about them and their life, that you think it’s better if you save the conversation for your breaks is a great way for setting up a boundary.

It means that you can get back to working without distractions; eliminating stress, reducing anxiety, and getting rid of frustration.

When you’re constantly inundated with deadlines, swamped with work, and struggling to keep up, you sometimes forget to celebrate the good stuff.

You can get so used to smashing out work that you forget to take notice of your victories, even the little ones, and don’t end up rewarding yourself.

Work is hard, and you should be kind to yourself.

You need to learn to celebrate your victories and reward yourself when something good happens.

That doesn’t mean treating yourself every time you submit a deadline, that could get very regular.

But it does mean taking time every now and then to recognise when you’ve done something well. Maybe you had a particularly hard project which you finally completed last week, or you just closed a deal with a client that was months in the making.

Celebrating these victories gives you something to look forward to and a nice reward for a job well done.

And, it also helps break up all your tasks.

Rather than constantly plowing through all your work one job after the other, celebrating a job well done helps give you a nice little break.

It gives you some perspective when it comes to your work. And, most importantly, stops you from feeling so stressed without reward or appreciation.

Mental health and the workplace needs to be a symbiotic relationship. You need to be able to fulfill the requirements of your job whilst also taking care of your well-being.

And one of the most important ways to do this is by checking in with your colleagues and being there for each other.

Maybe you’ve noticed that one of your colleagues is coming in late a lot, doesn’t seem to be coping with the stresses of the job, and seems to be struggling with work.

Have you considered reaching out to them, and checking if they’re okay?

They may really appreciate your support. And, even if they decide not to confide in you this time, they know that you’re there for them.

Of course, you need to make sure that this doesn’t violate your own boundaries. If you don’t have the mental capacity to take on someone else’s problems, then don’t. Look after yourself.

But establishing with your colleagues that you’re there for support can really go a long way.

What’s more, this doesn’t even have to be done in the office environment.

If you want to check in with your colleague without explicitly asking them, invite them out for a coffee!

Having some social time outside office hours establishes the shift from colleague to a friend. They may feel more comfortable talking to you in a social context and be more willing to open up.

They may not even need someone to talk about their problems too. Maybe they just need a friend.

On the back of checking in with your colleagues, you yourself also shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help.

This can come in many different forms: asking for help from your colleagues, asking your boss, or even talking to HR.

Perhaps you have a pre-established mental health condition, which is being exacerbated by work.

Speaking to your boss, if you feel comfortable, and communicating this to them means they may be more willing to take the pressure off your workload.

Or, maybe you’ve been handed a certain project with a short deadline and you’re struggling to keep up.

Speaking to a colleague and asking for help with them means you can alleviate stress and pressure.

As well as this, if you start to notice your mental health really decline you should reach out to someone higher, possibly.

Speaking to someone in HR is a great way for them to be a mediator in mental health discussions. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking to your boss directly, they can do it for you.

This is something that is particularly pertinent to bosses and those in management.

If you’re trying to improve your mental health and workplace relationships, you should start by evaluating your workplace.

Begin by taking a look at your workplace mental health policies. Do you even have them?

What do they say about employees taking time off, or having mental health support systems in place?

Innocent, the company known for its smoothies and cute PR, takes mental health in their industry very seriously.

Not only do they offer a free gym and yoga classes in their office, but they also offer flexible working hours and a 24/7 confidential employee assistance programme.

This allows them to speak to someone at any time, day or night, about things that they may be struggling with.

What’s more, some companies even offer mental health days. This allows their staff to take time off for mental-health-related issues, separate from their normal sick days.

Not only does this give more freedom for staff to look after their mental health, but the openness about simply having mental health days as an option encourages staff to be more open and forthcoming about their mental health.

Hopefully this article will show that there are lots of ways for you to look after your mental health in the workplace.

Whether it’s taking the next step in bravery to open up about your own experiences, reaching out to a colleague, or setting important boundaries, it can be done.

You don’t have to compromise your mental health for work. And your work doesn’t have to falter in place of your mental health.