Remote or Isolated Work
Remote or isolated work raises stress risks. Learn how to manage these hazards effectively with Foremind.
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Work that is isolated from the assistance of other persons because of the location, time or nature of the work. Working in environments where there are long travel times, poor access to resources, or communications are limited and difficult.
Staff who work in remote environments, have limited access to help if required or work completely alone are at higher risk of workplace stress. In combination with other risk factors such as poor physical environment and poor job support this could be considered a psychological hazard.
Remote workers may be more likely to experience social isolation than their in-office counterparts. This can be due to a number of factors, including:
- Lack of face-to-face interaction with colleagues
- Difficulty building relationships with colleagues
- Feeling disconnected from the organization
- Feeling like they are not part of a team
Let’s Look at an Example
Tina works as an after hours cleaner at the airport. Tina is exposed to extremely loud noises and chemicals whilst at work, but has no one to ask about appropriate PPE as she works alone.
Tina completed a week onboarding and now receives her shifts via email and does not know who her boss is to ask for more support. Tina begins to notice pain in her shoulder during her late night cleaning shifts.
Risk Factors For Isolated & Remote Work
Isolated work can increase the risk of a number of psychosocial hazards, including:
Stress
Working alone can be stressful, as the worker may feel isolated and unsupported. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and burnout. See our guide on how to reduce stress at work.
Loneliness
Working alone can also lead to loneliness, as the worker may miss out on social interaction and support. This can lead to feelings of isolation and despair.
Safety
Workers who work alone are at increased risk of accidents and injuries, as they may not have anyone to help them in an emergency.
Mental health problems
Working alone can increase the risk of mental health problems at work, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Impact
Social isolation can have a number of negative impacts on workers’ mental and physical health, including:
- Increased stress
- Decreased motivation
- Increased feelings of loneliness and depression
- Decreased productivity
- Increased risk of accidents
Control measures
There are a number of things that can be done to control the risk of social isolation in remote workers, including:
Regular communication
Workers who work alone should have regular communication with their supervisor or another trusted colleague. This can help to reduce feelings of isolation and provide support in times of need.
Access to support
Workers who work alone should have access to support services, such as workplace counseling or mental health support. This can help to identify and address any problems early on.
Safety procedures
Workers who work alone should be trained in safety procedures and have access to the necessary safety equipment. This can help to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.
Additional Recommendations
Social isolation is a real risk for remote workers. By implementing control measures, organizations can help to reduce the risk of social isolation and improve the mental and physical health of their remote workforce. Isolated work can increase the risk of a number of psychosocial hazards.
By implementing appropriate control measures, employers can help to reduce these risks and protect the health and safety of their employees.
In addition to the above, here are some additional tips for managing psychosocial hazards in remote work:
- Set clear expectations and goals with your team. This will help to reduce uncertainty and ambiguity, which can lead to stress.
- Provide regular feedback and support to your team. This will help to keep them motivated and engaged.
- Encourage your team to take breaks and to disconnect from work when they are not working. This will help to prevent burnout.
- Create a flexible work environment that allows your team to work in a way that suits their individual needs. This will help to reduce stress and improve productivity.
Your Compliance Checklist
Do you have the following in place within your organisation?
- A Psychosocial Hazard screening tool
- Incident reporting for staff
- A risk assessment framework
- A review system with automated alerts
- An Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Manager training program
Answers to the frequently asked questions.
Our last EAP was barely touched. Why would this be different?+
Most EAPs go unused because of how they're accessed, not because staff don't need them. Phoning a stranger, explaining yourself, then waiting weeks is enough to stop most people before they start. Foremind removes all three steps: staff see real counsellor profiles, pick someone themselves, and book the same day.
If you already have a provider, the question worth asking is what your current utilisation is. Most traditional EAPs sit in low single digits, which means you're paying for cover your people aren't reaching. If yours is being used, staff can get seen quickly, and it covers your psychosocial obligations, there's no reason to move. If not, it's worth knowing what you're getting for the spend.
Do you offer 24/7 support?+
Yes. A 24/7 after-hours crisis line means staff can reach someone immediately at any hour, including nights and weekends.
Counselling appointments are also available outside standard business hours, so shift-based and on-call teams aren't limited to a nine-to-five window. Those are two different things, and it's worth checking any provider offers both rather than just the crisis line.
Are your EAP counsellors based in Australia?+
Yes. Every practitioner on the platform holds current membership with an Australian professional body and practises under Australian standards, codes of ethics and disciplinary frameworks. There are no offshore call centres.
Practitioners hold membership with the Australian Counselling Association, the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, or the Australian Association of Social Workers, along with a current Working with Children or Vulnerable People Check.
How much does an EAP cost?+
Pricing is usually per employee per month, based on total headcount rather than how many people use the service. Costs vary widely depending on whether sessions are bundled in and whether compliance tooling is included.
A more useful comparison is cost per employee who actually uses it. An EAP with 2% utilisation can work out several times more expensive per person helped than one that gets used. Foremind offers pay-as-you-go, inclusive session plans and compliance-inclusive plans, with discounted pricing for not-for-profits and charities.
For full breakdown of our plans, see our EAP pricing page or request a quote for a tailored proposal.
What information does an employer receive about EAP usage?+
Nothing that could identify anyone. All counselling is completely confidential and all reporting is anonymous - you'll never see who booked, when, or what was discussed.
What you do see is the aggregated picture: how many people are using it, what psychosocial risks are prevalent in the business, and which teams are under pressure. Enough to know the investment is working and where to act, never enough to identify a person. Reporting thresholds mean small teams can't be reverse-engineered from the data.
Does having an EAP meet an employer's psychosocial duty of care?+
No. An EAP is a control measure, and a valuable one, but it only addresses harm after it has occurred. It doesn't identify hazards, assess risk, or evidence that controls are working.
Australian WHS law requires you to identify psychosocial hazards, assess the risk, control it so far as is reasonably practicable, and review whether those controls are working — with documented evidence at each step. Offering counselling on its own leaves three of those four steps undocumented.
Foremind covers both in one platform. See how the compliance side works in our product tour.