How to set better boundaries while working hybrid
This article is one of a six-part editorial series that will examine the importance of work relationships and how social dynamics are evolving between coworkers, peers, bosses, families, and clients, in the hybrid era, and amid the rise of artificial intelligence. More from the series →
“Boundaries” became a therapy-speak buzzword during the pandemic as work and home life blurred in remote work arrangements. Now in new hybrid settings, workers are finding they’re having to reset boundaries, and for some in new jobs, they’re navigating how to make their availability and expectations clear to a new team of people they’re working with.
Setting personal boundaries at work (and honoring coworkers’ boundaries) are key to achieving better work-life balance and combating burnout in today’s workplaces and especially in new work arrangements, experts say. But it’s not an easy task. Doing so and not letting others push them (while still remaining respectful) is key. Managers and other leaders must also model the behavior to create environments where it’s more widely accepted.
“Appropriate boundaries just create a healthy workplace,” said Kia-Rai Prewitt, director of outpatient psychology in the department of psychiatry and psychology at the Cleveland Clinic.
Since the pandemic a major boundary workers have found themselves setting is around their availability and responsiveness. And with some teams still working across time zones, or with some now needing to factor in commuting times, setting expectations around when they’ll be online or ready to take a call remains a problem. For the most part workers can set a boundary around their availability by vocalizing it to their teams, but more importantly by adhering to it themselves.
“With teams spread across different regions, some with flexible work arrangements, it can make it much harder to be aware of when team members start and end their day,” said Jessica Gilmartin, chief revenue officer, at meeting scheduling platform Calendly.
“An after-hours Slack ping or email can tempt workers to respond to be seen as a team player or to drive projects forward without delay. And when you’re operating in a business environment that is extremely competitive and fast-paced and you feel like you don’t want to let your team down by not responding,” Gilmartin said.
Australia is the latest country with “right to disconnect” legislation up for discussion, which seeks to target after-hours availability by banning leaders from contacting workers outside of their regular working hours. But that’s far from happening in the U.S. Workers there are at least setting stronger boundaries when it comes to weekend work though, with virtual meetings held on Saturdays decreasing 12% from 2021 to 2023, according to internal data from Calendly.
Other boundaries to set at work include those around bandwidth and ability to take on additional tasks. These can be a bit trickier to set as the regularity of requests may vary, but are particularly challenging to navigate when working in a new role or with a new team.
“You don’t ever want to be the person that has everything fall on their shoulders,” said Kara Kays, regional clinic director with Thriveworks in Colorado Springs and a licensed therapist.
They may be best set through actions rather than words, though. For example, by “respectfully declining additional tasks when overwhelmed,” said Clint Carrens, Indeed Career Strategist. “We do know actions speak louder than words,” he said. It’s always a good practice too to clarify what needs to be prioritized if you feel your plate is too full, in case something really is urgent and other work can be pushed back.
Ultimately it’s up to leadership to foster a culture where boundaries are honored and can be meaningfully set, though they’re often the ones that have the most trouble.
But it’s a fine line. “In the workplace it can be so tricky, because there’s a difference between setting an appropriate boundary versus meeting the work expectations within your role and your function,” Kays said.
The best way to address it is just to have a clear conversation with your manager, so there is no risk of miscommunication. “Managers play a pivotal role in demonstrating healthy boundary-setting behaviors to their teams,” Carrens said. They should openly communicate their own boundaries, but also truly follow through with them, “once boundaries are established, consistently uphold them to maintain credibility and demonstrate respect for yourself and others,” he said.