Remote work didn’t just change where we work. It’s changed how we live. The lines between focus and fatigue, flexibility and burnout, can get blurry fast. Sure, working from home has its perks. But when your kitchen table becomes your office and your day never really ends, it starts to take a toll, quietly, then all at once.

And if you're leading a remote team, you’ve probably felt it too… Those long silences, that edge of exhaustion behind the screen. Supporting your team’s health isn’t a box to check. It’s the foundation on which everything else rests. Focus, trust, performance, and culture.

Here are 10 well-researched, tried, and tested positive health practices your remote team will not only appreciate, but actually stick with.

1. Add Micro-Movement to the Day

Remote work can turn even the most active person into a professional chair-sitter. When your desk is five steps from your bed and meetings stack back-to-back, it’s easy to forget your body needs to move. But staying still for too long? That’s a fast track to stiffness, fatigue, and long-term aches you don’t want.

How to make it happen:

Start small. Encourage your team to take a few minutes every hour to stand up, stretch, or just breathe away from the screen. Try a “move every 60” reminder using free tools like Stretchly or Workrave. Share quick videos or infographics with simple desk-friendly stretches, no yoga mat required. Want to make it fun? Host a monthly step-count challenge, not for competition, but just for movement. No pressure, just participation.

Why it actually helps: 

These short breaks can wake up the body, clear the head, and ease the tension that builds when you're frozen in Zoom mode all day. No gym. No sweat. Just a few minutes to reconnect with your body.

2. Flex Your Schedule

Rigid schedules can clash with individual circadian rhythms, leading to poor sleep and stress. A 2021 study from the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that flexible schedules improve job satisfaction and mental health.

How to make it happen: 

Allow team members to adjust their work hours within a reasonable framework (e.g., core hours for meetings, but flexibility for deep work). Communicate that the focus is on outcomes, not clock-watching. Use tools like Slack or Asana to keep asynchronous collaboration smooth.

Why it actually helps: 

Flexibility respects their personal lives. Whether they’re early birds, night owls, or juggling family responsibilities, making them feel trusted and valued.

3. Promote Mental Health Check-Ins

Remote work can feel isolating, and mental health struggles often go unnoticed. The World Health Organization estimates that depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1 trillion annually in lost productivity. Regular check-ins can normalize conversations about mental well-being.

How to make it happen: 

Train managers to ask open-ended questions like, “How are you holding up?” during one-on-ones. Offer access to mental health resources, such as subscriptions to apps like Calm or Headspace, or an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Host optional virtual “coffee chats” where team members can discuss non-work topics to build connections.

Why it actually helps: 

It shows you care about them as people, not just workers, and creates a safe space to share without judgment.

4. Subsidize Ergonomic Home Office Setups

Poor posture from makeshift workstations can lead to chronic pain. A 2020 Ergonomics journal study found that proper ergonomic setups reduce discomfort and boost employee productivity.

How to make it happen: 

Offer a one-time stipend (e.g., $100–$300) for ergonomic chairs, adjustable desks, or monitor stands. Provide a checklist for setting up a healthy workspace, including tips like keeping screens at eye level and feet flat on the floor. If the budget is tight, share DIY solutions, like using books to elevate monitors.

Why it actually helps: 

It’s a tangible investment in their comfort, showing you prioritize their long-term health.

5. Foster a “No Meeting” Day

Constant video calls can lead to “Zoom fatigue,” a phenomenon backed by a 2021 Stanford University study showing that excessive virtual meetings increase stress and cognitive overload.

How to make it happen: 

Designate one day a week (e.g., “Focus Fridays”) as meeting-free for deep work or personal well-being. Encourage employees to use this time for tasks, self-care, or even a walk. Use asynchronous updates via tools like Loom to keep communication flowing without live calls.

Why it actually helps: 

It gives them uninterrupted time to recharge or focus, which feels like a gift in a packed schedule.

6. Offer Nutrition and Hydration Challenges

Remote workers often skip meals or grab processed snacks when deadlines loom and time feels scarce. Inconsistent nutrition and hydration can sap energy, muddle concentration, and leave you feeling sluggish.

How to make it happen: 

Launch a “hydration challenge” where team members track water intake for a week, aiming for 8–10 glasses daily. Share simple, healthy recipes or meal-prep tips via a team newsletter. If budget allows, send care packages with healthy snacks like nuts or dried fruit. These ideas help support virtual team well-being and are a good example of work-from-home best practices.

Why it actually helps: 

It’s low-effort, practical, and helps them feel better without preaching about kale smoothies.

7. Support Digital Detox Practices

Screen overload is real. Remote workers often toggle between work apps, social media, and streaming. This constant screen exposure doesn’t just tire the eyes. It can throw off sleep patterns, ramp up stress, and leave you feeling mentally drained. The always-on digital world can quietly chip away at focus and well-being, turning even downtime into a screen-lit blur.

How to make it happen: 

Promote the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Encourage “unplugged” evenings by sharing tips like setting phone “do not disturb” modes after work hours. Lead by example, avoid sending late-night emails.

Why it actually helps: 

It helps them reclaim personal time and reduces the guilt of stepping away from screens.

8. Create a Wellness Resource Hub

Employees often want to prioritize health but lack access to reliable resources. A centralized hub can streamline their efforts. Without easy access to reliable tools and guidance, employees might struggle to find practical ways to stay physically, mentally, and emotionally balanced. A centralized wellness hub cuts through the noise, offering a curated space to support their well-being without overwhelming them.

How to make it happen: 

Build a shared document or intranet page with links to free resources, like Yoga with Adriene videos, meditation apps, or sleep hygiene guides from Sleep Foundation. Include local mental health hotlines or telehealth options. Update it regularly based on team feedback.

Why it actually helps: 

It’s a one-stop shop for wellness tools, saving them the hassle of searching.

9. Encourage Boundary-Setting for Work-Life Balance

Remote work can feel like a 24/7 gig, with emails pinging late at night and tasks spilling into personal time. Without clear boundaries, the constant overlap erodes mental space, saps energy, and fuels burnout, leaving little room for life outside work.

How to make it happen: 

Train employees on setting boundaries, like turning off notifications after hours or using “out of office” replies for focus time. Share a team agreement on response times (e.g., no expectation to reply outside 9–5). Managers should model this behavior.

Why it actually helps: 

It empowers them to protect their personal time without fear of judgment.

10. Celebrate Small Wins with Wellness Rewards

Remote work can sometimes feel like a grind, with milestones slipping by unnoticed in the absence of office high-fives or casual kudos. Recognizing small achievements not only boosts morale but also ties directly to well-being, lifting spirits and reducing stress. Celebrating these moments with a wellness twist makes the acknowledgment even more meaningful.

How to make it happen: 

For Remote work wellness, acknowledge milestones (e.g., project completions or work anniversaries) with rewards, like gift cards for fitness classes, books on mindfulness, or even a day off. Create a “kudos” channel in Slack for peer shout-outs tied to health goals, like “Great job sticking to your movement breaks this week!”

Why it actually helps: 

It feels personal and reinforces that their well-being matters to the team.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need a wellness initiative with a name. You don’t need stickers that say “breathe.” What you need is to start. One simple shift. One signal to your team that their health matters, not as a line in a policy doc, but as a lived priority. Pick one thing. Movement breaks. A no-meeting day. Whatever feels real. Try it.. Then ask your team what’s working and what’s just noise.

Because a healthy remote team isn’t built on apps or hashtags. It’s built on trust. On people feeling like they’re seen, not just scheduled. And when that happens? Work gets better. People stay. They care. Not because you told them to. But because you did.

Building a healthy remote culture takes more than good intentions.

It’s about the quiet, consistent choices that make people feel supported. And that has been made possible by Pulsewise. Even when no one’s watching, Pulsewise helps you create those moments with intentions, consistently, even in a remote world. Because when people feel supported, they show up stronger, stay longer, and thrive together. You can start the conversation here.

FAQs

1. What is the best practice for managing remote employees?

Start with trust, not control. Clear expectations, regular check-ins (not micromanagement), and access to the right tools go a long way. Prioritize outcomes over hours, and create space for honest conversations around bandwidth, health, and support. Most importantly, lead by example.

2. What are the benefits of having a remote team?

Remote teams offer flexibility, access to wider talent pools, and often higher individual productivity. They also allow employees to work in environments that suit them best. But to see those benefits long-term, companies need to invest in intentional connection, communication, and well-being.

3. How do I make my remote team feel connected?

Connection doesn’t require constant Zoom calls. It starts with psychological safety and consistent communication. Try things like async updates, casual chats, virtual co-working hours, or even short team rituals. What matters is creating space for people to show up as people, not just workers.

4. How do you collaborate effectively when your team is remote?

Keep communication transparent and organized. Use collaborative tools (like Notion, Slack, or Miro), document decisions clearly, and embrace async work to respect different time zones and energy levels. Collaboration improves when people feel seen and heard. So check in, not just on tasks, but on how people are doing.