Encouraging Content Moderators to take wellbeing time during their shifts requires a combination of structural support, cultural reinforcement, and practical initiatives that make it easy and comfortable for them to prioritize their mental health. Given the intense and often emotionally taxing nature of content moderation work, wellbeing time is crucial for preventing burnout and managing the mental health risks associated with the role.
Here are strategies to encourage Content Moderators to take wellbeing time:
1. Embed Wellbeing Breaks into the Work Schedule
- Scheduled Disconnection Breaks – Build dedicated disconnection breaks into the shift schedule, similar to lunch or coffee breaks. These breaks should be non-optional and clearly defined so that moderators know they’re expected to take them. Ensure these are a separate intervention to allocated wellbeing time.
- Micro-Breaks – Encourage short micro-breaks (2-5 minutes) between reviewing batches of content. These breaks can significantly help reduce the mental strain of constant exposure to disturbing content.
- Flexible Timing – Allow flexibility in when and how employees take their allocated wellbeing time, as individual needs for breaks may vary based on the intensity of the content being moderated or other work-related stressors.
2. Normalize Wellbeing Practices Through Leadership
- Leadership Modeling – Supervisors and team leaders should actively model taking breaks themselves. Whether these are formal wellbeing breaks, micro-breaks, or disconnection breaks, leaders modelling these behaviors help to normalize the practice and implies that it is acceptable and encouraged for moderators, too.
- Open Communication from Management – Management should consistently communicate the importance of mental health and give explicit permission for employees to prioritize their wellbeing without feeling guilty or pressured to skip breaks.
- Remove Stigma – Address any cultural or workplace stigma around taking mental health breaks. Make it clear that these breaks are essential for job performance and emotional resilience.
3. Provide Structured Wellbeing Activities
- Mindfulness and Relaxation Exercises –Offer guided mindfulness or relaxation exercises that can be accessed during breaks. This could include meditation apps, breathing exercises, or mindful movement sessions that Content Moderators can easily follow during their break times.
- Quiet Zones – Set up quiet or relaxation zones in the workplace where moderators can unwind away from their desks. Consider environmental wellbeing initiatives like soundproofed spaces, comfortable seating, and indoor gardens. For remote teams, virtual “calm rooms” with soothing visuals and audio can be offered.
- Physical Activity Options – Provide short, desk-friendly exercises or stretching routines that employees can do during breaks to help relieve physical and mental tension.
4. Promote Digital Wellbeing Tools
- Wellbeing Apps – Offer access to digital wellbeing tools or apps that provide mental health support, guided relaxation, and stress management techniques that moderators can use during breaks. Make sure that apps are developed in conjunction with expertise from qualified and trained mental health professionals.
- Behavior and Feelings Trackers – Encourage the use of digital behavior and feelings tracking tools where moderators can log their emotional experiences and healthy behaviors, such as drinking water, throughout the day. Trackers are supportive in developing long-term sustainable habits, as well as offering an opportunity for self-reflection on times during the day when breaks can be more useful to them.
5. Foster a Peer Support System
- Peer Breaks – Encourage moderators to take wellbeing breaks together or participate in peer support groups during downtime. This can create a culture where wellbeing is collective and supported among colleagues.
- Regular Check-Ins – Train team leads or peers to conduct regular check-ins with each other, ensuring colleagues are reminded to take wellbeing time when they seem stressed or fatigued.
- Create Champions in the Business – Offer training to all levels inclusive of team leads, moderators, Senior management to become Champions of wellbeing. They can support through role modelling, advocacy, signposting care pathways, and more.
6. Use Technology to Facilitate Break Reminders
- Automated Break Reminders – Use software that automatically reminds Content Moderators to take regular breaks. This can be integrated into workflow systems so that employees are prompted to step away after reviewing a set number of pieces of content or at set intervals.
- Smart Monitoring – Utilize smart tools to monitor workload and alert moderators or managers when someone may be nearing burnout based on workload patterns or time spent without a break.
- Red Flag Alerts – Consider tooling that can actively monitor the toxicity level or egregiousness of each piece of content. If a moderator has just reviewed content with a high-risk rating, automate a time-out of their system for a set duration to allow them to decompress.
7. Provide Incentives for Wellbeing Participation
- Wellbeing Challenges – Create company-wide challenges that encourage participation in wellbeing activities. For example, employees could earn points for attending mindfulness sessions or for regularly using wellbeing tools, with small rewards for participation.
- Positive Reinforcement – Recognize and reward employees who regularly take their wellbeing time as part of a healthy work routine, reinforcing that it’s an important part of their role.
8. Offer Immediate Support for Emotional Distress
- On-Demand Counseling – Have mental health professionals available on-demand during shifts for moderators who may need immediate support following exposure to particularly traumatic content.
- Decompression Sessions – Schedule time at the end of shifts for group or one-on-one decompression sessions where moderators can talk through difficult experiences from the day and process them in a supportive environment.
9. Ensure There Is No Penalty for Taking Breaks
- Manageable Workload – Ensure that the workload and performance metrics account for wellbeing breaks, so moderators don’t feel that taking a break will negatively impact their productivity or lead to falling behind.
- No Time Penalties – Make it clear that wellbeing time is part of the job, and taking these breaks will not affect performance reviews or productivity expectations.
10. Customize Wellbeing Time to the Role
- Trauma-Informed Interventions – Provide specific wellbeing interventions that are trauma-informed and designed for people exposed to disturbing content. These interventions could include access to trauma counselors or training in coping mechanisms specifically for secondary trauma.
- Offer Emotional Resilience Training – Provide training programs on emotional resilience and coping strategies, teaching Content Moderators how to manage stress in real-time while working and how to disengage from distressing material when on break.
By implementing these strategies, you can create a supportive environment that encourages Content Moderators to prioritize their mental health during shifts, ultimately enhancing their long-term wellbeing and job satisfaction.
