Working From Home: A New Norm For Employees
The on-going global pandemic, Covid-19, has transformed the workday for thousands of employees across the world. Rather than wake up and face a commute to the office, people are being asked to follow social distancing guidelines and work from home instead. After several months of working from home, some employees are taking the new routine in their stride, whereas others are finding the global pandemic and this new way of life difficult to adjust to.
The Impact Covid-19 & Social Distancing Has Had on Employees
Due to the nature of the virus, social distancing is said to be the key to ending the global pandemic. However, it’s almost impossible to enforce and police the new measures, and social distancing guidelines are often being ignored. This is why many business owners are asking their employees to continue working from home even when it’s allowed to return to the office.
The idea of being able to work from the comfort of ones home may sound appealing at first, but in reality, working from home may prove difficult. From feeling isolated and lonely to struggling to find the motivation and avoiding procrastinating, there are many aspects that employees are struggling with.
Those trying to balance family life and working from home, may also face non-stop distractions, which can damage productivity.
Pros & Cons of Working From Home
Although it can be a difficult transition for employees who are more accustomed to working in an office environment, as an employer it’s important to communicate the advantages of working from home. Avoiding the morning rush means more time to get organized and start a productive day, working in a space that each employee is in control of may prove good for overall sense of wellbeing, and the increased flexibility is often considered a benefit. The financial factor of daily commute and lunch expenses will also decrease which is an appreciated side effect of working from home.
However, since the pros also come with cons as an employer we need to be ready to adapt to these new challenges. Feelings of isolation may set in and some people experience issues with the lack of easily exchanging ideas and thoughts by the coffee machine. This is the time for companies to reinvent themselves and their procedures. At Chase Edler we have identified some easy measures that can help solve potential issues:
Ensuring to make use of a great project management tool
Set clear deadlines and designate hours for virtual brainstorming meetings
Ensure to schedule team meetings
Check in with each team member weekly to understand if any adjustments need to be made to make everyone feel productive, healthy and in line with objectives and company values.
A lot of companies also do virtual after works where they make sure to not talk about work but instead just enjoy friendly banter and conversation. In the same spirit we recommend having virtual lunches so that the employees don’t end up eating while working – something known to decrease productivity.
How to Adjust to Working From Home
In addition, we recommend the employees to set a routine and structure which helps them adapt and become productive while working from home. Setting the alarm as usual and dress as if you were heading to the office, planning your work hours and scheduling breaks, as well as creating a designated workspace or home office will help mental well being while ensuring that tasks and goals are on track.
Even though the pandemic has brought on many challenges, we have seen an increase in communication, creativity and willingness to adapt which has enabled companies to bring forth new potential and increase productivity. At Chase Edler we are happy to see this development and are here to assist companies who want help exploring new effective processes, turning this challenging time into something positive
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