Ever since the outbreak of the 2019’s novel coronavirus, people all over the world have been plunged into panic and frenzy about how they can avoid contracting the disease. The virus was first discovered in China and has aggressively continued to invade through South Korea, Italy, the United States, and many parts of the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many companies to mandate their employees to work remotely, which now brings the need to review practices that would make working from home a safe and productive exercise.
Given the sudden changes in work patterns, it’s time to remind yourself of the recipe for the effective execution of remote work. Today, more than ever before, all people have to change their habits. The balance between work and rest has to be even more assured, whether by engaging in sports activities at home, or by doing a more disciplined use of your time.
1. Preparedness of The Mind
One proven enemy of productivity when working away from the office is the lack of an imposed structure and conducive atmosphere that can influence a working mindset. That is why it is very key for you to prepare yourself mentally for a workday. It takes a deliberate decision to put a distinction between work and home, owing to the countless distractions that can easily affect your productivity.
Find a quiet workspace that will allow you to remain focused. Let your family members know your program and ensure you take brief breaks to refresh your mind.
2. Communications
Working from home can make people feel disconnected. Team managers can consider starting each day with a team-wide communication to build a sense that collective workday has kicked off.
Making an effort to make your colleagues aware of what times you will be available during the day is very important. You can set your notifications as “busy” or “in a meeting.” That will enable you to create time for intense-concentration work as well as ensure that others can reach you.
3. Technology
Some organizations use Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom and other workplace collaboration tools that function like them. As much as the degree of use varies, these tools are essential in maintaining connections as people work from home.
BitTitan utilizes Teams’ chat as well as call features for urgent questions, check-ins, or informal connections. They also make use of Teams for efficient communication to particular groups of individuals, like messages from the Human Resource Manager to departmental heads. Sales and marketing groups utilize Teams for updates, meeting summaries, tracking client activity, and sharing emojis for fun.
The use of video-conferencing technology to conduct team meetings can also promote a sense of transparency and presence, which generally lacks in audio conference calls. Many individuals are used to undertaking video conferences with a small group or only when very few people are working remotely.
Nevertheless, video conferencing also does well for massive gatherings; therefore, there is no point of canceling essential business meetings to wait for employees to come back to the office. The ability to record critical meetings is helpful for workers who are facing child care challenges and other interruptions presented by the current working environment.
4. Colleagues
One disadvantage of working from home is the lack of one on one interactions with fellow workers, which is the basis of connection. Having to rely on written communication has setbacks related to tone and body language for clear relaying of the meaning in words.
Straightforward actions could aid in the maintenance of positive connections, like using friendly and humorous jest with colleagues. It is also very effective to get engaged virtually for informal meetings, like team lunches, to aid in the maintenance of positive group development.
Final Thoughts
Let’s admit it, working from home is challenging. But that should not disrupt the usual flow of business operations. Who knows, maybe in the process, organizations are going to learn new tactics about the dynamics of remote work, which could present the opportunity for the utilization and adoption of new tools, improvement in communication, and enhancement of policies.