As we enter the second lockdown and prepare for the winter experience of ploughing the lone furrow it is time to make sure you have got the necessary support in place. Many companies are continuing to work remotely, and maintaining a sense of connection outside of the offices is a real challenge for Management and staff alike.
Many companies were concerned about how they would move away from their traditional office setups, with face-to-face meetings and instant availability of key staff. They were also concerned about their employees productivity when they moved to a remote (home) location and were no longer driven by presenteeism and office lead working hours (nobody leaves till the boss goes).
Now that the break with tradition has happened and productivity has been maintained it is time to look to the future. The benefits of remote working are vast as it can boost employee morale. It enables them to work in a flexible manner that works for them and the business. This can improve job satisfaction and will in turn increase productivity.
There are lots of conversations about the ‘new normal’ and even with the potential for the anti-COVID virus arriving in the Spring nobody can really forecast how businesses will settle down in the aftermath. Regardless of whether organisations decide to ease back on face-to-face and continue on working remotely for the foreseeable future, a key element of any sustainable recovery will be supporting employees and encouraging a high level of communication and support to ensure the motivation and wellbeing of their staff.
Although employees may not miss the daily commute, working from home alone presents other challenges. Juggling family demands and dealing with isolation and burnout can all lead to stress but we have identified that the strong work ethic remains the top priority. Irish people are hardworking and have a fierce desire to deliver on their obligations. There are disadvantages to working from home as we are all social animals and if working from home is the new norm, we will miss the interaction of other human beings. Meetings with colleagues may sometimes be distracting but from time to time will induce the most creative and innovative ideas. One of the main problems emerging is burnout with employees not knowing when to stop work, due to the lack of boundaries between home and work.
Spirit Enterprises Ltd have put together an excellent presentation on ‘Working from Home Alone’ and we recommend this forty five minute presentation to Management and Staff alike, as it gives an excellent overview on how to maintain an well balanced approach to work and lifestyle when working remotely.
This FREE presentation can be viewed HERE
