With many employees worldwide remaining at home throughout this past year, the balance between work and life responsibilities has been a bit easier to bare. Many organizations thought enabling their employees to work remotely could backfire, but that hasn’t been the case. In fact, most companies have reported saving money as a result of less reliance on the office, citing reductions in operating costs. Also worth mentioning, a majority of research points towards employees that have been working from home have improved their productivity levels and overall morale. Prior to these benefits being realized, however, employees must make a number of necessary considerations.
Most elements of a work-from-home setup should be provided by any organization offering the opportunity to their employees. What’s not provided by most organizations is a stable internet connection, so any individual preparing for remote work should reach out to their provider and ensure quality speeds throughout work hours. The hardware such as laptops, desktop computers, monitors and other peripherals are all tools that organizations should provide to their employees. Without these tools, it can be challenging for employees to remain entirely engaged in company-wide video conferences or team meetings conducted remotely. These are essential tools to the remote employee process.
Providing these tools has become much easier for organizations, so no issues there. The true test for remote employees comes from being able to separate work responsibilities and home responsibilities throughout the workday. Having an office only a few steps from common household distractions can cause some serious issues. For example, engaging in home-related tasks such as cooking or cleaning while on the clock is never permitted. These types of experiences are what truly challenge the employees working remotely.
For any employee currently struggling with finding healthy ways to balance their work and home lives, it might be worth taking a moment to review the infographic paired alongside this post. How to Create a Home Office That Improves Work/Life Balance details some strategies to balance out the work and home life. The difficulty that comes from maintaining two lives in one home is certainly a challenge, but with the infographic featured with this post, it can be greatly simplified.
Most importantly, these remote employees must be able to display the ability to mentally separate their work hours from their family hours. For many employees, the easiest way to do this is likely simulating actually working in the office, just from home. Meaning limiting any exposure to televisions or other distractions you wouldn’t find at work. Dedicate a space in the home that separates yourself from other members of the family while working from home. Remaining vigilant and avoiding these home responsibilities will ensure higher levels of productivity while on the clock.
Sara Scimeca is Marketing Coordinator for Synergy Builders, a stress-free remodeling company. She has two years of experience in the industry and manages Synergy’s marketing plans including creation of content for newsletters, brochures, advertisements, videos and more.