5 Top Suggestions for Successfully Working at Home

The Face of Work Options Is Changing

We are living in a time when we have seen a surge in the number of people who are working from home. This is in part because more companies are choosing more creative ways to gain an advantage in hiring talent in a highly competitive job market. Remote work has also increased because of the Coronavirus and the need for countries all over the world, including the U.S. to limit commuting and mandate social distancing to slow the spread of the virus.

There is a good possibility that many companies will change the way they work and allow more people to work from home.

Five Fears Managers Have of Hiring Remote Workers

The experiment revealed that working from home during a nine-month period led to a 13 percent increase in performance – almost an extra day of output per week – plus a 50 percent drop in employee-quit rates. Despite research findings that show that remote workers are just as efficient as on site workers, managers and company owners have often hesitated to institute remote work assignments, if at all because they fear:

1. a loss in productivity
2. reduced focus on the part of the employee
3. reduced employee engagement
4. reduction in communication with coworkers
5. background noise during customer calls

That research was based on a randomized control trial of 1,000 employees of Ctrip, a Chinese travel company. The experiment was successful which led Ctrip to ultimately roll out working from home to their entire firm.

What Remote Workers Have to Say

1,202 workers were surveyed in a 2019 report by OwlLabs. Of those, 62% worked remotely and 38% worked on the job site. Those who worked remotely, did so anywhere from once per month to daily. One important finding was that remote work made employees happier. 71% of remote workers in the survey said they were happy in their jobs compared to 50% of on site workers, which is a difference of 22%. They also indicated:

5 Stated Benefits of Working From Home

• They feel more trusted
• They feel better able to achieve work-life balance
• They are more inclined to take a pay cut to benefit from added flexibility.
• They are better able to manage work-life conflict
• They are more likely to recommend their employer to others

Top reasons Workers Initially Wanted to Work from Home

• 91% better work-life balance
• 79% increased productivity/better focus
• 78% less stress
• 78% avoiding the commute

Additional benefits that research shows remote workers experience are the customized work environment – one can define and decorate the workspace as they choose, and can even work outside on a warm day or at a favorite “other” location; it’s easier to make calls; more time with loved ones in the absence of long commutes; saving money and no office distractions.

Pitfalls of Working From Home

Remote workers say they work more than 40 hours per week which is 43% more than on-site workers do.

One requirement for a successful work-from-home program for any business is the requirement that children are in school or daycare. What happens during school breaks or a coronavirus outbreak? In all honesty your work schedule can take a huge hit if you’re not prepared for the impact.

Optimizing Your Remote Work Experience

Many of my friends and family are finding themselves working from home throughout the week now and not just for a couple of hours or a day or two per month. An individual should evaluate their own productivity and tendencies regardless of where they work, to determine what their peak work times tend to be, what their greatest hindrances tend to be and what their greatest working strengths are. Then plan your work and work your plan, as my Pastor use to say.

The challenges of working from home vary for each individual. Some may mirror the fears that managers and business leaders indicate as reasons they have avoided remote work programs and some may be more unique.

Research has shown that remote workers are most successful when certain parameters are implemented early on and continued throughout a worker’s remote work experience, the interferences are less likely to invade the worker’s work day. The following are suggestions for improving one’s remote work experience based upon the success stories. , each one is not necessarily ideal for every person. The study that showed great success of the work from home program of Ctrip, the Chinese travel company I mentioned earlier, had specific requirements in place for those who participated in the program. Based upon my own experience and that of others who are either voluntary remote workers or forced because of social distancing requirements, we can all benefit from a few simple tips designed to keep us on track and help us avoid burnout.

Five Optimizing Tips for Remote Work Programs

Individuals were only allowed to participate in the Ctrip study if they had a home office, in which no one was allowed to enter except the employee, during work hours.
To offset declines in productivity and overall satisfaction for leadership and employees, consider implementing the following:

1. Regular check-ins should occur between managers and their teams – this eliminates an employee’s feelings of isolation or disconnection from the manager and their work team
2. Set distinct work and home life activities – failure to do so can result in working longer hours then you intend to or more hours than you would normally do if you were working on site
3. Work and Clearly Define Home Times – Many lose track of time or just find it easier to “finish that report” or “catch up on a couple things” and before you know it, you’ve been working more then living. Set times for the start and end of your work day, breaks etc. just as you would if you were in the office
4. Collaborating with colleagues on video calls rather than phone calls – This allows face time with your team mates and the opportunity for creative dialogue and connection among you.
5. Dress for Work – Though one of the benefits of working from home is the idea of wearing whatever you want and being comfortable while working, keep in mind that you may have a more productive and professional mindset if you dress up a bit before going into your home office. Besides that, you’ll be dressed and ready for any video calls you have to conduct during the day.

Closing Thoughts

Working from home can be relaxing and productive. I have found it to be a very productive time but I have also experienced multiple disruptions from family members who figure I must be available because they see me. I also experienced huge interruptions when working on site, so I realize that challenge can only be met if I take the responsibility and change it. That will take self analysis and a determination to optimize my productivity through intentional actions. Productivity does not happen automatically but with planning and a little… no a lot of thought!

Best Regards,

C.