With government advice coinciding with a general consensus among the UK’s office-based workforce, it seems WFH life is here to stay for some time...
Back in March 2020, it was hard to imagine that we’d be getting ready to wave ‘sayonara’ to the ‘roaring twenties’ with the glee we all undoubtedly will come December 31st, and it was impossible to envisage we’d still be working from home some seven months later, as we plan Christmas ‘with a difference’.
However, here we are, and according to the Covid daily figures, government advice, and new studies from office workers, WFH is here to stay - and us office workers are seemingly happy with that fact.
Having got used to daily virtual meetings and now grateful to be fully dressed, rather than our naively joyful April outfits of ‘work on top, pyjamas on the bottom’, it seems the world has got used to working from home.
An astonishing 74% of nearly 1,000 company directors surveyed said they will permanently implement remote-working policies after the pandemic, while more than half intend to reduce their long-term use of office spaces in the future.
The poll from the Institute of Directors (IoD), also revealed that ‘more than four in ten said that working from home was proving more effective than their previous set-up’.
For many throughout 2020, we’ve heard of people’s exhaustion towards the uncertainty and unknown that’s come hand-in-hand with dealing with a brand new pandemic, and the health and financial concerns it has created too.
With the common notion that many office-based businesses have now chosen to keep their WFH policies in place until at least January 2021, we’ve got some handy reminders of how you can maintain a calm, balanced and productive WFH lifestyle to see you through…
Create a flexible workspace that works for you
If you set up your once-temporary workspace in March 2020, it might be time to have a shredding session - do you need all of those documents, now a lot of businesses have moved operations to a digital setup? It could also be that the dining room table is no longer viable now it’s looking like a longer-term solution.
Make time to review and adapt your workspace to suit at regular intervals - it will boost productivity and renew your focus on your work goals.
Make time for your home and the people in it
WFH life creates new obstacles, such as working whilst the toddlers are screaming in the next room for Fireman Sam, Peppa Pig, [insert their obsession here]. Speak to your superiors about how your working hours may need to adapt to suit your new working environment - do you need to car share with a partner, or do you have the school run to oversee?
By identifying solutions, and ensuring your work isn’t negatively impacted, but improved, by your suggestions, you increase the likelihood that your boss will look favourably on your circumstances.
Remind yourself that every day won’t be 100%
It’s impossible in the office to ‘knock it outta the park’ every single day, but by being present, communicating with team members and completing menial tasks under your boss’ eye, it can feel like you’re still having a good workday. At home, there’s a mental shift, that makes you think if you can only deliver 85% of your goals, you’ve failed. But you haven’t, and it’s important that you and your superiors address and acknowledge that some days won’t be the typical 9-5.
If this is happening more often than not, it may be worth scheduling a call with your superiors to identify ways to improve this or to step away and identify if there are roadblocks impacting your work performance, mental health or general productivity.
Don’t forget to speak to Thrive about how we may be able to support your business with its every day, or newfound, needs in relation to sales, marketing, branding or online presence.
