Productivity while working remotely

With the global pandemic well and truly a part of our lives for the near future, it’s important that we find solutions to work around it. Working from home or remotely is the norm and it’s important that you find yourself being productive despite the challenge of not meeting your co-workers in person.

Individually, it can be difficult to concentrate or find the motivation to work from home. The bed and couch seem too inviting to let go and sometimes, it just isn’t easy considering how relaxed your mindset is. From the company’s perspective, being productive means finishing your tasks for the day and providing them with what they need to get their tasks done.

If a company and team aren’t able to work together and collaborate productively, it can become a tough situation. They won’t be able to get their tasks done for the day and the piling up of work to the next day can be a huge bottleneck. Working productively while being remote might seem daunting, but it can actually work in favour of you. Just make sure you get the basics right and keep particular time slots to finish up work and you’ll be good to go!

Why do we have more chances to work remotely these days?

Today, the world is at a challenging spot. COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus had forced millions and millions worldwide to stay home because it wasn’t safe to meet anyone outside. The danger and speed with which the virus spread meant that it only took one interaction with an affected person to give it to everyone else in their immediate circle. Also, with people acting asymptomatic, there was no way to determine whether someone had it or not.

This led to everyone taking the safest option, which was to keep meetings minimal, without contact and online. With older people at higher risk of fatality, going out and meeting others, even for the younger generation was almost taboo. All of these factors led to working-from-home becoming the new normal and it’s been a few months, and everyone’s now gotten used to this type of setup.

There’s no saying exactly when the world will be back to normal, but it could take a couple of years at the minimum, according to experts. This has led companies to take formative action against the pandemic and inform their employees to continue working from home. Google, for example, has made it mandatory for their employees to work remotely till July 2021 minimum, which means we’re not anywhere close to finding a solution that can help the world get back on its feet.

Also, studies have shown that people are actually becoming more productive as they work remotely, which is good for the companies who employ them. It shows that people work 1.4 more days a month than when they were in office, convincing companies that work-from-home setups are actually the way to go. This could persist in the future, and working remotely could become the new norm after a couple of years.

It can also help companies save money on travel, accommodation, office space and many more fairly expensive expenditures.

Common remote working arrangements

Different companies have different setups for their work-from-home arrangements. Depending on their size, their domain and even their requirements, they can arrange various types of setups for their employees and top brass.

Here are some of the more common types of setups we’re seeing since the pandemic struck

One company, all work-from-home – One of the most common types of remote working arrangements is the all work-from-home policy. Since the news of the pandemic, there have been companies, both big and small which have foregone the lease on their office spaces and encouraged all employees to work remotely, mandatorily. Employees have given up their leased homes and moved back to their hometowns in order to save on money and this has helped them get back in the groove of things.

It’s important to note that such a setup was common even before the pandemic had struck. There have been companies that have managed to work in a profitable manner despite not having their employees in any physical office. However, since the pandemic, a lot more companies have followed this policy and are seeing positive benefits of the same.

One company, key staff in the office – There are companies which have their key staff such as the CxOs and upper management working from office while the junior staff and executives are encouraged to work from home. This setup makes it easier for the upper management as they can plan out the bigger ideas for the company and delegate it to the junior staff, without having to meet them physically.

MNCs having remote workers – Then there is a third type – MNCs which have people working in different time zones and regions, but still working together easily. This is most commonly seen in the tech sector or the banking sector as people have to work in tandem to execute the key plans of their organization.

When there is a big task such as the implementation of a new piece of software on the company’s app, for example, people in different locations work together to see it through. This has led to better communication among people despite being apart and one common linking factor such as the headquarters making sure the workflow is smooth and without any hiccups.

Entrepreneurs – The fourth type involves vendors, partners and freelancers based in various locations around the world, working independently on their own projects. However, when they have a common project with a particular deadline, they manage to turn in their work but aren’t part of the same company.

The head company sources these freelancers and vendors as it helps them save plenty with regards to their costs for legal, skill, etc. and they ultimately succeed in getting the work done as required within the given timeline

How to stay productive when we work remotely?

There are plenty of ways to stay productive as you work remotely. The first thing to remember is that working remotely means you’ve to be comfortable and keep your mindset professional. Your company is paying you money to work, not to remain idle at home, so don’t take advantage of the same.

With that being said, here are five ways in which you can stay productive working from home:

Location matters – You have to ensure the location you’re working in is comfortable for you and your office setup. Keeping the workspace in your bedroom can make it tempting to just take a quick nap and this can be counter-productive. A good study table and chair can ensure you get work done. Try to avoid working on the couch and bed because your mind automatically feels relaxed and not ready to work.

Find a work buddy – While you may or may not miss the sound of the office, there’s no doubt that you got used to it. Even you need to be social because the interaction is necessary to stay calm. Make sure you have a work buddy you can bounce ideas off.

Plan your day in advance – Having a plan makes it simpler to know what you have to do for the rest of the day. Don’t forget to take breaks to watch a couple of Netflix episodes or just relax because it’s necessary to do so in order to keep yourself mentally calm.

Work on your communication – Better communication means better work. Make sure you’re constantly communicating with your team from time to time so that work gets done faster and efficiently, thus ensuring better productivity at home.

Understand your employees’ work schedules – Everybody works differently and as a senior head, you must understand that no employee works as well as they do in the office. Understanding your employees’ shortcomings and challenges means that you can delegate work accordingly and get the best out of them.

What are the consequences?

If teams aren’t able to stay productive, it can have a strong consequence on all levels. Clients become unhappy and might move on to another team or agency that can get the work done for them. From an individual’s perspective, it can lead to their job security being under threat and also have an effect on their well-being and income levels.

If the company is not able to motivate or get their teams to feel committed, it can lead to worsening profits and sales which can have a major effect on its sustainability as a business. Delayed or disrupted delivery can also have a negative impact on the quality of products and services being offered and in the worst case, the shutting down of the company.

Make sure you have non-business calls with your team so that they feel like they’re valued and part of the company. You need to be compassionate and understanding during these trying times and try to adjust to the times we live in for now.

Thus, companies working remotely should aim to keep themselves and their employees motivated with the help of a coach. Seeking help from the coach will help them put things in perspective and make working from home a viable and great option, keeping everyone on track.

This article was written by Tracy H., Personal Branding Coach

More than 10 years of experience coaching and training corporate managers to communicate with confidence, clarity and power. Award-winning Personal Branding Coach

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