How To Work Remotely Successfully
Working from home has become a necessity for many companies across the country. Whilst many of us debate returning to the office, it’s no surprise so many businesses are seeing working remotely as a positive after the success of doing so during lockdown. In April 2020, statistics released by the UK’s Office of National Statistics showed 49.2% of adults in employment were working from home, as a result of social distancing measures introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Such transitions are being adopted by many larger corporations such as Twitter and Square announcing only a few months ago that their employees could work remotely forever, leaving the idea of going back to the office, something of the past.
But how can one work remotely successfully? Whilst remote working can provide many opportunities for companies across the country, it’s adoption will only prove successful if done properly. Here’s CME’s top tips to working remotely successfully:
Set boundaries for work and home life
It’s far too easy to fall into bad habits with your professional and personal life, but the key is to remember remote workers are the same as regular workers. You have to work the same hours and they have the same time to get their work done, but that doesn’t mean they have to prove they’re working at all hours of the day! If goals can be met, you’re doing a good job. This rule applies to being available all day, set yourself your office hours and stick to them, just because you’re at home doesn't mean you have to respond to an email at ridiculous hours!
Have a work-only space and use it just for that - work!
Whilst it's quite easy to just prop yourself up on the sofa and get into work like, it’s a common problem where work and home space breaks boundaries. It doesn’t matter where your work space is, but this space should be used to perform and store your work. When your day ends you can leave that space and enjoy the rest of your home life without work interrupting. This is great for that work-life balance which can lessen stress, burnout and poor productivity.
Set yourself office hours
Don’t lose track of things unless you decide to take control of your work life. It is essential to control when you work and set yourself clear office hours, as well as:
It lets clients know when you are available
It establishes when you should be working
It makes you more productive
You have a routine
It gives you balance
You maintain a perception of professionalism
Take breaks
Avoid burnout and give yourself breaks, if you can do it in the office, why can't you do it at home? Give yourself 15 minutes every few hours and grab yourself a cuppa, stretch or do some washing. It’s a good time to give yourself some me-time too.
Communicate clearly and effectively
Think about the best way to communicate with your team and colleagues to ensure all of the information your team needs is available when they need it. Use synchronised tools when you need to work on a task with another member of your team. Tools such as Google Docs and Dropbox Paper allow a few people to work on a document at the same time, write comments and make any changes. Make sure you also use this time to document everything that you’re doing. Document more that you usually would just so you’re all on the same page.
Set clear responsibilities
Communication errors can cause a series of problems in the world place. If you’ve forgotten to tell a colleague you’re working on a certain task, make sure you’re all in the loop with tasks set aside for you throughout the week. This can be best interpreted with a weekly overview email or touching base in a weekly call.
It’s good to talk
You may not be seeing their faces every day but it’s good to talk. Spare an hour a week to talk on a video conference like Google Hangouts, Skype or Zoom and make conversation. Having the real-time conversation not only helps with work life balance but is also a great way to develop closer relationships with your team. You can also use tools such as Slack, Asana and WorkPlace to better engage with your colleagues at any moment of the day.
Take time to socialise
Your life is not all about working. Working from home may mean you get to dress down as you’re not in the office, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of doing nothing but work. Find some time for yourself, spend time with your family and friends, log off from your laptop (it’ll still be there tomorrow) and get out of the house.
Construction Marketing Experts have been working from home throughout the lockdown giving our employees the opportunity to work safely and receive the same support at home as well as when they do wish to return to the office. Working from home and managing clients has been a success and we’re proud to continue the protective health of our employees and clients. This will remain our top priority as we work through the coming months.