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I think we can all agree that, even with states reopening, the reality and longevity of COVID-19’s impacts are feeling more and more real. This is particularly true in the business world. We are faced with a new reality and it looks a lot like 100% work from home (for applicable industries). It was one thing to setup a makeshift desk when we felt we’d only be having to work for a month or two, but now that you might be permanently working remote, there are some key changes you need to make. Read below to learn 3 tips for embracing the permanent work from home reality, so you can thrive in the “new” normal:
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Understand that it’s here to stay
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The first thing that all of us need to embrace is understanding why working from home, or working remotely, is here to stay. The most important reason is of course the health aspects that COVID-19 has highlighted – working remotely drastically lessens the spread of germs and viruses. Another reason; working remotely is better for business owners. Helen Moses summarized it great: “Companies, organizations and institutions are realizing that working from home is efficient, practical and more cost-effective than the way we have traditionally done business. The new normal of digital interaction is here to stay…. New skills must be learned to thrive online.” It is important to understand the why, in order for us to embrace the change. Only by embracing it can we start to move into the new normal and create better practices for ourselves and our employees.
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Set boundaries, and stick to them
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One of the hardest elements of working from home is setting boundaries, and not taking work “home” with you. This is also going to continue to be a critical area to improve on, in order to be able to work from home effectively. We’ve provided some tips in our previous blogs, for both employees and employers. Some of the smaller things you can set boundaries around to build good work habits include setting strict working hours and taking an actual lunch break away from the screen. Your biggest role as a boss will be in helping set boundaries for your employees and asking everyone to respect each other’s boundaries. Leading by example will be more important than ever.
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Adjust expectations
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The reality is that working from home is not the same as an office setting, and we all need to adjust our expectations accordingly. This is true of employees, bosses, and stakeholders of all kinds. For instance, there is a much higher likelihood of unforeseen interruptions in a home environment. Conference calls and meetings won’t be the same as a family member, pets, someone at the door, or a fire alarm may interrupt the remote worker. One of the biggest areas we need to adjust is our expectations around collaboration and teamwork, as not working in-person can feel less productive. While there are many tools available to help the team work productively, we need to remember to have patience and understanding as individually we all work to accept and thrive in this new environment.
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While embracing this drastic change can seem daunting, remember to have some compassion. Both for yourself and your coworkers/employees. It is still very new! The best thing we can do is start shifting our own mindsets. Move from the “why is this happening” to “this is my new normal.” This shift helps open you up to building the new skills needed to be successful when working from home.
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Interested in learning more about how to embrace working from home? Contact our team at Kim@QuantumMark.com today!
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