Posted on April 2, 2020
Home office is nothing new in several countries around the world, such as China, Singapore and Australia, which are ranked among the countries that hire the most in this modality, with 54%, 50% and 45% respectively.
Although it may seem like something new in Brazil due to the current social isolation, due to the spread of COVID-19, the country ranks 3rd among the countries with the most remote workers in the world, with a rate of 47%.
Social isolation brings new paradigms
According to WHO recommendations, social distancing must be respected while there is a risk of community contagion by the coronavirus, which has put several companies with the in-person work model on the teleworking map.
This means, according to Ricardo Peters, Agile Coach at Pitang, that the people management model needs to change. “When we overcome this stage [of social isolation] and understand that [remote work] is possible, we will be demanding other things. “I want more freedom, a few days of remote work, to stop being measured by hours and instead by deliveries and productivity, I want to work on my own time.” We will see a lot of this yet,” he says.
Just as the rule of the world is change, the current moment has revealed a reality about the work models we knew: many of them that were practiced in person have proven to be fully adaptable to home office.
Brazilian companies have understood this and according to research by IT Mídia, a company specializing in relationships and business, more than 130 information technology and communication companies have already adopted the regime for their employees.
Although teleworking is not new in IT companies, it is seen as the future of work, as it offers several advantages, both for employees and companies.
Home office: the future of work
One of the great opportunities that business owners can take advantage of in this current crisis is to reduce spending on their employees’ workstations. With fewer people in the office, fixed expenses such as electricity, water, and supplies (disposable cups, cleaning products, etc.) will certainly decrease.
According to a report published in Forbes, the company Aetna saved around R$280 million reais in real estate costs after implementing home office and the giant American Express an impressive 15 million dollars.
And it’s not just in the pocketbook that companies can feel the positive effects of working from home. It’s good for employees too. According to the Harvard Business Review, 87% of remote workers feel more connected when they hold meetings using video conferencing.
Another very revealing study by Gallup, a recruitment and data analysis consultancy firm, showed that the ideal ratio for workers to reach their maximum productivity is 80/20, with 80% of the time being teleworked and 20% in person.
For Vinicius Ferreira, a marketing analyst at a distance learning company, the work model that best suits his reality would be the semi-presential model. “Since I work in Marketing and I also understand that some day-to-day activities in a retail company may require presence at meetings and face-to-face actions with external and internal customers, I believe the semi-presential model is the ideal path.”
But for teleworking to work efficiently, it is necessary to follow some important steps. We have prepared a list of 5 tips on how to make your home office productive.
- Have a suitable workplace
Working from home is not synonymous with working in your pajamas. This means that many people think that because they are at home, they can and should be so “comfortable” that they can just get out of bed and sit directly in front of the computer.
Even if you are not in the office, for health reasons (chair ergonomics, desk height, spine posture), focus (reducing distractions) and organization (work environment requires order), you need to reserve a quiet place or one as far away from your home as possible to work.
You need to understand that even if you are in the comfort of your home, you will be effectively working and your responsibilities will remain the same, therefore, your deliveries will also remain the same.
- Keep a routine (for real!)
It is important to maintain a routine flow of activities even when working from home. This means that you need to set a time to wake up, get out of bed, take a shower, have breakfast, and only then start your workday. This is essential because if you start working from your bed in your pajamas, you will easily be tempted to go back to sleep.
Maintaining a routine will also help you regulate your breaks, which are much needed! Many people say that working from home can be chaotic because you end up working much longer hours than if you were in the office. So, take regular breaks of 5 to 10 minutes to drink water, go to the bathroom or have a coffee.
- Adapt to new digital tools
Another thing you may not be as familiar with is task management and video conferencing control tools. These help managers monitor the demands of remote employees.
Pay close attention to your leadership’s instructions to learn how to best use these tools. Just as there is social etiquette in face-to-face meetings, it is no different in the virtual environment.
And remember, teleworking requires much more governance, so don’t hesitate to ask for help if you’re having trouble using the platforms. Remember: tools are bridges, stay connected with people.
- Make agreements with your family and set limits
One of the biggest challenges for parents is dividing their attention between work tasks and caring for their family. Often, because they are not used to working from home, family members do not understand that certain limits must be respected, such as avoiding interruptions to the person who is working.
Therefore, if you don’t have an office, it’s worth isolating yourself in a room with closed or even locked doors and asking no one to interrupt you. You can even put up a “do not disturb” sign. The goal is to get you into a state of flow, making the most of mindfulness .
- Intensify and improve your communication (avoid noise, not just physical noise)
Working from home requires maturity: show that you don’t need supervision. Take charge of your own work and establish micro-conversations with the people on your team and show that you are completing your tasks.
In a context of physical distancing, communication via email, for example, must be extremely clear, direct and objective, as must all conversations via text.
In the absence of other diacritical signs such as facial expressions and tone of voice, it is necessary to eliminate noise as much as possible, that is, the chances of misinterpretation.
In video conferences, seek the same clarity in your interactions, so connect in quiet places that allow you to speak and be heard perfectly.
EXTRA TIP
Don’t stop improving yourself
There are several platforms with free online courses (some even with certificates) that you can sign up for and take. There’s nothing better than organizing your remote work time in the best possible way, being able to divide your time between enjoying your family and improving your hard skills.
There is a wealth of inspiring content on the internet, such as TED Talks, live webinars and even series that cover technical and philosophical topics.
About the Author / Gabriel Marin
