Working From Home

We’ve mastered the Zoom filter, the VPNs and the screen-shares. We know how to time our meetings around the kids’ schedules, to go on mute and to use remote file sharing platforms. Perhaps most importantly, we know how to get dressed for work from the waist up (sweatpants, anyone?). If you’re like 35% of Americans, you are probably working from home.

Working from home during COVID-19 meant a temporary setup. During the learning curve of new technology and remote schedules, companies and employees were in a short-term mindset. Working from home during coronavirus felt like a season that would end. Now, however, there has been an epic shift in the way we all think about work. And, for many of us, this whole WFH thing may become permanent.

Here are some stats from Global Workplace Analytics to frame these ideas:

•56% of the workforce in the U.S. has jobs that are compatible with remote work arrangements

•When in an office, employees aren’t at their desk 60% of the time, which may mean that rented or purchased office space is a significant waste of money

•Work at home arrangements during COVID-19 saved U.S. employers more than $30B a day in what would have otherwise been down time or time off

•25-30% of the workforce will probably be working from home (at least part-time) by the end of 2021

As many of us have found, working from home does require significant reliance on tech. Many employers scrambled to assign laptops and figure out how employees could access documents in a safe way. When you count on laptops, tablets and modems to WFH, it’s essential that they stay in good working order. 

If you are in the Federal Way area, Gadget Genie has your back. Don’t risk downtime with repairs. We can do it all and are your team for everything from data recovery to broken screens and circuit board issues. 

Not in the area? We can still help. Tap here for our mail-in repair worksheet. We also do bulk formatting for employer devices, which can save you time and money and provide standardization for all of the tech you are handing your remote workforce. Contact us with questions or for more info.

Whatever devices you are using (and whatever you’re doing to ensure speedy provision or repair), remote work arrangements may be right for you or your team.

Pros of Working From Home

Working from home isn’t a new idea but it is on a different scale. When looking at the long game, there are a lot of pros to working from home:

•Less expensive for employers

•Improve technical skills

•More flexible

•No office distractions

•Plenty of opportunity for collaboration and communication

Cons of Working From Home

Working from home isn’t for everybody. Some people simply miss the “drop-ins” or group meetings afforded by an in-person work environment. Here are some cons to working from home:

•Lag time in communication or inability to get quick answers

•Lower accountability

•Concerns with device and document security

•Lower reliability or retention

How Has the Pandemic Shifted Work-From-Home Culture?

Working from home may feel increasingly normal and has certainly shifted as a result of the pandemic. COVID-19 changed more than just the smiles we see or how often we use hand sanitizer. Working from home during COVID-19 represents a monumental, paradigmatic shift for workplaces around the world.

Family-friendly work environments: it isn’t unusual to see family photos plastered behind a famous news anchor as they broadcast from home, or to have even high-level meetings interrupted by a three year old who needs help with their juice box. Because no one was prepared and didn’t have a choice, the fast-track of telecommuting meant that we are in each other’s homes everyday. This has provided a shift in how we view and understand each other, even in the workplace. It could open the door for a more personal and gracious acceptance of the fact that we all have lives outside of work.

Accelerated technology: access to broadband and the sheer management of increased load and need for connectivity have fast-tracked 5G and other technologies. Now more than ever, our business operations depend on reliable internet and powerful protection. Teams are quickly adapting to remote work and also being briefed on cybersecurity and new protocol. Most of this technology was coming anyway, but companies have had to make sizable and strategic investments to ensure safety and seamless operations due to the pandemic.

Independent productivity: individual workers have more power than ever to work when they want and how they want. If an HR pro wants to take calls from the couch: telecommuting makes that possible. If a CEO wants to work 2-10pm, they might be able to do that. Having some power over scheduling may maximize productivity, giving people the elusive work-life balance we’ve heard so much about.

Tips on Working From Home

Working from home online has pros and cons and requires a paradigm shift. Working from home productivity is important, if we’re going to keep our jobs. Even if we have a lot of freedom, there are still measures of accountability and work that has to get done. It’s not just a pajama party. To really be productive as you work from home, here are some tips:

•Find a schedule and stick to it

•Create routines

•Set ground rules for the space and time you work

•Take full breaks

•Don’t just stay home all of the time

•Dedicate “office space” in your home (and keep it sacred while you work)

•Take care of your body and health

•Maintain coworker relationships

•Find the work rhythm that works for you

At the end of the day, working from home may be part of many professional situations. Get the gear, learn the tech and operate productively. Who knows? Dreaded Mondays, TGIFs and more may become a thing of the past as work simply becomes a normal (maybe even enjoyable) part of our days.