With so many advancements in technology in recent years, the ability for employees to work outside of an office is more common now than ever. This increased capacity for remote work has been a saving grace for many businesses and workers in a time where stay-at-home orders, self isolation, and social distancing are paramount to ensuring the safety of communities around the globe.
Remote work was once an anomaly, limited to specific situations. It is now the life blood of business as we know. While it’s been increasingly common for companies to maintain a physical office space but also allow employees to occasionally work from home, the gravity of the COVID-19 Pandemic has transitioned from that model to one of fully remote teams. This has created a surplus of people like you and me, office workers doing their best to adjust to a work from home lifestyle.
From our Home Offices to Yours
With such a large change in culture, there are unique challenges presented in the adjustment process, so we spoke with members of our team here at Lockdata to get their unique perspectives and insight on their remote transitions in an effort to help you with yours.
The Questions
We shared a list of questions with the Lockdata team designed to provide insight on everything from the impact of the remote transition to ways to improve working from home for everyone. Here’s what we’ll be exploring in this series:
- How has working from home impacted your daily work routine?
- What are some things learned throughout your remote experience so far?
- What are some challenges?
- How do you overcome those challenges?
- What do you do to stay positive and productive?
- If you could change one thing about the way you work remotely, what would it be?
- What’s helped you adjust to your transition from office to home the most?
The Series
While the way we work has fundamentally changed and the world around us has too, the overwhelming takeaway from this interview with our team has been a message of resilience, passion, and positivity mixed with some practical wisdom, so we’ll be sharing the work from home love on a weekly basis.
Join us here on our blog each Friday, to see the insights from our team interview and let us know your answers to each question too! And Join us on our facebook page each monday to get your dose of Work from Home Advice from the Lockdata Team. We may be working from home, we may be alone, but we’re all #AloneTogether.
To kick this off, let’s explore the impact of remote work on daily work routines.
The Impact on Our Work Routines
Any major change in our lives has an impact on how we function from day to day. There may be some challenges, such as Internet connectivity. The connection at work could be quite different from the one at home. Businesses usually choose super-fast connections while individuals would most probably choose plans that are appropriate for their needs. This can cause some to experience connectivity issues while working from home. In order to solve this problem, it would be best for employees if they can look for work from home internet plans customized for such requirements. While working from home has its challenges, there can be a few advantages as well, like saving on travel costs or feeling more comfortable at home. There’s no denying that the switch to remote will leave a mark on our work routines but, how much does it really affect?
When we asked our team just that, how remote work has impacted their daily work routine, the answers varied. For those team members who had experience working from home on a regular basis the impact was lessened. Those team members reported higher satisfaction levels, better work-life balances, and improved focus. The main difference for them was the lack of a commute and adjusting to having their family at home while working.
In Their Words
- “I’ve been working mostly from home for the last few years, so not a big change for me. What’s different now is that my wife is also working from home and we are in the same room and show up in the background video/audio of our calls.”
- “The main impact is that my wife and kids are around while I am working. It can be a distraction if I let it, so I had to set up my work desk away from the main activity going on in the house.”
With team members who were less accustomed to a remote work environment, the impact was greater. They found themselves having to make more significant adjustments, such as changing break schedules, time spent working, and keeping productivity up.
In Their Words
- “It’s impacted my daily work routine by swapping out the one constant, the office, for something new.”
- “I’m taking more breaks during the day, but starting earlier or working a bit later most of the time. It took awhile for me to adjust, I was not as productive at first and had to work on that.”
How is the Move to Remote Impacting Your Work Routine?
You’ve heard about how work from home culture has impacted our work routines, now we’d love to hear from you. Add your comments below or share your experience on our Facebook page. We’re all in this together.
