Picture : Business Today
With work moving to home offices due to the pandemic, and some companies working fully remotely for two years or more, many organizations are looking to continue enabling hybrid work environments. The future of work must incorporate the ability to work remotely. However, while remote work offers flexibility, increased productivity and reduced costs, organizations should prioritize implementing the right technology strategies to ensure these benefits. A hybrid working model comes with challenges. As the line between work and home continues to blur, some people can find hybrid models quite stressful to adapt to. To overcome this, employees must set clear boundaries and learn how to adhere to them.
If you're feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, here are five tips for thriving in a hybrid work environment.
1. Establish a consistent schedule
Hybrid workplaces need to think about how to maximize performance. First, think about what time of day is best for you. For example, you may be most productive early in the morning or late at night. Decide which schedule works for you and stick to it. If you divide your time between home and office, create a routine for each day. To be successful in a hybrid work environment, it's important to know which tasks are best done at home and which are best done at the office.
2. Create healthy boundaries
Blurring the line between home and work can create stress and confusion. It's unrealistic to assume that you'll be sitting at your desk for eight hours at a time when working from home. Instead, take regular breaks throughout the day. Control your working hours at home so you don't have to adjust to office hours. Have regular start and end times for the day, and discuss evening and weekend restrictions with your manager. Clearly define what is “urgent” and what can't wait until the next business day. Forming such agreements can increase productivity and prevent burnout.
3. Establish a Dedicated Work Area
Having a dedicated space in your home for work can reduce stress, prevent frustration, and get the job done faster and easier. You should choose a long-term place where you can focus on your work and not on everything else going on in your house. Here are some things to consider when building a comfortable workspace in your home:
Choose a dedicated workspace, whether it's in an extra room, garage, shed, or other suitable space.
Choose a good monitor (or two or three) and make sure it's set up at a height where your eyes are about 25 degrees below the top of the screen.
Choose a good office chair, ideally a professional office chair. Height adjustment, lumbar support, casters and seat shell tilt make your room more comfortable.
Add proper lighting using overhead or indirect lighting to avoid glare on the monitor.
Make sure you have a good internet connection (this is obvious).
Consider other equipment that may be required. Mouse, keyboard, headset, microphone, etc. No need to rush to get something last minute.
If you tend to work from somewhere other than home, these tips are still useful, but consider having a traveling setup for hotels, coffee shops, coworking spaces, and other locations where you get your work done.
4. Embrace asynchronous communication
The new world of hybrid work requires you to rethink how you communicate with your team. This implies a conscious move towards more asynchronous communication. Unlike synchronous communication such as Zoom, face-to-face meetings, and phone calls, asynchronous communication is not real-time and does not require an immediate response. Instead, this format allows employees to work closely together as a team. An example of an asynchronous messaging platform is Twist, but in the same way he can also use Slack. After all, asynchronous communication is well suited for social gatherings, one-on-ones, and more complex discussions. However, if the problem is really urgent, synchronous communication may still be necessary.
5. Invest in team building
Team building becomes even more important in a hybrid work model where it's not always possible to stop by your desk. That is why it is so important to encourage employee cooperation. Research shows that teams that collaborate intentionally are almost three times more likely to achieve high team innovation than teams that don't take a purposeful approach. One way to do this is by leveraging Donut Slack integrations to enable virtual coffee meetings, peer learning, or remote team lunches. Another idea is to use breakout rooms to facilitate conversations after the virtual meeting is over. Of course, scheduling team building activities outside of work is always a good idea.
Source : Forbes, officernd, BetterUp
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