IT Launchpad

Working Remotely

A Heaven for Employees

There comes a time when you feel like staying at home is a hassle and can’t wait to return to work. The ideal workplace would be somewhere where you can have comfort, time and calmness or, in other words, your home.

Covid Influenced Work From Home

When Covid struck 2019 in December, the world panicked and no one knew what would happen the next day. The economy of the entire world turns into chaos. Many firms and companies took on Covid with the minor preparation possible, resulting in bankruptcies and losing jobs. Since every person had to be quarantined and avoid roaming around in public, the people chose a nationwide lockdown. Some people took matters into hand in the early stages and initiated a work-from-home protocol.
Moving the workstation to homes meant the work progress would slow down significantly. Several new software came to light upon the need for communication with teammates. However, the transition from office to home meant the employees had every bit of freedom they desired. For some, it was like the true definition of paradise; they never wanted the dream to end. It took months for everyone to realize the importance of office workplaces when they kept seeing the same faces every day. There wasn’t a need to dress up, no interactions with people, no driving, no weather experience and, in short, zero productivity. This tragedy took a significant toll on many people. While some chose to stay energetic and exercise towards rehabilitation, others succumbed to the relaxation and grew unhealthy. There was a substantial increase in obesity among the young and the old. If it weren’t for Covid, many of us wouldn’t realize the importance of offices and how much we take them for granted.

Blessings of Remote Working

To some it’s the best thing possible and to others, it is the worst. Let’s look at the points which makes remote working all the worthwhile.

Shorter Commute Time

It helps lower employees’ carbon footprint since they no longer need to travel to work. All you need to do is move from the bed to the workstation or position from the same bed.

Additional Autonomy

Working from home gives the employees more autonomy; they are allowed to work at their own pace, determine the sequence in which they complete tasks, and exercise more significant influence over the nature of their work. They may also choose when and when they complete their jobs.

More Lavish Flexibility

A person WFH has the flexibility to work on their schedule and often gets the benefit of the doubt when it comes to deadlines. As opposed to being physically present in front of the employer every day, the remote worker will have the liberty to move around at their own pace.

Better Work-Life Balance

People invested in their jobs don’t have time for anything else. They go from home to work to home with the only break for sleeping and eating. However, if the work started from home, that would eradicate the time for traveling and they can use this time for hangouts with friends or family. It gives a high sense of functionality and warmth.

Higher Productivity

This factor is a controversial point as it can go either way. Some people prefer to work from home since it provides comfort and access to everything. While some choose to work only from the offices, it gives them the space and opportunity to interact with other people.

Improved Motivation

When you are well fed and sufficiently rested, all that is left to do is work. Staying home meant that you could take enough sleep every single day. You could take a nap anytime between work and while some consider this highly unethical, to most, it is the best perk of remote working. It ignites a need to be productive and make the most of time. That’s where you get the passion for work.

Less Staff Turnover

When everything works according to the employees’ desires, it will take a fool to let go of the job. Remote working encourages people to carry on with their respective companies as it’s in their comfort place without the drama of a workplace. Promoting remote work would mean a higher employee count.

Less Office Space

This decision would majorly cut down on the extra expenses for the employers. Since the people remotely working would be working from home, there wouldn’t be a need for office space for them. There wouldn’t be a need for food, drink or other facilities.

Detriments of Remote Working

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows in working from home. Many factors negate the usage of remote work. Some of them are mentioned below.

Diversion at Home

Working from home means you will be surrounded by family all day long. Your kids and loved ones will have needs and chores to attend to, or you might have them. The chaotic atmosphere makes it harder to work and deliver.

Seclusion

It gets very lonely having to work every single day from home. The perk of offices was that it gives the chance to interact with colleagues and other employees. You get to know about their lives and they get to know yours. Working from home means you won’t get to indulge in drama.

Casualty of Work-Life Balance

This factor is another controversial point when it comes to remote working. While you might get the extra time for less traveling, you won’t utilize that time in a productive manner since you will have to be present at work. While your colleagues are cackling away in their lunch breaks, you are having your break in your room. You don’t get to travel out and see the world; by the time you get free, it’s already night.

Expanded Need for Meetings

You are remotely working means that you can’t go to your supervisor or project manager’s desk and ask them about something that’s been bothering you. You need to conduct a meeting every single time for a query. Now, this person may or may not be free and the time he allocates for the session would waste much productive time. This action would mean that the resources are going to waste.

Cybersecurity Crises

Since the communication is strictly on the internet, the material is vulnerable in the face of security. The conversations are unsafe, and the material may be compromised without us knowing. There are higher risks of theft and viruses when working through the channels.

Erratic Internet Access

It’s an implausible scenario where the internet at home is faster than at the office. Usually, we are accustomed to the internet speed in the offices, which is considerably quicker since numerous employees need to share GBs of data. The countless devices connected to the home internet access further reduce the internet speed, and in the end, it’s down to a minute Mbps or kbps speed.

Lessons Comprehended from Remote Working

Some of the significant lessons we have learned over observation of the remote working facility are mentioned below. These are small tricks and suggestions for making the best out of WFH.
  1. Improve your ability to manage time and take regular breaks. You must plan your task accordingly and then carry out that schedule.
  1. Learn to be more effective at asynchronous information exchanges because they cause disruptions. This ability will allow you to work on more than one thing simultaneously.
  1. Learn to overcome the two main challenges of working remotely: isolation and communication. Work from a somewhat lively place and try engaging in small talks with the people there.
  1. Remember the value of good old-fashioned talking to one another. It takes a brave man to make the first step in the conversation, which we need to consider daily.
  1. Benefit from virtual conferences. Make the most of your online meetings and ask as many questions as possible. 
  1. Take care of your body to succeed at a remote job. Exercise and run after work or work every day for a healthy body.
  1. Don’t try to get things done on your sofa, rather than slopping around for your work every day. Try managing a proper workstation for your work, with a table and a chair, so the body stays upright.
  1. What organization or person is footing the bill for your travel and lodging? Discuss your concerns with your employer and do not wait for them to make the first move.
  1. Shift from being a leader focused on the amount of time they spend on tasks to one based on the outcomes of the work. Try being more of a risk taker than a Yes-man. 
  1. Use your imagination to spread a feeling of community. Make the most of your creativity and do something out of the box to impress your higher-ups. Make them realize that you can do much more than what is assigned to you.

Conclusion

It’s a topic that can go either way and benefit the people on their terms. Remote working is mainly based on the employee’s benefits, while office working leans towards physical presence. It’s a fine line between good and bad where even a minute push can make you fall over the edge.

Working Remotely

A Heaven for Employees

There comes a time when you feel like staying at home is a hassle and can’t wait to return to work. The ideal workplace would be somewhere where you can have comfort, time and calmness or, in other words, your home.

Covid Influenced Work From Home

When Covid struck 2019 in December, the world panicked and no one knew what would happen the next day. The economy of the entire world turns into chaos. Many firms and companies took on Covid with the minor preparation possible, resulting in bankruptcies and losing jobs. Since every person had to be quarantined and avoid roaming around in public, the people chose a nationwide lockdown. Some people took matters into hand in the early stages and initiated a work-from-home protocol.
Moving the workstation to homes meant the work progress would slow down significantly. Several new software came to light upon the need for communication with teammates. However, the transition from office to home meant the employees had every bit of freedom they desired. For some, it was like the true definition of paradise; they never wanted the dream to end. It took months for everyone to realize the importance of office workplaces when they kept seeing the same faces every day. There wasn’t a need to dress up, no interactions with people, no driving, no weather experience and, in short, zero productivity. This tragedy took a significant toll on many people. While some chose to stay energetic and exercise towards rehabilitation, others succumbed to the relaxation and grew unhealthy. There was a substantial increase in obesity among the young and the old. If it weren’t for Covid, many of us wouldn’t realize the importance of offices and how much we take them for granted.

Blessings of Remote Working

To some it’s the best thing possible and to others, it is the worst. Let’s look at the points which makes remote working all the worthwhile.

Shorter Commute Time

It helps lower employees’ carbon footprint since they no longer need to travel to work. All you need to do is move from the bed to the workstation or position from the same bed.

Additional Autonomy

Working from home gives the employees more autonomy; they are allowed to work at their own pace, determine the sequence in which they complete tasks, and exercise more significant influence over the nature of their work. They may also choose when and when they complete their jobs.

More Lavish Flexibility

A person WFH has the flexibility to work on their schedule and often gets the benefit of the doubt when it comes to deadlines. As opposed to being physically present in front of the employer every day, the remote worker will have the liberty to move around at their own pace.

Better Work-Life Balance

People invested in their jobs don’t have time for anything else. They go from home to work to home with the only break for sleeping and eating. However, if the work started from home, that would eradicate the time for traveling and they can use this time for hangouts with friends or family. It gives a high sense of functionality and warmth.

Higher Productivity

This factor is a controversial point as it can go either way. Some people prefer to work from home since it provides comfort and access to everything. While some choose to work only from the offices, it gives them the space and opportunity to interact with other people.

Improved Motivation

When you are well fed and sufficiently rested, all that is left to do is work. Staying home meant that you could take enough sleep every single day. You could take a nap anytime between work and while some consider this highly unethical, to most, it is the best perk of remote working. It ignites a need to be productive and make the most of time. That’s where you get the passion for work.

Less Staff Turnover

When everything works according to the employees’ desires, it will take a fool to let go of the job. Remote working encourages people to carry on with their respective companies as it’s in their comfort place without the drama of a workplace. Promoting remote work would mean a higher employee count.

Less Office Space

This decision would majorly cut down on the extra expenses for the employers. Since the people remotely working would be working from home, there wouldn’t be a need for office space for them. There wouldn’t be a need for food, drink or other facilities.

Detriments of Remote Working

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows in working from home. Many factors negate the usage of remote work. Some of them are mentioned below.

Diversion at Home

Working from home means you will be surrounded by family all day long. Your kids and loved ones will have needs and chores to attend to, or you might have them. The chaotic atmosphere makes it harder to work and deliver.

Seclusion

It gets very lonely having to work every single day from home. The perk of offices was that it gives the chance to interact with colleagues and other employees. You get to know about their lives and they get to know yours. Working from home means you won’t get to indulge in drama.

Casualty of Work-Life Balance

This factor is another controversial point when it comes to remote working. While you might get the extra time for less traveling, you won’t utilize that time in a productive manner since you will have to be present at work. While your colleagues are cackling away in their lunch breaks, you are having your break in your room. You don’t get to travel out and see the world; by the time you get free, it’s already night.

Expanded Need for Meetings

You are remotely working means that you can’t go to your supervisor or project manager’s desk and ask them about something that’s been bothering you. You need to conduct a meeting every single time for a query. Now, this person may or may not be free and the time he allocates for the session would waste much productive time. This action would mean that the resources are going to waste.

Cybersecurity Crises

Since the communication is strictly on the internet, the material is vulnerable in the face of security. The conversations are unsafe, and the material may be compromised without us knowing. There are higher risks of theft and viruses when working through the channels.

Erratic Internet Access

It’s an implausible scenario where the internet at home is faster than at the office. Usually, we are accustomed to the internet speed in the offices, which is considerably quicker since numerous employees need to share GBs of data. The countless devices connected to the home internet access further reduce the internet speed, and in the end, it’s down to a minute Mbps or kbps speed.

Lessons Comprehended from Remote Working

Some of the significant lessons we have learned over observation of the remote working facility are mentioned below. These are small tricks and suggestions for making the best out of WFH.
  1. Improve your ability to manage time and take regular breaks. You must plan your task accordingly and then carry out that schedule.
  1. Learn to be more effective at asynchronous information exchanges because they cause disruptions. This ability will allow you to work on more than one thing simultaneously.
  1. Learn to overcome the two main challenges of working remotely: isolation and communication. Work from a somewhat lively place and try engaging in small talks with the people there.
  1. Remember the value of good old-fashioned talking to one another. It takes a brave man to make the first step in the conversation, which we need to consider daily.
  1. Benefit from virtual conferences. Make the most of your online meetings and ask as many questions as possible. 
  1. Take care of your body to succeed at a remote job. Exercise and run after work or work every day for a healthy body.
  1. Don’t try to get things done on your sofa, rather than slopping around for your work every day. Try managing a proper workstation for your work, with a table and a chair, so the body stays upright.
  1. What organization or person is footing the bill for your travel and lodging? Discuss your concerns with your employer and do not wait for them to make the first move.
  1. Shift from being a leader focused on the amount of time they spend on tasks to one based on the outcomes of the work. Try being more of a risk taker than a Yes-man. 
  1. Use your imagination to spread a feeling of community. Make the most of your creativity and do something out of the box to impress your higher-ups. Make them realize that you can do much more than what is assigned to you.

Conclusion

It’s a topic that can go either way and benefit the people on their terms. Remote working is mainly based on the employee’s benefits, while office working leans towards physical presence. It’s a fine line between good and bad where even a minute push can make you fall over the edge.