BOISE, Idaho — It's been nearly one year since thousands of Idahoans were asked to pack up their computers, files, and office decorations and begin working from home.
In what seemed like an instant, 'remote working' was the new buzzword.
After months of asking employees to work from home, more companies have reported an increase in productivity and higher job satisfaction. Because of this, some workers may have the option to work from home permanently.
"I think that we are seeing a mind shift away from flexible work and 'Work from home is a privilege,' over to 'This is just how we do business now,'" said Matthew Stegmeir of Stegmeir Consulting. "It allows us to retain top talent, it lets us keep employees happy that are doing a good job for us, as opposed to okay, this is only something for people who are the most successful performers or the people we like."
Allowing employees to work from home can also be beneficial because it allows companies to save on overhead expenses, the expenses associated with running a business.
"A lot of organizations have been reaching out to us recently to kind of formalize those programs," Stegmeir said. "They're seeing some degree of success with it and they want to keep that going moving forward."
While working from home is increasing productivity in some employees, others have discovered it can be challenging under certain circumstances, such as juggling work and caring for children.
Luckily, there are ways to make working from home and other responsibilities flow nicely:
- Create a schedule- Experts suggest creating a schedule around your most productive time if you are able to. For some, it's mornings, while others may work better at night.
- Overcommunicate- You don't have the break room or hallways for those spontaneous conversations about work. Be sure to overshare your progress with coworkers and managers.
- Don't forget to move- It's important to schedule breaks throughout the day, This keeps the blood flowing and can keep your energy up.
- Know when to log off
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