Telecommuting has become much easier in this day and age and so most employers are eager to let their employers continue working remotely.
It’s plain to see that many employers have long held the belief that if employees aren’t seen, they aren’t working—or at least not as successfully as they would be if they were in the office. As a result of COVID-19’s forced experiment with remote working, all such misconceptions have been shattered. The pandemic has changed everything; not just the way we work but how companies operate including processes like talent acquisition strategy now that so many virtual interviews are being conducted. Statistics are proving that most employees can be trusted to get their work done from home.
Now that many organizations have made the decision to allow workers to work from home full-time in order to keep them safe, this has raised the question of whether productivity has suffered or not. Fortunately, there is some good news: research shows that remote workers are more productive, but only if they are fully focused on the job.
What Does Being Productive Actually Mean?
An individual’s output vs. input over time is often used to determine productivity. The gross domestic product (GDP) per worker, which quantifies output per person over the course of a year, is an example of this.
An individual with a higher output could be considered productive. Is that individual, productive if their work is of poor quality? Nope! The employer or other employees will be spending their time correcting errors, editing, and picking up the slack which means time and resources will be wasted. In other words, productivity is a mix of both the quantity and quality of an individual’s output with the goal of boosting a company’s profits.
Research Says Employees Are Working Harder in Remote Situations
When employees were sent home back in March 2020 to contain the spread of the virus, many challenges emerge. from providing the staff the equipment to work, and configuring their VPN networks to ensuring steady connectivity, everything was a mess. But eventually, employers were able to learn the ropes and employees settled in well. According to research, employees are currently working three hours longer each day, raising questions about whether productivity per hour is actually dropping. Working longer hours leaves them susceptible to burnout.
Another research by Stanford says that WFH increased employee productivity by 13 percent. This study involved 16,000 participants (employees) and was conducted over the span of nine months. They made more calls/minute as a result of a quieter and convenient working environment. Employees even reported a higher job satisfaction rate!
What’s the Difference Between Working from Home and Office?
Let’s take a moment to observe the difference between remote work and office work, to understand how certain situations affect productivity. Several things are different in a home setting, which could explain why certain employees are more productive at home.
No Commute
Working from home saves the time spent on the commute (whether it takes 10 minutes or an hour to travel to work). Employees can begin their workday early since they don’t have to get ready and drive to work.
Less Distracting Chit Chat
Those who work from home communicate with coworkers less, whether or not it is about work. Although some people prefer social interaction to get a job done, that’s a different debate. Working from home reduces the amount of time spent with others and allows employees to focus on work.
More Time for Exercise and Self-Care
Remote workers can use the extra time to exercise, take up a new hobby, and practices self-care since they don’t have to commute and have fewer opportunities to socialize. All these activities are beneficial for both mental and physical health and serve as a stress reliever. Those who WFH say they exercise 30 minutes more per week.
Tips To Maximize Productivity at Home
Wondering what can you do to be productive while working from home? Here are some tips:
Create a Workspace for Yourself
If you have been working from home for a while now and you don’t have a workspace, you better create workplace safety. make sure it’s comfortable. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. Pick a spot, set up a desk, and buy a comfy office chair.
Take Regular Breaks
Since you won’t have a chatty coworker to distract you from work, you may feel overwhelmed spending all the time working. to avoid feeling burnt out, take a 5 to 10 minutes break at regular intervals.
Your brain can refocus and relax with regular breaks. In fact, it is the greatest method to stay productive. Get food, drink some water, get some fresh air, or check on your family during your break.
Set Up a Routine
Working from home can become monotonous at times. To break the boredom, create a routine. Once your work shift is over, have some plans for the evening. This could involve taking your pet out for a walk, spending 15 minutes in your home gym, or any other activity that works for you.
WFH can be actually productive if employees are focused. It gives them more flexibility and the chance to enhance their work-life balance. Employers have slowly started to realize this, and they are considering hybrid work models.
