By Jocelyn Ian
One of the biggest changes that we have seen in the world of work in 2020 has been a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown restrictions. Many of us who are so used to getting up every morning for the commute to work were now faced with figuring out how to work from home. This flexible, remote working situation doesn’t come easily to most people, but it has become the normal way of life now for many of us. As we look towards a future where home working and flexible remote working becomes more popular, as companies realise it can be effective, it will be interesting to see how recruitment for new jobs changes to include remote working as standard.
If you are unfamiliar with working from home and are in the process of shifting to this style of work with your current employer, or the changes in the way we live and work since the pandemic has made you rethink your current role and you have a desire to find a new job with a focus on working from home, we’ve put together some tips on how to work well from home.
The first thing to understand is that the advancement in technology has made it pretty easy for people to work from home in most industries. All you need is a laptop and a Wi-Fi connection and away you go. Depending on your company and industry, there will be different applications and software that you’ll be expected to use in order to stay in contact with your team, to follow instructions and to upload your own personal progress etc. It is important to remember that the same rules should apply when working from home as in an office environment. You are still entitled to your privacy and to be treated with respect. Be aware that sexual harassment when working from home is still a possibility, as well as other problems that people face in a physical workplace, so be aware of your rights and responsibilities. Generally though, people can be just as effective at home as if they are in the office, in certain industries.
It is important though that you set up a dedicated workspace and not just lounge on the sofa and work in front of the television (as tempting as this is at first!). Finding your own personal space that you’ll be able to work from effectively is very important. This could be using the spare bedroom as your office space, or if you do not have that sort of space, your dining table or even out at a coffee shop. It will be different for every person, but it is important you find what works for you as soon as possible.
Having your own space is important as you need to remove as many potential obstacles as you can and treat working from home as you would a usual working day. Get into good habits (such as regular breaks to walk around and clear your head) and create a routine that suits you. If you are allowed some flexibility in your work schedule, take it by all means, but you still need to find the regular hours to get the job done to a satisfactory standard.
Thinking about how the world might have changed forever with the pandemic in 2020 and the lifestyle considerations of working from home, those of us looking for work in future will have to consider working from home as a new standard in many industries. It has been proven that the work from home experiment does work in many industries, helping companies to cut the cost of overheads without suffering a loss of productivity or standards as a result. Recruitment agencies will have to offer a flexible approach to recruitment processes for these industries as people search for a new career in line with this brave new world. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out in the end.
