Whereas 61 percent of employees were still working in the office before the pandemic, this figure had fallen to just 39 percent by the second quarter of 2020. For 80 percent of German HR managers, the implementation of home office is now theoretically conceivable. Before the pandemic, just 20 percent of them had this idea. A change in our definition of work that is equally beneficial for employers and employees. Work is no longer a place, but is defined as a thing – as part of the work-life balance.
A Lot of Benefits
For companies that practice remote work, not tying their employees to a fixed office brings a number of benefits. One of the most lucrative is probably the cost savings. Those who have their employees work remotely all day save on office, lighting, phones, printers, maintenance costs and materials. These resources must now be covered by the workers themselves. In return, workers have lower food and transportation costs and also save valuable commuting time that can be spent on family, friends and leisure activities.
In terms of productivity and health, both sides win. Remote working increases well-being. Employees can use the time they gain to sleep longer in the morning or to exercise. Employee satisfaction increases and affects their productivity. In the home office, there are also fewer distractions from noisy colleagues or interruptions from many meetings and discussions. Employees work remotely with much more concentration and manage to get more done. Private life can be managed more easily and employees can better combine all areas of their lives. Remote working also has a positive impact on our fast-paced consumer society. Workers’ energy consumption is reduced because they use less gasoline and produce fewer traffic jams, exhaust fumes and particulate matter. It should be noted that remote working is defined differently by practicing companies. It can be completely remote or only partially remote. In addition, there are a variety of tools available to keep the team in contact.
helpful Tools
Slack brings together the communication of an entire team or company. A shared workspace is created in which various conversations can take place in real time. The listing of different chats is clear. Services such as Dropbox or Google Hangouts can also be integrated. Phone calls and video conferences are also available when working with Slack. Therefore, Slack is more than just a chat program for the home office.
When working remotely with Asana, the focus is more on planning projects. Subtasks can be created for project planning and assigned to the various team members. This makes it easy for each team member to see how far the work has progressed. Communication during remote work is also maintained via Asana. Since the exchange takes place in the respective projects, it is very technical.
Video chats are possible when using Zoom. In the free version even already possible with up to 100 participants. In the video meetings, the moderator decides whether to transmit his entire screen or only individual areas and can also transfer mouse and keyboard control to one or more participants. However, the time for meetings with three or more participants is limited to 40 minutes for a group meeting.
Another tool that focuses on video chats comes from Microsoft. With Teams, the idea is to work remotely in a digital classroom. Documents can be sent and apps from other providers can be integrated. What was originally developed for educational institutions and could be used free of charge is increasingly being used by companies as well. In the home office, there are various opportunities for companies to use additional processing functions in parallel with video meetings.
Self-management
With all the technical support, it should be noted that not every worker is suitable for remote work. Isolation and having your own time management under control is difficult. According to psychologists, conversations with colleagues in the kitchen and even the lack of an after-work beer can lead to loneliness. Those affected suffer from sleep disturbances, have a weaker immune system and more often have to deal with high blood pressure. Isolation can be counteracted with more social contacts in leisure time, such as sports in a club or meeting friends. Overcoming one’s inner pig dog and getting to work when the sun is shining outside cannot be remedied with external influences. Self-management in the home office lacks motivating words from colleagues and spontaneous brainstorming. Communication tools like Slack can provide support here.
in conclusion
Although remote working is becoming increasingly widespread, the majority of companies reject the right to a home office. Remote working is nevertheless important and forward-looking. When used in a targeted manner, it delivers decisive advantages for employers and employees and contributes to positive development in many respects. Be it the improvement of our work-life balance or the reduction of the CO² footprint of companies. But no matter how well we are technically positioned and can work from any location. Social contacts, the exchange and interaction with other people will always be just as important for our work-life balance.
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