Work is frequency. The frequency with which you carry out your tasks. The frequency with which you take on new responsibilities. The frequency with which you communicate with your clients. How often you meet with your colleagues. And how often you take on new challenges.
How easy it is to take on routines and how quickly the place in which we perform them changes, doesn’t it? Because if the COVID-19 pandemic has changed anything, it is not the frequency, but the place where we do it.
Since the onset of the pandemic crisis, many companies have suddenly changed the conditions in which they do their work. Among them, remote working, i.e. working remotely, is at the top of the list.
Have you ever wondered how teleworking influences well-being and productivity at work? What factors affect and benefit the employee? How do employees reconcile work and family life during teleworking?
Read on!
Teleworking on physical and mental wellbeing
Remote working will be the way of the future, but working from home forces us to take into account a number of factors in order to be more productive and feel more satisfied with this way of life.
On the one hand, teleworking is an opportunity to reconcile work and family life, increases productivity thanks to the absence of interruptions and increases the perception of control in time management. On the other hand, the lack of an adequate technological infrastructure to perform daily tasks, the feeling of loneliness due to the lack of interaction with colleagues or the lack of organisational support can affect the well-being of the worker.
Don’t worry if you have experienced any of these effects on your well-being, because here are some tips on how to telework effectively:
- Create a dedicated space for remote working. This aspect will help to make you aware that you are working. It is not enough to take your laptop here and there, first in the kitchen, then in bed and then on the sofa.
- Set a schedule and stick to it. Be organised and set limits. Your company may set a fixed schedule, or you may not have one. If so, create your own schedule.
- Design your own agenda. Be self-demanding, but don’t overdo it. Planning your tasks is an effective way to get organised and get things done, and to avoid distractions. Focus on sticking to your schedule.
- Be a little flexible. If you can’t spend 8 hours in front of your laptop as you would in the office, you can modify your schedule to suit your needs, making up for lost time, as long as the company agrees.
- Be clear about communication channels. Discuss with your colleagues and bosses the communication channels you will use, such as email or video calls. It is important to be clear about this before you start working remotely.
- Find a balance. Telecommuting is not as easy and fun as you think it is, it requires consistency, planning and a lot of focus. Sometimes it takes a double effort to balance work and family.
- Establish times for disconnection. When you finish work, clear your mind. Silence your mobile phone and stop checking your email if necessary. Your mind will thank you for it.
Working remotely is not easy, but it is possible with organisation, will and patience. Feel close despite the distance!
Benefits of telework on well-being and work productivity
They say that real productivity is about feeling good here and now. This leads us to wonder whether teleworking allows us to feel this way, because productivity is not always about daily efforts or goals, but about personal satisfaction.
That’s why we have compiled the pros of teleworking on well-being – pay close attention!
For the worker
- It makes it easier to reconcile work and personal life due to flexible working hours.
- It enhances work flexibility, being able to establish better adapted timetables.
- Greater self-management of time, given that the success of teleworking implies effective self-management of the working day.
For the company
- Increased worker satisfaction. Job satisfaction has increased since confinement. “In Spain, 80% of those surveyed think that the teleworking situation brought about by the confinement has led to more flexible working hours. And that, of course, is an advantage”. (20 minutes)
- Reduced costs for infrastructure, facilities, electricity, air conditioning, IT equipment, etc.
- Increased productivity thanks to the absence of interruptions. “When people work remotely two to three days a week, there is an increase of up to 19% in performance and the quality of work increases by up to 18% during those days”. (The Economist)
- Increased empathy and understanding towards adverse situations in employees’ private lives.
- Business innovation, as teleworking requires new ways of performing work, managing tasks and communicating with customers and employees.
- Maximising and retaining talent by having more satisfied employees.
- Reduced absenteeism, as employees can organise themselves to attend to two of the main reasons for absenteeism: family and bureaucratic procedures.
- Reduced labour conflict as there is no physical coexistence between company employees.
In both cases, there are great benefits of teleworking on physical and mental well-being. Read on, you’re about to reach the end!
Conclusions on labour productivity in teleworking
In recent years, we have heard all over the place about the pros and cons of remote working. Like everything else, it is surely a topic of debate where the possibility of improving work-life balance and the fact of working longer hours play as two realities against the same backdrop.
Dealing with the anxiety caused by the pandemic, the return to routine in an uncertain situation or adapting to new work spaces are some of the factors that have triggered investment in online coaching.
Do you want to know what this discipline consists of and how it helps workers to improve their habits? Do you know of other advantages for well-being and productivity at work? Would you like to develop leadership skills adapted to the new reality?
Contact us to ask your questions at ChVmpionMind!
