We shifted our company entirely online; here is what we’ve learnt…
COVID-19 has forced all businesses to re-evaluate how they work, including us at Presentation Studio. With our lease up for renewal in April and all the uncertainty that came with the global coronavirus pandemic, we chose to move our company to remote working indefinitely.
Scary, I know!
It’s been a couple of months now, and I wanted to check in with the team to see how we were all fairing under these new conditions. As restrictions ease and things make their way back to some kind of new routine, I’m sure a lot of you are wondering if it is worth going back to the office or not? We are too. That’s why I wanted to do a little investigating within our own company to see how people felt about working from home as a new way of living their working life. So, I sent out a survey to our employees and here’s what I learnt.
Overall, 83% of our employees enjoy working from home the remaining 17% said they enjoyed it but would like to be back in an office. None of our employee’s dislike working from home or are indifferent. When asked to elaborate, most people said it was because of time they saved not having to commute into work. Less travel allowed them to increase their flexibility and be more productive in both their personal and professional life.
50% of our employees said their biggest struggle with working from home was the feeling of isolation. When asked if they’d like to return to the office in the future, 75% of our staff said they’d like to be in the office at least one day a week, and the remaining 25% said they’d be okay never returning to the office. None of our employees surveyed wanted to return to the office five days a week.
If PS was to go back to working in an office, would you work in the office?
Another trend that came through in the results was that our staff feel like they are working more than usual while they work from home. Most indicated that they need to make a more conscious effort to establish proper boundaries around work/life balance. While staff feel they are working overtime, over 50% of our people also feel like they are more productive while they are at home.
Do you think you are more or less productive when you work from home?
When asked how we could help our staff improve the experience of working from home, the majority of the responses included making their home office space feel more like an office. Establishing a more regimented workstation was paramount for improving their work-from-home experience.
This investigative exercise has been so vital for me as a leader to understand how my team is feeling and decisions for the future. It’s clear, our staff miss the office – but the likely hood of returning to the pre-COVID work environment is very unlikely (inc. public transport, lifts, desk space changes).
Based on the discussions with my team, I’ve summarised our five key learnings for managing a 100% remote office.
1. Setting up a workstation:
The right working environment is the first step to ensuring your work-from-home experience is safe and inviting.
Communication needs to be frequent and efficient while working from home. Making sure you have a stable and robust internet/ Wi-Fi.
A second screen, external keyboard and mouse can make your life so much easier. If you’re going to be on video calls or frequently presenting via video chat, background noise needs to be minimal, investing in headphones with built-in microphones for clarity. Plus, if you are going for a ‘real-life background, keep it tidy and as professional as possible. Otherwise, opt for the built-in background screens included in most online tools. Getting your technology in order is the first step to creating an optimal workstation.
2. Take regular breaks:
When you work from home, you forget how often you get interrupted by a conversation or get distracted by an office-related problem. When working at home, we become a lot more sedentary.
Putting timmers in place can remind us to get up and move during the day to help break up the time spent in front of the screen. That can be using built-in timers from Microsoft (search alarms & clocks), reminders on your phone or getting up every time your water bottle is empty.
3. Set boundaries between work and home:
Working from home sometimes means that you’re never home from work. There is a real danger that you might end up working much longer days. One way to help set the boundaries between work and home is by setting up a designated space; this can help you physically set distance between a work part of the house and the home part of your house.
Avoid working from your bedroom and NOT from your bed as it can blur the lines between working and resting.
4. Getting to know your new WFH colleagues:
Now that you’re working from home, you’re going to be seeing a whole lot more of the people you live with, whether that’s your partner, immediate family or housemates. Spending increased amounts of time with these people can sometimes lead to increased tension and relational strain. It’s best to take the time to communicate openly and honestly about the changes in working environments and collaborate to come up with healthy ways to both enjoy this increased time together while making sure you get the time you need alone.
5. Communicate regularly:
In these uncertain times, avoiding isolation through regular communication is vital. It is the best way to soothe the unpredictability, and anxiety permeating in our workplaces and communities. Ensure daily interaction with your managers and colleagues; chat portals, video calling and screen sharing are becoming second nature for collaboration and unity.
Whether it’s Zoom, Webex, Skype, Microsoft Teams, use your office communication channel for social interaction as well as work WIPs and meetings.
We’ve started having lunch dates, Zumba sessions, trivia and Friday afternoon drinks.
These are just a few ways we’ve created a space of positivity and less isolation during these uncertain times. The most important thing to know is that you are not alone. The entire world is adapting to this new environment, and we’re learning as we go.
I’d love to hear from you if you have more ideas for interacting with colleagues, clients and working from home. Please share in comments below:
Emma Bannister is passionate about presenting big, bold, and beautiful ideas. She is the founder and CEO of Presentation Studio, APAC’s largest presentation communication agency, and author of the book ‘Visual Thinking: How to transform the way you think, communicate and influence with presentations.’
https://linkedin.com/in/emmabpresents
https://www.presentationstudio.com/
