Working from Home has gone from a trend to a key part of the working pattern for many businesses. The benefits to employees and employers are easy to imagine, especially for new businesses who are launching and need to save on the cost of an office space etc.
When working from home is part of your offering to employees, it’s important to try and maximize their productivity and wellbeing. And these two things come hand in hand, if your employees are happier and feel supported then they will be more productive.
Essentially, it’s about bringing balance into the work mix too. It’s rare that either full office-based working or full home-based working will suit an employee, so blending both can be more effective. Here at Hyde Park House, we offer a range of packages to allow this seamless working balance.
Let’s take a look at how to create a positive home working environment.
Calm, Productive Work Station
Making a work station as comfortable and effective as possible is important. It can be tempting to want to work from a bedroom or bed, but this can be a really bad move for overall productivity. Your brain associates your bed with tiredness and sleep, so expecting it to be an effective spot to work is unrealistic.
If you can, try to work in a completely separate room to everyone else in your household and if possible, somewhere that you don’t associate with leisure time and relaxing. This creates a good boundary between work and homelife. Make sure it’s a room with natural light and free from noise and distractions.
Make sure your desk is set up to guarantee good posture, which can limit back pain and tension headaches.
Social Media Limit
When you’re away from prying eyes or the pressures of being around other people working, it can be tempting to visit social media sites or sites you’d look at it in your own time. It’s all well and good doing this for a break, but try to make sure you’re not doing it to the detriment of your working pattern and making it affect your productivity. There are lots of apps you can use to pause your usage while you work.
Act the Same
Yes, you’re working from home, but it’s helpful to put boundaries in place to ensure you’re still acting like it’s the working day. Dressing like you would for work in the office can really help some people to still get into the right mindset. Also, if your family, friends or flatmates are around, then giving friendly reminders that you’re at work instead of available to chat can ensure you can focus on work tasks.
Putting a good routine and schedule into place can keep you on track and accommodate healthy breaks to boost wellbeing.
Socialise
Even when working from home, making sure employees interact and communicate with each other regularly is key. This can be through instant messaging tools, calls or regular office-days and socials. Not everyone has the same circumstances at home and work can be an important part of someone’s social life.
For more info about Virtual Offices, E-Spaces and Serviced Office Space, get in touch with Hyde Park House today.