Working Remotely Forever! A Dream Come True?
For most Americans, working from home became mandatory at the beginning of the pandemic, and after almost a year of this, companies are wondering if this should become the new norm post-Covid. Studies show that more than half of Americans now prefer teleworking - reporting higher levels of productivity (79%) and work-life balance (91%). 83% of employers agree that this shift has been beneficial for their companies as well. Not to mention an increase in overall health and a sharp decrease in carbon emissions all over the nation.
But going back to the office is not an easy call to make. Should you continue to work from home? If your organization and its employees have benefited from not having to commute and maintained the same level of productivity after transitioning to the new lifestyle, then the short answer is yes. However, it likely that some industries might switch over to a hybrid style known as Remote+. This style combines three weeks of working from anywhere with one week of location-based work. Some companies provide transportation accommodations for the office week. Otherwise, teleworking would be the best bet to save money on office space and decrease employee turnover.
A tip on how to stay productive at home
Many employees like to use the Pomodoro Technique, which follows these steps:
Choose a task.
Work on it for 25 minutes.
Put a checkmark on a sheet of paper after the 25 minutes are up.
Take a five-minute break. (This marks the completion of one "Pomodoro" sprint.)
After every four Pomodoro sprints, take a longer break (perhaps eat a meal).
Continue this throughout the day until your workday is over.
Working from home was a big transition for many Americans, and it's important to consider whether this should be a permanent change for you.