Challenges of Working from Home
Working from home started being the trend to many people even before the covid 19 pandemic. This was because of the ever- evolving technologies like Skype, zoom, Face Time, email and google hangouts.
These technologies enabled people to not necessarily be in the office and be productive. Most of the jobs can be done remotely at the comfort of people’s homes.
However, with the covid 19 pandemic, most employers were forced to send their employees home. Employees had to adjust to the new normal which was working from their homes.
Employees had to be creative and improvise their work space either in their kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms or wherever they could freely work.
Working from home has its own benefits that most people embrace.
They include:
No transportation cost
Working from home requires no movements. You also don’t face the stress and anxiety that you would when you worry about getting to work on time. This helps people to cut on the cost they would incur while commuting to their jobs. It helps save some money.
Spending time with family
Especially for career moms who have families and have to leave them as they go to work. Some people see their kids on weekends because they may leave early in the morning before they wake up and return later past their bed times. This new work environment enables them to spend time with family. They are able to create meaningful bonds with their families.
Flexibility
The new situation allows you to work on times when you are productive. You don’t work all day like a robot and can easily take breaks anytime. You also get to where what you want and not just keep up appearance.
Money savings
Other than cutting on transportation cost, you also cut on parking fees, gas, car maintenance, professional wardrobe and lunch money. These allows you to save some money and add more to your pocket.
Employers that allows work from home also benefit from this by seeing significant cost savings in the end.
Increased productivity
Having control of your work environment and designing it to best suit you definitely improve your productivity. For instance having autonomy, flexibility and choice to choose your own schedule with no distractions from your fellow employees helps.
You also have control of your anxiety and stress level and can take breaks to prevent burn outs. A good mental health space of employees increases their productivity.
However even with these benefits, the pandemic has led to many unforeseen challenges. The pandemic led to a rush of things with people being forced to work remotely without any prior preparations.
It did not take to account that not everyone cannot work from home. These abrupt changes have caused stress thereby having mental health effect on other employees.
These challenges include:
1.Loneliness
Working all day alone without interactions from your fellow colleagues is very lonely. One feels isolated and there are is no relationship building. Face to face interactions enables building of trust and developing meaningful relationships with colleagues. Talks with fellow colleagues sometimes helps one to rejuvenate and have the strength to carry on.
2.Internet connectivity
Working from home requires a stable internet connection and a laptop. Most employees can’t even afford these and rely on company’s tools.
Other employees live on the parts of the country without a stable internet connection. The pandemic made these essential tools and everyone had to have them. Obtaining a laptop and stable internet is very costly and most people had to dig deep in their pockets.
This left them broke facing financial problems in a capacity. For others who can’t access these, they are rendered unemployed. For people in areas without stable connection, working becomes difficult and un enjoyable. This lead to poor performance by employees.
3.Distractions
There are many distractions from family members, the television, social media, pets and even food. Adjusting to these can be challenging. The closure of schools forced many working parents to attempt productivity while also supervising their children.
As a result of these distractions, it is difficult to concentrate on the job at hand. Attention therefore seems to shift from what is necessary to unnecessary. Jobs are therefore not meeting the deadlines and many things are left unresolved. There is less productivity hence poor performance.
4.Balance between professional and personal life
To most people being at home is a time to relax and connect with families and leave all the pressures of work at work. Many individuals face the challenges of juggling work with childcare, personal relationships house chores, personal relationships and general demands of the families.
Home allows differentiation between work and personal life. The shift in work environment causes strain in ether one of them.
Many employees have complained that they never feel completely done for the day. There is always emails to be checked and one last thing to do. Instead of working few hours most of them found out that they were actually putting in more hours. There is a blurred line between work and life
The inability to completely detach from work leads to mental health strain leading to lower productivity.
5.Communication challenges
With everyone working from home, it becomes difficult to hold communications. Many people are on different stages and therefore communicating information that is relevant to all becomes a challenge.
People rely on nonverbal cues of communication to relay their messages.Emails,video calls have done away with these.
Teamwork exists to make work easier and organized and without it, there is no employee progress. There is no learning from your peers and it is even difficult to make meaningful networks.
6.No supervision
Bosses and managers are an essential factor to any work. They give directions of where the business or organization is headed. They help employees stay in course and strive to achieve the company’s objectives. Bosses also give you feedback on your progress and they mentor you.
At home there is no supervision and direction. Without guidance and direction, most employees get lost. Without structure people become unaware of what they need to do and work becomes like a burden. Poor prioritization leads to undone work. Without schedule to work on the business hours, procrastination ends up taking place.
Conclusion
Work from home has its own benefits and challenges. Before one makes the switch one has to take into considerations all the pros and cons. If you are sure you enjoy working from home read here on some tips on starting an online business.
Working from home requires extra work to keep one’s sanity. Individuals have to partake in mindful training and coaching to enable them realize their potential benefits. Also to maintain a healthier and productive workforce.
