3 Common Challenges in Remote Working
August 17th, 2021 by Brian Wakefield
As countless workers from all over the world telecommute for the first time ever, very few of them know exactly what to expect. Well, some professionals have been telecommuting way before the pandemic began as virtual business owners or freelancers, and they have a lot of tips for those trying it for the first time.
You see, executives and managers don't add some disciplinary workplace policies such as standard work hours or dress codes just because they like to torture their employees. Instead, all of these policies help make employees work more efficiently and keep their companies making a steady profit.
This work-from-home rhetoric has created some misconceptions about what remote work is really like, and these same misconceptions have led to high rates of business failure.
If you are considering starting telecommuting or are about to do so for the first time ever, you should be aware of the challenges it presents. The better you are able to recognize these challenges, the easier you will find to mitigate them and succeed as a small business owner or a worker working from home:
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Managing Your Own Time and Schedule
At first, this sounds like a lot of fun, especially if you've been working the normal 9-to-5 for some time now. After all, from now on, you wouldn't have to set your alarm to 6 am. Well, the concept of usual business hours is still being used all over the globe because it is effective in managing time.
However, without the presence of this structure, most at-home workers will find themselves in a lot of trouble. They will procrastinate, sleep longer hours, and always have problems planning other activities.
Set your work hours and days and always stick to them. In some cases, this will either mean maintaining your regular work hours or designing your work hours based on the schedule you have with your children or spouse. Not only will this conventional schedule make you a lot more productive than you used to be, but you will also be able to spend more time with the people you care about most.
For instance, if you start working at around 7.30 am and continue working till 12.30 pm and then take a break for about 90-minute or so for lunch or a workout, then you can start working again at 2 pm and stop working at around 6 pm. You could also work for two to three hours on Saturdays as well.
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Hit & Miss Software Integration
When you're working from the office, all servers and programs are in sync. You have complete access to the arsenal of tools your company owns, and you can use them efficiently to get all your work done.
However, the same ease and usability doesn't always translate when working from home. Technical issues can be a major roadblock in the work from home model. Many companies are having a lot of trouble facilitating their sales/support staff and allowing them to service customers effectively from home.
The solution here is to use WFH-friendly tech like VoIP to make sure that employees do not face unnecessary bottlenecks.
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Separating Personal From Professional Life
Whenever you are working from home, you will forget that there is a division between your personal and workspace. Commonly, your home is known as a place of relaxation, security, and safety. This place is where you subconsciously activate your calm and easygoing attitude while putting all the stresses of the day behind.
However, working remotely or from home punches a hole through your neat division of mental space. Most telecommuters believe that they never feel like they are off their job. Most of them feel as if they always have to get that one last thing done before they are actually free.
Simply put, you're going to experience a hard time relaxing or turning off your mind. Hence, it's always best to create boundaries for yourself and to create a dedicated workspace rather than working on your bed.
For more information on how to switch to remote work, contact us today. At BTS Technologies, we can plan a smooth transition and provide you with VoIP services and solutions second to none.
Posted in: Hybrid / Remote Workforce
