Contents:

Introduction:

The Covid pandemic has restricted each of us to our homes, and no one can tell when this crisis will end. This situation has left the world with the only option to learn to live with it. We cannot put our work on hold for an indefinite period. Thus, most organizations have resorted to WFH. This, sure, has helped to maintain continuity in work but is not without its challenges.

Challenges of working from home:

People have started missing going to offices since the workspace offers a lot more than money. When you work as part of an organization, there are many learnings, the most important being collaboration and teamwork. Collaboration among different departments and employees is the basic necessity for the sustenance of a company. It helps the company use the skills and experience of every member of a team to solve an issue, leading to higher engagement among employees and higher productivity in operations. Members have the opportunity to enhance their skill sets and learn from each other. Thus, collaboration ensures a win-win for both the company and its employees.

Moreover, collaboration also greatly enhances employee satisfaction by building strong team relationships and making work more fun. Working with each other facilitates a good work culture and gives the employee a sense of belongingness. Working from home has naturally prompted a tendency to work in silos, affecting the collaborative spirit among employees. They are no longer engaging with each other in a way they used to in offices.

The dangers of working in silos are too big to ignore. It can lead to workplace failure by adversely influencing various aspects of an organization. It leads to a reduction in the productivity of each employee, suppression of innovation since discussion and teamwork reduces, use of more resources for completing tasks, and lack of social interaction among employees. But, most importantly, it negatively impacts employee morale, which can weaken trust in the leadership and break the company.

WFH also presents the challenge of employees losing motivation after a while. The tasks might start to feel meaningless to them. Hassled with the anxiety of staying indoors for too long and distractions from family members, the efficiency of employees is likely to go down.

Adapting to WFH:

Fortunately, many companies have realized the above challenges of working remotely and have given serious thought to the issues. They have adapted to the new normal by implementing various innovative methods and undergoing a digital transformation. Easy access to Zoom and Google Hangouts has allowed the employees to collaborate and discuss things with their coworkers even from the comfort of their homes. Managers have become quite active and engaged with their teams to keep them connected, and senior leadership also remains in regular contact through weekly meetings. Companies are even hosting virtual social events like happy hours on Friday, which are important for maintaining strong relationships among coworkers.

Initially, employees complained about the blurring of lines between work and personal life due to WFH. Many organizations addressed this problem by discouraging after-hours emails from managers, making their teams aware of the risk of burnout, and encouraging employees to maintain work-life balance themselves.

How to stay motivated:

As far as staying motivated during remote work is concerned, here are some tips to follow:

• Create a schedule for your day and take regular breaks.
• Fix a dedicated workspace for you with minimum disturbance, and you feel the most comfortable.
• Change your outfit to something you will wear in the office.
• Reward yourself for completing a task. It can be as small a reward as taking a long shower or watching a video.

Conclusion:

Since WFH is the way ahead in these uncertain times, the faster the employees and companies accept and embrace this truth, the stronger they can emerge from this unavoidable reality. 

We, at Phablecare, try our best to create a collaborative work culture during WFH. The Phablecare app aims to revolutionize healthcare. It is a unified platform to consult doctors, order medicines, book lab tests, and get amazing health insights every day.