When Working from Home Becomes Permanent

• Katie Hunter
• March 17, 2022
• Newsletter Article

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the way many companies do business.

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While so many industries pressed pause and it felt like the world stopped, the agri-food industry kept going. Food needed to be produced, crops needed to be planted, tractors needed to be fixed, animals needed their rations formulated, processing facilities needed to continue packaging eggs. The wheels of the agricultural sector had to continue turning to keep people fed and clothed. Agriculturists had to care for our land, our crops and our animals. The primary producers and the businesses that support them, from their crop consultants to their banks, insurance agents and farm advisors, had to find a different way to do business to get the job done.

 

In 2020, many businesses and organizations had to pause, pivot and take stock of the way they do things. They had to embrace the new work environment while employees took their work home with them and set up home offices. Now, in 2021, as parts of the world are shifting back to “normal,” some companies shifted their entire business model to a remote work setup, losing the traditional office space and letting their employees keep their home offices. Some companies are approaching the remote work option on a case-by-case scenario by having some employees working in the office while others are working remotely. Here are some things to consider when given the chance to go remote.

 

What work environment do you need to be successful?

Perhaps your employer has decided that having a physical office space is no longer necessary and there may be opportunities to shift the way your work is being done. Some employers are letting go of the office space and embracing working remotely. Determining whether this model fits for the way you work best is something that employees should consider before making this shift permanent. There are also many companies and employers that have seen lost productivity and want to bring their teams back together, in person, to a shared office space again. Considering what working situation works best for you is an important step in determining if this new work setup is going to be complimentary to your skills and what you are looking for in your work environment.

 

Your employer has decided to continue having all employees work from home, what now?

Determine if the work from home model is a fit for you—is this something that fits your lifestyle and the way you work and perform? Remote work offers many bonuses, including more flexibility in your schedule, no commute to the office and the ability to set up a workspace that fits your comforts. Employers have found more ways to engage and connect with their remote employees and everyone has become more comfortable with technology and video calls than they were pre-pandemic.

 

What if working from home is not what’s best for you?

If your employer has shifted to permanently working remote, perhaps you might find some unexpected bonuses and benefits of working from home, or you might decide that the office environment is a better fit for your productivity and social engagement. Some companies may offer the opportunity for a blended position, but if you find that the work remote option doesn’t fit for you, it’s time to have a conversation with your employer about other opportunities to return to the office or a shift in roles and responsibilities. Perhaps this is the time to branch out and look for other opportunities that may be a better fit for the type of work environment you are looking for.

 

 

If working from home is best for you, how can you optimize your performance, productivity, and happiness in this work environment?

 

 

Connect with your employer to set goals and create a list of tasks that you handle.

When working remote, it is important to connect with your employer to understand what roles and tasks you handle. Working remotely doesn’t mean you can show up at the computer whenever you feel like each morning. Setting a clear routine and having clear expectations of what needs to be accomplished will set the tone for meeting and exceeding job expectations.

 

Set up your ideal workspace.

Organize your space so that your office supplies and materials needed for the job are easily accessible. Ensure that you have a comfortable office chair and a desk space that is free of clutter and easy to work at. Confirm that you have your devices and internet working properly for ease of remote connection with other colleagues and clients. Consider your background—with the likelihood of video meetings with your team and clients, a clean, simple background is less distracting to the eye when spending time on video calls.

 

Dress the part.

Although your workday may not include going into an office or out on client visits with your remote work setup, it is still important to look the part and dress as if you were going to be working in person. When having video meetings and connects it is important to still look professional and prepared.

 

Find balance.

Remember to set clear boundaries in your workspace and work time. You are working from home, but still expected to arrive on time and stay “at work” for the entire workday. When you have your office setup in your house, it is easy to stay longer or hop on to do some work on a weekend, but to stay refreshed, it is important to set boundaries and make time for the things that are important to you.

 

Create time for movement.

In a traditional office space, you might get up to walk across the office to the printer, visit with a colleague or go to the break room for a coffee. While you are working from home, make time to get up and move. Working from home it is easy to have your conveniences close by, but make sure you take a pause and get up and walk around the house for a few minutes or do some stretches to ease your muscles. That quick 5-minute break to stretch or move will help you refocus and come back refreshed to your workspace.

 

Take a lunch break.

It is easy to get immersed in work and continue crossing items off your list and attending meetings, but do not forget to pause and eat lunch and step away for a few minutes. A healthy lunch will give you energy to finish the rest of the workday.

 

Don’t over-schedule your day.

In this virtual world, we don’t have to build in time to drive from one meeting to the next. It is easy to schedule a full day of meetings, back-to-back and not build in any buffer time. Consider scheduling meetings for 50 minutes so that you have 10 minutes between meetings to collect your thoughts and prepare for the next meeting. This gives you extra time if a meeting runs a bit over time, so that you are not rushing in late to your next scheduled appointment.

 

Connect with colleagues virtually.

Sometimes working remotely can be lonely and can make you feel somewhat isolated. Trying to nurture and foster your work friendships and relationships is even more important when you are working remotely. This might take more scheduling of group coffee chats, or connects, but will help to bridge the gap and make your team feel more united.

 

Find opportunities for networking and development.

One advantage of the remote work setting is that many networking and professional development learning opportunities have also shifted to virtual delivery. This offers employees the opportunity to participate in more of these events without the high cost for the company of travel and out of office time. Embracing this new way to learn and grow is another huge advantage of the remote environment.

 

 

Working remotely has changed the way many companies do business. This change can be a shift and opportunity for employees to work in an environment suited to their productivity. Employees and employers should be mindful to encourage opportunities to foster positive relationships and networking to bridge the potential gap between colleagues working remotely. The opportunity for some companies to shift to remote work is one of the positive things that has come out of the pandemic, and we should all try to take advantage of it!

 

 

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