Forgoing grooming and commuting gives at-home workers in the US an extra six hours compared to when they went into the office, according to a monthly survey of nearly 4,000 respondents put together by a group of economists. Half of that extra time goes to more recreational activities, but they spend the other half working.
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Early in my career, when I worked for HP Europe, I adopted a working practice that was perhaps a bit unconventional at the time. Instead of having a fixed workspace, I spent almost all my time working remotely — mostly at home — squeezing in a monthly visit to the Danish office and multiple visits to offices and customers across Europe. Colleagues used to worry about me. They asked, “Aren’t you bored sitting at home and never interacting with people?” I told them, “I interact with people every day. Just in their offices, not my own.” I had no trouble connecting with co-workers through technology and travel, and my productivity was just as high, if not more, as when I worked in the office.
Many people are familiar with the story “Who moved my cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson and the lessons of dealing with change in business and in life. In March of 2020, not only did the cheese move abruptly for most of the world, but knowledge workers experienced arguably the biggest disruption to their work lives. Workers across the globe packed their belongings to work remotely essentially overnight. We accepted this change because there wasn’t much choice. We managed the change and adapted…for better or worse.
Most of us are operating in a hybrid working model, sharing time between the home and the office. We are used to “working from home” and, as a result, are beginning to change our expectations about what we want from the office.
There is an increased expectancy that the office will safeguard people’s health and welfare and provide optimized and comfortable working conditions.
Much has been spoken about the tremendous changes our work life saw in the last two years, steered by a paramount concern for health and safety. As we step into the New Year, the pandemic continues to remain a part of our life; but it’s safe to say that most of us have learnt or adapted to behaviors that our work or jobs now demand from us. There is a certain amount of flexibility now, in terms of choosing when and where to work, and this has allowed each one of us an opportunity to balance between work and home.
PexelsMuch has been written about the huge changes in our working lives during the past two years – driven of course by necessity and concerns for safety. In 2022, the pandemic is very much still a fact of life for many of us. However, it’s fair to say that we’ve learned to adapt to new behavioral patterns and expectations as we do our jobs. If we are among the millions of “knowledge workers” who find ourselves with more freedom to choose when and where we work, then hopefully, we are making the most of the opportunity to strike a better balance between home and working life.
Future of Work: The 5 Biggest Workplace Trends In 2022
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Over the past 18 months, there has been relentless attention around workforce and workplace themes like the “Great Resignation” and the “Great Migration,” which has raised some important questions: What was real? What was overblown? What did we get just plain wrong in 2021?
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Experts say 2022 will be a pivotal year for employers as they assess hybrid and remote workplace models. Here are some best practices to keep in mind as you rethink your strategy.
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Studies have shown that return-to-office is creating tremendous mental stress on workers. What is causing this stress and what concerns should companies address in their return-to-office policy?
Roughly 1 in 3 workers back in the workplace said the return-to-office shift negatively impacted their mental health, according to a June McKinsey survey of 1,602 employed people.
Workers who experienced declines in their mental health were five times more likely to report taking on reduced responsibility at work. Meanwhile, another 1 in 3 workers said going back to an office had a positive impact on their mental health, with the primary benefit being they feel more engaged upon their return.
What is a ‘third space’ venue? Can this further accelerate remote working and work from anywhere? How can companies embrace ‘third space’ as part of hybrid working?
As many companies move towards a hybrid operating model where employees are split between office and home, a third way of working is growing increasingly popular.
