In order to make remote working successful, em ployees must carefully consider the ergonomics and practices of their at-home (our off-site) workspace, and employers must invest in the solutions to support their remote workforce – read on to see 6 valuable tips.
Remote work has become a lot more popular, since it was enforced due to COVID-19. Many organisations found that it worked well for them, and many more businesses are considering it for the first time – so, what should they know about setting up remote work? We discussed this with various organisations that have gone through the process themselves. One organisation we spoke with provided managed IT services London companies relied on when they were implementing remote work practices. From their experience, they provided a series of tips…
For Employees
Users wanting to work from home should take certain measures to ensure that they are just as productive as they would be while working in the office – if they can do this, whilst also maintaining a good work-life balance, their quality of life and job satisfaction will be greatly improved. Some worthwhile tips include…
- Creating a Dedicated Workspace
The most important part of creating a suitable environment for working at home (or off-site) is having a dedicated workspace. The consistency of being able to work in the same place each workday helps with focus. Even if you don’t have a dedicated room for work, you can arrange an area in another room – such as your kitchen or living room – that is only used for working.
- Taking Regular Screen Breaks
Nowadays, all office workers use computers. But, staring at a screen for 8 hours a day is detrimental. Paradoxically, there is a tendency for people working from home to take fewer breaks, too. Therefore, it is very important for users to take regular breaks from their screen. This will be beneficial for both their vision and their overall physical fitness (provided they get up and move around).
- Turning Off Your Phone (If You Can)
While some people might need their phone for their work, for many, it is just another screen and another distractor. As an important IT support provider London businesses have been using for years, the company we spoke with knowns that sticking to just one device helps people be more focused.
- Improving the Ergonomics of Your Space
Having a dedicated work space is not the only important thing to consider. How your workspace is setup is also important. Users should consider the ergonomics of their desk or workstation – for example, if they use a laptop, they should consider getting a separate keyboard and mouse; ensuring that their screen is at an appropriate height is also a good idea.
For Employers
The responsibility for creating a good remote working environment is also inclusive of the employer. Below are some examples of what employers should be doing for their workforce to facilitate good home-working practice…
- Make IT Support Easily Accessible
As remote working is reliant on technology, IT support is essential. But beyond that, the fact that many workers will be isolated from company premises means that organisations need to ensure that their IT support is not restricted by location. The company we spoke with has provided IT support for Legal firms, and many other types of companies, and done so entirely remotely – as such, they confirmed that IT support for remote users is not only possible, but highly effective.
- Invest in Communication
In order to ensure that there are no issues or discrepancies in the communications between remote workers, employers need to setup the appropriate channels. For remote working, this typically means videoconferencing and instant messaging, in addition to the typical channels found in business (namely email and telephony).
