Often images of working in your pajamas or running to your local shoppe for a mid-day cup of joe are conjured when someone says they 'work from home'. Thoughts of increased freedom and better visuals during our workday flood our minds at the notion. This learning path highlights best practices, pitfalls and collaboration tools for remote workers.
There are many benefits companies experience from having remote employees which include higher levels of engagement and retention, higher employee satisfaction, and increased productivity. In addition, many companies also experience lower turnover. So what's in it for you, the remote employee? Many remote workers say they have better work/life balance working remotely, as well as more autonomy within their work, and greater control over their work environment. Of course, there are also challenges to autonomous work environments; however, the benefits clearly speak loudest to why this work style is in high demand.
The activities below offer data, inspiration, and techniques to assist the remote worker, the team and their manager in optimizing this opportunity.
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Working Remotely, Staying Connected
Working remotely offers you the ability and freedom to decide how you would like to manage your time, duties and projects in a more comfortable environment. Research has repeatedly found increased productivity is a by-product of being in one's workspace of choice. In addition to this, they have also seen an increase in effective communication because exchanges are intentional and more closely related to pertinent work related matters. The activities below offer various perspectives and insights into this phenomena.
These resources offer the names and offerings of many sites that assist with ensuring remote teams are able to collaborate and remain connected.
Although some resources speak to the manager and some to the actual remote employee, they all provide insight into the types of activities and resources available for remote workers to foster community.
At times working remotely can present its own unique set of challenges many of us never have to consider when working in an office setting. Some of the challenges include boredom, lack of social interaction, loneliness and overall feelings of being disconnected. The activities below highlight some of these challenges and offer ways you can cope or avoid them altogether.