The social, economic and ecological emergency declared in Colombia due to the coronavirus impacted the development of business activities and the management of its employees, leading companies to grant teleworking so as not to reduce their productivity.
To comply with social isolation and not opt for the cessation of activities, many have their employees working remotely and with the help of technology. But what does it depend on if this modality is a success?
Set a work schedule
According to Alejandro Arévalo, executive manager of DNA Human Capital, although teleworking “is a benefit given by companies, this is a professional challenge that is transferred to employees, since the responsibility falls directly on them. This is why it is important to have structures that allow it, and that the collaborator establishes their work routines in the same way as they would in an office. “
Although this modality was used in particular cases, today it is used in an almost-majority way in companies. Adopting this way of working implies mixing family and work dynamics and, therefore, we must try to ‘move’ the office correctly to the home.
A study carried out by the DNA Group showed that during the last week of March 2020, 38% of companies in Peru, Colombia and Chile decreed to implement ‘home office’ among their employees, this taking into account coronavirus prevention policies.
The expert consulted By
advises that the worker should organize his workday and activities towards the fulfillment of objectives.
Designate a space in your home to work
Thus, you must “behave as if you are still going to the office. Get out of bed and fix yourself as you usually would. Jumping from bed to computer is not recommended, because you will confuse rest spaces with work spaces, “says Arévalo.
In the same way, it is important to adapt a workspace that resembles your office as much as possible, that is, a space without many distractions. Do not work in bed or on the sofa, because your body may think it is time to rest and doing so your health can be affected, since these objects are not designed to execute the workday.
Use apps to make your job easier
On digital tools that can facilitate your work, Google offers its cloud Drive, where you can edit documents -online- of Word, PowerPoint or Excel. Also, if you need to make video conferences with your work team, you can use Hangouts, a messaging application, also from Google.
Learn here about other tools that may be useful
Get used to a work schedule
Regardless of your duties, you have to “set a work schedule to meet weekly goals, and thus prevent your workload from increasing. To do so, coordinate leadership meetings where goals and weekly tasks are set to meet them,” advises the expert.
Talk to your superior and set work schedules where you feel more productive, because many times some collaborators perform difficult tasks for a few hours, while in others they finish less complicated ones.
Explain to your family the situation of teleworking
The previous point is also related to the family or personal aspects that surround each employee, as well as responsibilities at home and eating habits.
Along the same lines, you must “involve your family in the change, since this modality modifies the routine not only of the collaborators but also of their families and the people with whom they live. That is why it is important to share the planning to be able to differentiate the moments of work from those of leisure, “says Arévalo.
Companies are making a big bet on their talent with teleworking. With this alternative, employees have in their hands the time and the fulfillment of goals without constant ‘supervision’ by their superiors.
Responsibility is the most important thing
For this reason, you must have work maturity and comply with the designated schedules. Answer calls and messages when needed, stay online and do not spread the trust they have given you.
Avoid distractions and organize your diet so you don’t get up constantly to check your fridge. Likewise, use your cell phone for work issues and personal urgency; social media can affect your productivity and focus.
Apart from work, you invest better the time you will save on travel. “On average, a person takes two hours in transfers, which in a week are 10, in the month 40 and in the year more than 400 hours free thanks to the fact that he will not have to travel anywhere. Plan those hours to invest in your well-being, but not in work, “concludes Arévalo.
Teleworking is an opportunity for employees to demonstrate to their superiors their capacity for self-management, as well as responsibility and commitment to their work.