The global pivot to hybrid work has given many professionals the flexibility to choose their own schedule, location, and format when they work remotely. However, despite WFH being such an in-demand perk, work burnout levels are continually on the rise.
You may have heard that classic expression, laughter is the best medicine. As cliché as it might sound, it’s actually the truth. In past iterations of The Productivity Box we’ve talked about how mental health and stress management have an impact on your job performance. In this month’s edition, let’s turn the lens on laughter and examine how this positive emotional release can make you more productive, whether you work from home or in an office.
However you spent winter holidays, it can be quite challenging to recover your productivity thereafter. Whether you are tired, windbitten, jet-lagged, or simply extremely happy and relaxed, diving back into work is probably the last thing you want to do. Adulting is hard, but it must be done.
The COVID-19 pandemic pushed millions of people to work from home in the past year and a half. Besides the danger of catching the virus, we are also facing several other perils to our health. Beyond the usual domestic accidents, working from home usually means isolation and a sedentary lifestyle. In time, these are taking a toll on everyone’s physical and mental health. So how can you stay healthy in such challenging times?
It’s finally summer, the moment we’ve been expecting the whole year. Long days, warm weather, weekends with barbecue and pool parties. Maybe even a short vacation, to relax and recharge. It’s the best time to have fun and enjoy life, at least for some of us. Working from home parents are in a different picture. Those who have kids at home already know that the summer doesn’t always come as a break.
When Coronavirus cases first started to spread across the country, businesses closed their doors and sent employees home to work remotely. Almost a year later, a great percentage of these working Americans are still clocking in from their kitchen tables or home offices. And many of them are working from home parents.
The pandemic changed how teams operate on a massive scale in 2020. It has influenced the way we work and where we work. Without any doubts, working from home without the daily commute to the office has multiple implications over our lives. And not only in the summer, when it’s all green and sunny, but especially during the gloomy, cold winter season.
This year threw the workforce for a major loop, as millions of people exchanged office cubicles for their own sofas and kitchen tables. And while this shift in daily scenery is one thing for existing employees, for new team members there’s a different story altogether. In a matter of months, remote onboarding has become an even hotter topic.
There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has changed every aspect of our lives over a very short period of time. We had to adapt to all kinds of new situations without prior notice, and that came with many challenges. Take work from home for example. Besides the ones related to infrastructure, equipment, and managing work-life balance, there is also an additional barrier. The communication skills of your team members are now at the make it or break it point.
The Coronavirus pandemic has forever altered the workplace. Not only did unemployment skyrocket to 14.4 percent in April, but those with jobs have significantly adjusted their workflow and daily lives. Companies shifted to completely remote offices in a matter of days. Employees suddenly faced work from home challenges having to learn new technologies, navigate work with kids in the next room, and become a teacher (homeschooling) all at the same time. Now, as many countries around the world start to shift into the new normal, here are a few predictions about the future of work after the Coronavirus pandemic.
