Working from home once seemed an enviable lifestyle for a lucky few while others were facing the daily commute and long hours at the office. But in 2020, working remotely has become the new normal for many more people. 

With the dissolution of the office as the central hub for workers to meet, share, and collaborate, teams have taken to the online environment to conduct their everyday business. Tech companies like Google, Microsoft, Zoom, and Zoho provide a slew of useful services that support the WFH dynamic and allow teams to stay connected. Collaboration tools allow teams to share and brainstorm content, securely share collaborative docs, and meet in a virtual meeting environment. 

Many people are experiencing working from home (WFH) for the first time, and adapting to this new way of working can take some getting used to. Where once work and home were two distinct and quite different locales, they are now one and the same, and it can be hard to disconnect and transition from one the other. Take some tips from the experts for maintaining productivity while working remotely. 

Tips for Working from Home

Before diving into the deep end of the virtual office environment, it’s important to set yourself up for success: 

• Establish a morning routine with healthy habits to encourage productivity – find what helps you stay focused. 
• A dedicated workspace away from your sleeping area is ideal if you have the space, to put yourself in a ‘work’ mindset. Self-motivation is key, so find a position without distractions where you will be comfortable and optimally productive.
• Set yourself some short term goals with rewards to work towards.
• Make sure that you choose a location with a neutral background so that when you’re on a video call, the background won’t distract your team or you can use virtual backgrounds provided by the service providers like Zoom.

Tips to Manage Remote Teams 

While there are multiple platforms that allow for communication and interaction with co-workers, working remotely requires some forethought and planning to keep team members engaged and motivated. 

• As a team manager, the first challenge is to help all team members to connect, and feel a sense of purpose and belonging. Remote teams will be more motivated if there is a sense of working towards a common goal.
• While web meetings allow teams to interact as closely as possible in person, these should be used sparingly. Virtual meetings require everyone to interact at the same time which can slow the team down and intrude on personal time for members in distant time zones. Team members should be encouraged to interact using tools that can be accessed throughout the day.
• Always ensure that remote team members are included in important conversations and decisions.
• Make time for socialising digitally – schedule social interaction time before and after meetings to prevent burnout. 
• Check-in with team members regularly and establish outcome-driven performance metrics.

For optimum productivity, remember to maintain a good posture with no slouching or slumping and take regular breaks to move around and stretch. And remember, no home workstation set-up is complete without a quality desk chair. The right chair can make all the difference – it’s much more difficult to be productive if your back hurts or your seating is uncomfortable. At Momentum Interiors, you’ll find ergonomic workstation chairs designed with comfort in mind.Get practical, effective workstation chairs delivered to your door.