The concept of ‘Work From Home’ (WFH) has been around since the advent of newer, portable technology and due to COVID-19, this concept has garnered tremendous attention. As all companies had to allow their employees to retreat back into their homes, there is a possibility the employees may not want to come back!
Quite a few HR heads from big enterprises have said that ‘work from home’ might work splendidly well even after we pass the COVID-19 lockdown situation. They have identified the advantages of saving on establishment cost and also more productivity from employees. The situation is favourable to employees as well as they are saving on commuting costs and have more control over their work-life balance.
A continued work from home scenario will be very easy on the IT firms but may not be as easy for other firms. IT firms have already adapted to this kind of work model since most of their work is dependent on the laptop and they are more attuned to virtual conferencing. For other organisations to come at par with this, the first thing they must do is set up a home work station.
Here is how you set up a home ‘work station’:
Choose your area
“That’s my spot”- just like Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, be very loyal to your spot. Choose a place in your house where you can put up a table, avoid distractions and set up all your equipment here. Be sure that this area is only visited by you when you are working and not otherwise. This will help you be serious about work and not invite any unnecessary distractions.
Equip with Technology and supplies
Your laptop or PC, phone, notepad, charging station, pen holder, water, etc should be arranged in this work station just like your office desk. Once you have placed everything you need near the station, you will be motivated to work and won’t have to make excuses to get up.
Recreate office desk at home
Apart from technology and other things, there must be something different that you would have done at your office desk. Be it motivation posters, greeting cards, sticky notes, reminders, paintings, photographs, etc, use them for your home work station as well. Just the way these things keep you motivated in office, they will keep you motivated at home as well.
Use your laptop cautiously
Once you are at home you might take liberty in some things that you can’t do in the office like sit anywhere with your laptop. This is the one thing you should most certainly avoid. Use your laptop more carefully like the way you do in office. Always place it on your desk rather than have it on your lap or bed. The home ‘work station’ should be the only place where the laptop should be kept.
Be careful about tech neck
Now that you will be setting up a home work station, there might cases where you will be using alternatives to office furniture and communication platforms. Since you will be looking into your laptop screen and phone all the time, be careful about stretching enough to avoid any discomfort in your neck and shoulders. A work station should ideally have the desk at the right height and a comfortable office chair.
Make space for office storage
Your office desk must be having drawers where you preserve all important files, documents, and invites. Your home work station should also have storage spaces like drawers or a small cupboard where you keep important office documents.
Wear appropriate clothes
Once you perfect your home work station and replicate it to your office desk, the final thing to do is- get out of your pajamas! A home work station is only useful when you take it very seriously by showing up in proper and appropriate clothes. Psychologically, this will bring more seriousness and allow you to be more productive at ‘work’.
Summing Up…
A good home work station will boost your motivation to work and help you perform better. Both physically and psychologically, a work station will be the ideal way to encourage work from home and benefit both the organisation as well as the employee. If work from home concept actually becomes a prolonged activity, you are all set with an already ready home work station.