Last week Tim from ViAGO wrote about issues and challenges about working from home. This week he writes about some issues that we can face when working at the office!
Issues Working from the Office
Commuting
When we think about working remotely, one of the most attractive aspects to it is not having to commute. Not having to fight through traffic (or public transport) saves a lot of time and stress, makes it easier to fit other things into our days, and also saves some money (not to mention the environment!). Although the commute can provide some mental space between work and home, most people dislike it and would happily go without.
If we’re going to spend all that time and effort on commuting, we may as well try to make some use of that time. You might be able to make a head start on work by catching up with email or plans (task management software can be a huge help with this). Or perhaps you can use that time for yourself – listen to an audiobook, learn another language, plan your partners birthday party, or something else.
Adaptation
As mentioned above, one of the biggest productivity problems in office environments is the number of interruptions. The chatter of other workers, or people passing by a workspace, can have a significant effect on how productive we are… and that’s before we think about issues like airflow, temperature, and so on!
One way to address these issues is to give people some autonomy about how they structure their work days. You may wish to agree on things that indicate someone shouldn’t be disturbed, such as wearing headphones or having some kind of sign on their desk. You could also find ways to let people move around to spots that suit them better. A spare interview room might let people collaborate without disturbing others or let them have a temperature that’s comfortable for them.
Inertia
When you’re in the office all the time, always dealing with the same people in the same ways, it’s very easy to lose sight of the fact that there are other ways to do things. We can just turn around and talk to someone, so we don’t bother learning about different communication technologies. There’s a big whiteboard in the office, so we don’t get to grips with job management or scheduling systems. We quite quickly get used to the idea that “this is normal”, so we are slow to recognise new opportunities.
It takes effort to overcome this, and a culture where experiments with new ways of doing things are encouraged. Management and leadership play an important role in this, to show by example what is valued. Pay attention to the ideas people come up with, be willing to try new approaches, and identify and challenge the assumptions you have about how things need to be. One of the best things about being in the office is the opportunity for collaboration and innovation, so you may as well make use of it!
The Best of Both?
What many people are finding is that, rather than choose to work from home or the office, the best option is to do both. Working from the office two or three days a week gives those opportunities for quick communication and innovation that are so valuable. Working from home – or a third space – for a few days lets us focus and helps people keep their work-life balance in, well, balance!
If you’re curious about ways to make your situation work for you, take a look at our website for productivity improvement skills or get in touch with one of our team.
Tim Wilson joined ViAGO International in 2018, and quickly found a home for his skills in logic and language. He uses these skills and ViAGO’s processes to analyse business and design solutions for them, taking them “from Chaos to Calm”.