As companies begin to transition back to the office, telework and flexwork will likely look much different than it did pre-pandemic.
President Biden’s pledge to deliver 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations in 100 days is reportedly on track. As the vaccines reach more of our population, businesses that had the ability to shift to remote work are now looking at how they will return to work.
The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), in partnership with the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), surveyed Colorado employers about their feelings regarding telework at the beginning of the pandemic. Both senior and supervisory level management view telework more favorably now than they did before the pandemic. 86 percent of employers surveyed planned to permit telework even after the pandemic is over. A nationwide poll conducted by Gartner echoed these results: 82 percent of employers reported they would continue telework policies after the pandemic in some fashion.
In fact, while telework and flex-work policies have remained important recruitment and retention tools for employers in the past, the pandemic has proven to be the biggest beta test for telework and flexwork in history. Now that employees have had a taste of the work from home experience for almost a year, a recent DRCOG survey indicates over 70 percent of employees surveyed wish to continue with a mix of working from home and in the office.
According to Global Work Place Analytics, a three-to-two ratio (three days in and two days out of the office) will be ideal for productivity as it allows employees two days for intense solo work at home and three days for collaborative in-person activities with colleagues. Employers who elect to formalize this ratio could be adding a valuable retention and recruiting perk while recognizing the new norm of their employees’ desires for an improved work-life balance and a reduced commute.
As a Transportation Management Association, Denver South is here to support, regardless of where a firm lands in determining the appropriate balance for its workforce. Teleworking certainly is and will continue to be one of the most impactful strategies to improve air quality and reduce congestion, and it is a strategy we have long supported. If your organization needs assistance with telework policy creation or return-to-work phasing plans, reach out to us!
In the interim, we wanted to share a few tips and tricks to keep us all working smarter and more efficiently from home.
For focus and productivity:
- For better posture, get a monitor stand.
- For extra storage get shelves or under-desk baskets.
- Use binder clips to organize papers and charging cables.
- Keep a daily journal to memorialize important thoughts, ideas and tasks.
- Put your desk on casters for changes in scenery.
- Just start – the blank screen is often the hardest part.
- Find your productive hours.
- Use Time Management Apps and Tools.
- Keep a calendar and daily to-do lists.
- Have a crowded house? Get up early – nothing brings out productivity like a quiet house.
For more productivity tips visit www.lifehack.org.
For your computer:
- Tin foil – really. Create a “wall” of aluminum foil behind your router facing your home office to improve your wifi.
- Clean out background programs for faster computer processing.
- Lengthen device battery life by unplugging devices.
- Video call upgrades
- Silence echoes – plug in headphones so your mic only hears your
- When scheduling video-calls, consider turning off the video option if more than 20 attendees are anticipated. Managing multiple videos is one of the main causes for video-call slowdowns.
At Denver South, we’re here to help. Let us know how we can support your work from home experience.
Wishing you continued success working from home!
