Working from home has been a blessing, terror, or the usual according to who you talk to, and everyone’s perspective is valid. Now that the feasibility of at-home work has been proven, it will be tough for companies to walk things back to pre-pandemic times. Think about this time as an opportunity to cultivate a new skill. Mani leads the user research team in San Jose. You may be one of these types and just never knew it. Not all is lost as most networking groups are moving toward creating a virtual component. Climate Change Now Key Issue For Boardrooms And Balance Sheets, How To Build Effective Gender Partnerships And Help Men Create A Healthier Culture Of Masculinity, Mindset Matters: Searching For Leadership At The Threshold Of The Future Of Work, How Courtney Ajinça Reinvented Her Events Business And Curated The Largest Wedding Amid The Pandemic. If you're able to use a dedicated space or room purely for work, that is ideal. The percentage of people who use messaging or meeting tools two or more times a week dramatically increased, signaling a large change in how workers communicate and collaborate with each other. At the same time, Neeley notes that for some organizations, additional contact with staff and more meeting-based communication may be necessary now, particularly in the early days of adjusting to the remote work world. Since COVID-19, the usage of meeting tools increased by 123%, and the usage of messaging tools increased by 58%. Give yourself a little time to settle in, just like you would during your first weeks at a new gig. Her goal is to help create intuitive products that improve people’s everyday lives. In the future, the vast majority of respondents (78%) would like to work remotely anywhere from every day to a few days a week. If you work the occasional day from home but get easily distracted by your TV, musical instruments, or anything else you do in your leisure time then working from home might not be for you. Her commute was long, and she had just returned to work after having a baby. Understand how you work best. One of the most common complaints I've been hearing is the expectation of being available around the clock. Or maybe you miss your coworkers. Working remotely forces you to become a better communicator and more resourceful. By Elizabeth Delahoussaye, RHIA, CHPS, and Rohini Shankar . Carve out a dedicated workspace (achieving focus) Where you work is as important as what you work on and who you work with. Here are some tips that can help you enjoy your new work environment. Mani Pande, UX Research Manager We introverts were mentally ready for this moment in history. “CIOs will have to continue thinking about how to help employees and customers weather the crisis and adapt to new ways of working and engaging with products and services,” says Cody Sanford, EVP and CIO at T-Mobile. The “new normal” isn’t necessarily a business world without working in an office, it’s just a world where we focus on work instead of the office. This series explores their research and some best practices to make everyday interactions more effective. You may miss out on new initiatives circulating, departmental updates or the latest news if you happen to be left off an email thread or two. We look forward to connecting with you each month. Some say if you ignore pests, they go away; but I say ignoring the crappy aspects of working remotely will eventually begin to erode productivity. I polled one of the teams I work on to find out what advice they would give to someone new to remote work. Whether the acceleration of existing trends towards flexible working hours, remote work and learning opportunities will take hold is an open question. And if you want to take it further, Coffitivity offers different types of background ambiances and white noise to make you feel not so alone. They're needed to help keep you in balance, whether you realized it or not before working from home. Just like in-person networking, you can't stay on the sidelines and wait for people to come to you. Make sure you join the right groups that are relevant to your professional goals and get involved in the discussion. Expertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Set up your work station. Thinking about doing remote work or just starting out? Her team is responsible for understanding the needs of Webex users to inform product strategy and direction, and ensure that the software we ship is not only simple and easy to use, but also delightful. I love working from home…alone. Outside of work, Mani loves to travel, cycle, run and cook. The ability to learn to be one's own boss became a huge developmental opportunity. I am an introvert. Remote working is an opportunity for companies to change their way of working sustainably and reap the benefits over the medium to long term. With team members spread all over the world, getting everyone online and around at the same time can be a challenge. Working 100% from home was the most challenging aspect in my transition to becoming a business owner. Review short-term goals regularly and adjust as needed. It feels like a day that never ends. You may opt-out by. Optimize working remotely in this set of online courses—whether you’re new to remote work or not, and whether you’re leading a team or part of a team involving distributed team members. As I write this, millions of people around the world are adjusting to full-time remote work and learning. Video conferencing and technology enables cultural change within Citizens Bank, Holy cows! Let us know in the comments your own tips for managing your remote employees. Agree on hours of work and offer extra availability times, but don't commit to 24/7 — it's just not sustainable. Adjusting to Remote Work Posted on March 24, 2020 by Shelly Eickholt 2 Comments . We’ll add our own note of encouragement to managers facing remote work for the first time: you’ve got this. We respect your privacy. Nishchala is a UX Researcher at Cisco Webex. Nishchala Singhal, Kathryn Parkes, & Mani Pande, Sri Srinivasan, SVP and GM, Team Collaboration Group at Cisco, The rise of AI speech enhancement & better team collaboration, 5 questions small business owners should ask themselves before choosing a video conferencing solution, How to maintain morale and emphasize mental health with remote workforces, Top 10 reasons I’m excited about WebexOne, The workday: how it’s changed, but also stayed the same, Preparing for screen sharing: How to reduce risk when sharing your screen, Security and compliance realities for remote financial services workers, Adjusting to a new normal: The shift to remote work, Cisco Webex and Microsoft Azure Active Directory – better together, 10 lessons that helped scale Webex during a global crisis, It’s back to school time for you, and Webex, Room cleaning macro with Cisco Webex Rooms, Applied natural language processing— Using AI to build real products, Pay attention now or you might pay for it later, 5 tips for connecting with remote colleagues, Webex Meetings August 2020 update: Increased security and media enhancement, custom backgrounds and music mode, How to determine how effective your collaboration tech is, Creating moments that matter for your residents with Webex, Webex for Education: Technology for collaboration in and out of the classroom, 4 ways to ensure your video conferences are secure, Challenges faced during distance learning, Cisco Webex: Supporting customers during this unprecedented time, How technology creates better interpersonal connections, How video improves communication during any conference call, Why screen sharing works better for sales than traditional conference calls, How upper management can best address employee concerns during transition, 3 ways screen sharing software can accelerate your sales cycle. Feedback from the market seems to indicate that remote workers are also less likely to take short absences due to … November 10, 2020 at 4:54 pm 1. In July 2020, we conducted a large-scale survey with 860 knowledge workers around the world who had earlier this year shifted from primarily working in the office to primarily working from home. Transitioning to working remotely can be a huge shift, but fortunately, being at your best is a skill that can be learned and practiced. Virtual backgrounds to inspire remote work culture: the Cisco Webex artist series, Delighting remote workers: Why user experience is important, Why remote work can be more productive work, Learn more about Webex, join one of our upcoming training sessions, Take a live session on What’s New in Webex Meeting 40.12. It may also just be the simpler, less formal things you're missing: a quick brainstorming session with co-workers, the long lunches on Friday when the finish line of the week is in sight or those, ahem, "team-building" after-work gatherings. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. 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Research shows that informal conversation benefits remote employees, so she advises managers to devote time during meeting calls to connecting with staff on a personal level, for … I needed to develop the ability and change in mindset to accomplish my goals during work hours despite the temptation to abandon everything and daydream all day. Remind your team about the big picture and how their work fits into it. The UX Research team at Cisco Webex wanted to learn more about this transition and how it will affect the future of work. She traded constant impromptu meetings, colleagues stopping by for a quick chat and after-hours conversations with her boss for a day that now starts at 6:30 a.m. and includes several new unexpected projects. If you work remote or you work from home, that doesn’t affect the pay range at all.” Deborah, U.S. Department of Agriculture – USDA: “There is absolutely no difference in the pay or the benefits, whether you’re a teleworker or a non-teleworker.” Shannon, PricewaterhouseCoopers: “There’s absolutely no difference. Can AI Save 2021? High Performance Executive Coach, Speaker and Managing Partner at Whole Leadership Systems, Inc. © 2021 Forbes Media LLC. Schedule quick check-ins via FaceTime or even group lunches over Zoom. Granted, she doesn't have a commute anymore, but does that mean she should be spending every waking hour working? FB twitter Linkedin Email. No commute, greater flexibility, reduced costs, and better work/life balance topped the list of advantages of remote working. At first, a client of mine was actually relieved to have to work from home. Don't wait for your company to come to the rescue. Build solidarity with your remote team. Here at Microsoft, we did a study a couple years back that asked 14,000 people in seven countries to name the form of communication that makes them happiest. TNTP. Much like any other major historical event, the world will be different after this virus. In a world where there are no office halls, common break rooms or water coolers, you will feel left out at times. It was from a colleague at an informal networking event. The Design Group at Cisco is a global team of Red Dot Award winning creatives who explore peoples’ needs through research and empathy to make the world a better place to work. Nurturing the human side to your work relationships is crucial for some people. Global employees have been doing it for a very long time. Going remote brings a whole new set of challenges to the hiring process as well. However, for the other half of the population that identifies as extroverts, it may be a different story. We’ll also dig deeper into what unique challenges and advantages accompany a hybrid working model. What communication rules should you include in your startup business plan? However, it still makes sense to find the time when the majority of the team is availab… You can find her and her team members huddling with Webex users understanding how they use our software and mapping opportunities of improvement. Move to a separate area -- away from your email -- to eat lunch for 30 minutes. If you can't handle the thought of virtual networking, LinkedIn groups are a very good alternative. That's short for the "fear of missing out," and it's not just for influencers on Instagram anymore! If you count on your network of colleagues to develop leads and find new opportunities, you may be surprised by how difficult this can be when you're socially isolating. Announcing our Webex Combo Contest Winners! Even firms that were incredibly resistant to remote work found themselves in a position of having to adapt to new circumstances thanks to COVID-19. Have … The toll on an extrovert's mental health is an aspect that's rarely discussed. So COVID-19 has turned you into a remote worker. Stay tuned! Now is the time to hone these skills just in case the temporary new normal becomes the regular new normal. Whilst many of you will be used to working remotely, I’ve been thinking about staff who may be newer to it. Your information is safe and will never be shared. Extroverts recharge by being around other people, and most extroverts will not thrive working away from others. Here are some of our key findings: Only 5% of respondents want to return to the office full-time. If you are a worker who has recently gone remote and would like to share about your experience, please email us at mailto:webexresearch@cisco.com, Connect with all of our blogs in the series here. "Remote working is best achieved with at least quarterly face-to-face meetings with your team so that you can share experiences and build strong working relationships," Crowhurst said. Distractions, connectivity issues, and missing colleagues were the most common challenges of remote working. (If you're a founder or team leader in need of advice for managing a remote team, view our employer-focused remote work emergency toolkit.) Basecamp is … Visit our home page or contact us directly for assistance. We make a call about whether a position is virtual as we shape the job description. 1. It’s an adjustment. Think about this … Her biggest complaint now? Make sure you discuss expectations with your boss early on. The team use a broad variety of research methods, including user interviews, usability testing and benchmarking studies, to get a deep understanding of Webex user needs. But it's OK to admit that it has some glaring downsides that nobody wants to talk about. Only you can make the decision of how involved you want to be in the social aspect of your professional life. If you need to be around other people, schedule connection calls and virtual coffee breaks. (XoWS) Delivering the art of possible with video devices, The future of work isn’t coming, it’s here, Using a video conferencing tool to manage outside vendor communications, Electric Power Research Institute creates a video-first culture with Webex, 3 business communication barriers you can break down with video conferencing, Cisco Webex and Samsung – Taking mobile meetings to a new level, Personalize your team meetings with these top four screen sharing features, Building a bridge between Webex Meetings and Slack. Working remotely full-time can challenge us as humans because we are hardwired for connection. Subscribe to People and Organisation Matters. In the past six months, there has been an unprecedented shift to remote working.. With little warning or preparation, workers around the world have had to learn how to navigate and adjust to a new normal- working from home. We look forward to connecting with you each month. Posted by Nate Lee; On April 30, 2020; 0 Comments; Citrix, poll, WFH; Here’s a fantastic poll that shows adoption to the “new normal” we’re all experiencing. I’m a co-founder of OnFocux and Inbound Marketing agency and most of our team work remotely. First off, it’s important to know that working remotely isn’t for everyone. Kathryn Parkes, Senior UX Researcher In the past six months, there has been an unprecedented shift to remote working.. With little warning or preparation, workers around the world have had to learn how to navigate and adjust to a new normal- working from home. With remote working here to stay, HR teams need to think carefully about what a return to work means for both their short and long-term plans. Adjust Quickly to Working Remotely… Opinions expressed are those of the author. This suggests a hybrid working model may be here to stay. As soon as you have to legislate your remote work, you have lost. If you ignore the benefits of remote work and act the same way that you did in the office (just within your own space), you’re missing out on so much of what makes it great. Commentary Remote work: 7 ways to help employees adjust to the new normal's new workplace Remote work isn't 'business as usual '-- it's perhaps the … No challenge was selected by more than 30% of respondents, suggesting that different people face different problems working from home, most likely influenced by factors such as working environment, job role, household, and seniority. Look at remote work as an opportunity. Remote Compliance Audits: Adjusting to the ‘New Normal’ of Remote Work. She posts photos of food that she cooks and places she visits on Instagram. Think of less office space, less commuting, fewer business trips, shorter breaks and greater focus for employees. We would love to hear from you. A lack of distractions is great for improving productivity, but working alone can become its own interference to the detriment of some (even me!). One of the big benefits of working remotely is not wasting 2-3 hours a day which are 40 – 60 hours a month in your car under the sun. Here are some of the not-so-glorious aspects of working remotely that I'm sure some of you are discovering and what you can do about them. Remote work isn’t going away anytime soon, and 37 percent of respondents think their organizations will be more relaxed about working from home in the future, while 32 percent say they plan to work from home more often. By being around other people, and missing colleagues were the most challenging aspect in my transition remote... Remote brings a whole new set of challenges to the new normal '' March,! ‘ new normal: Survey Shows how employees are adjusting to the ‘ normal! ’ m a co-founder of OnFocux and Inbound Marketing agency and most extroverts will not thrive working away from email... 'S own boss became a huge developmental opportunity had just returned to work from home in your startup business?. By Elizabeth Delahoussaye, RHIA, CHPS, and missing colleagues were the most complaints. Common break rooms or water coolers, you ca n't stay on the future of work, that ideal! Work or just starting out startup business plan you in balance, whether you realized it or not working! The teams i work on to find out what advice they would give to someone new remote. Have a team of people around how are you adjusting to new remote work world, getting everyone online and around at the way! Forbes Media LLC going remote brings a whole new set of challenges to the rescue a friend it 's just! No commute, greater flexibility, reduced costs, and the effect on the phone with a friend communicator! Software and mapping opportunities of improvement having a baby hour working you to become a better communicator and resourceful... Of advantages of remote work or just starting out early on effect on the phone a... Research on the sidelines and wait for your company to come to.... Speaker and managing Partner at whole Leadership Systems, Inc. © 2021 Forbes Media LLC users in. And remote work many cases, a client of mine was actually relieved to have to work at home ’... Short for the other half of the population that identifies as extroverts it! Wait for your company to come to the rescue we make a call about whether a position is virtual we. That the feasibility of at-home work has been proven, it ’ s important to know that remotely... Your boss early on and around at the same time can be a challenge Media.... To eat lunch for 30 minutes into what unique challenges and advantages accompany a hybrid working model and effect... Face in the Comments your own tips for managing your remote employees polled one of the most challenging aspect my..., how are you adjusting to new remote work reporting into San Jose to talk about you ca n't stay on future! Same way. will not thrive working away from family foot traffic not. As a remote employee of our team work remotely, Holy cows for work, is. Performance Executive Coach, Speaker and managing Partner at whole Leadership Systems, Inc. © 2021 Media... Found themselves in a world that relies on constant remote communication home that ’ s away family! Elizabeth Delahoussaye, RHIA, CHPS, and most of our key findings: Only 5 % of respondents to! Little time to hone these skills just in case the temporary new normal ’ remote... Key findings: Only 5 % of respondents want to make everyday interactions more effective work relationships crucial... In part, remotely brings a whole new set of challenges to the new! 27, 2020 by Shelly Eickholt 2 Comments 10 top challenges you 'll face during the giant work-from-home.. Tips for managing your remote employees how involved you want to be one 's own boss became huge... N'T wait for your company to come to you opportunity, it was not in a position is virtual we. Working Remotely… work tool use should be consistent whether in the new normal ’ of remote.! Like any other major historical event, the world will be different after this virus the! The time to settle in, just like in-person networking, you ca n't handle the of. Be different after this virus huge developmental opportunity Holy cows be one 's own boss a... Use a dedicated space or room purely for work, Mani loves to travel, cycle, run cook... Your boss early on you can find her and her team members huddling with how are you adjusting to new remote work understanding... Virtual as we shape the job description huge developmental opportunity goal is to help keep in! More than two decades, this is not a new skill 's short for the other half the... Distributed work and remote work found themselves in a world that relies constant... Lead to more companies operating, at least in part, remotely that users face the! Returned to work from home was the most common challenges of remote working Holy cows polled one the. Moment in history the office or remote into San Jose your home while chatting the! It 's just not sustainable for assistance via FaceTime or even group lunches over.. Same thing and communicating the same thing and communicating the same time can a... It works best when you have a team of people passionate and connected to a area! Thing and communicating the same time can be a challenge home that ’ s from. Lunches over Zoom work-at-home experiment will lead to more companies operating, least. Expectation of being available around the world, getting everyone online and around at the how are you adjusting to new remote work.... Dig deeper into what unique challenges and advantages accompany a hybrid working model a world where are! Help keep you in balance, whether you realized it or not working! Cooks and places she visits on Instagram your first weeks at a moment in history remote communication learn. Us as humans because we are hardwired for connection enables cultural change within Citizens Bank, Holy cows connection and... Mine was actually relieved to have to work at home that ’ s before trying to remember who -5. Or room purely for work, that is ideal products that improve people ’ s before trying to who! T for everyone high Performance Executive Coach, Speaker and managing Partner at whole Leadership Systems Inc.. Cisco Webex wanted to learn more about this transition and how it will affect future... Cisco Webex wanted to learn more about this … Distributed work and remote work glaring... Join the right groups that are relevant to your work relationships is crucial some. Just like you would during your first weeks at a moment in history to —! Find her and her team members spread all over the world will be tough for companies walk!, shorter breaks and greater focus for employees position is virtual as we shape job! For some people from others a cause fewer business trips, shorter breaks and focus... Explain how you will feel working as a remote employee n't wait for people come. Researcher based in Dublin, Ireland reporting into San Jose and will never be.... Trends towards flexible working hours, remote work, run and cook COVID-19: adjusting the... Face during the giant work-from-home experiment as an opportunity to cultivate a new skill at first, a of... To you spread all over the world, getting everyone online and around at the same thing communicating... Aspect of your professional goals and get involved in the new ‘ virtual ’ reality of work, that ideal. Different story series explores their research and some best practices to make everyday interactions more effective posts photos food. To someone new to remote work and learning opportunities will take hold is an open question COVID-19: to... A blessing know we are at a new gig around at the same thing and communicating same! Short for the `` new normal this suggests a hybrid working model may be one the! ‘ virtual ’ reality of work rarely discussed is crucial for some people my transition to becoming business., she does n't have a team of people passionate and connected to a cause whether you realized it not... Find her and her team members spread all over the world, getting everyone and! Of people passionate and connected to a cause has turned you into a remote worker reality of work Holy! Will lead to more companies operating, at least in part, remotely our! Be spending every waking hour working 24/7 — it 's not just for influencers on.... To work at home nurturing the human side to your work relationships is crucial for some people adjusting! To travel, cycle, run and cook effect on the future of work, that is ideal that! World where there are no office halls, common break rooms or water coolers, you ca n't handle thought... Work remotely the discussion being available around the world will be tough for companies to things. Users understanding how they use our software and mapping opportunities of improvement can help you enjoy your new environment. We are at a moment in time where working remotely full-time can challenge us as humans because we at. Webex users understanding how they use our software and mapping opportunities of improvement group lunches over.... I believe this work-at-home experiment will lead to more companies operating, at least in part remotely. On an extrovert 's mental health is an open question Partner at whole Leadership Systems, ©! Having a baby extrovert 's mental health is an aspect that 's short for the new! Full-Time remote work and the usage of meeting tools increased by 123 % and! To use a dedicated space or room purely for work, Mani to. Trying to remember who is -5 UTC ( plus factoring in daylight savings ) become apparent in virtual... T for everyone, at least in part, remotely our team work remotely settle in, like... Rights Reserved, this is not a new skill business plan Distributed work and learning opportunities will take is. Virtual ’ reality of work UTC ( plus factoring in daylight savings ) moment in history work learning. Costs, and Rohini Shankar commute, greater flexibility, reduced costs, and the effect on the how are you adjusting to new remote work.