Autumn is here, and with it comes the cool temperatures and earlier onset of darkness. While some of us love the colorful leaves and cozy evenings at home, the autumn season can be challenging in the home office. The temptation to snuggle up in warm blankets and put off working is strong. But with a few smart tips, you can make the cool and chilly autumn home office season productive and cozy.
Start by making your workspace autumnal. This doesn't mean you have to remodel your entire office, but a few small changes can make a big difference. Go for warm colors, comfy pillows and blankets. An autumn tablecloth or candles can also create a cozy atmosphere.
As the days get shorter in autumn, good lighting is crucial. Natural light is ideal, but if that's not possible, invest in a high-quality desk lamp. Warm, dim lighting can lift your mood and increase productivity.
Even if it's cold outside, don't let that stop you from getting some fresh air. Taking short walks during your lunch break or between work sessions can work wonders and help clear your head.
A structured daily schedule is especially important in autumn, as darkness sets in earlier and motivation can easily wane. Set clear goals for the day and schedule breaks to recover.
It's tempting to work in your pajamas all day, but that can hurt productivity. Instead, dress warmly and comfortably to feel energized and ready to work.
Modern technology can help you better manage the fall home office season. Invest in a good heater or electric blanket to ward off the cold. A humidifier can help combat dry air and protect your health.
In autumn, many people tend to keep to themselves. However, don't forget to schedule social interactions. Virtual coffee breaks with colleagues or video calls with friends can brighten lonely days and keep you social.
Autumn is the perfect time to indulge in autumnal snacks and drinks. A cup of hot tea, a homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte or a slice of pumpkin pie can sweeten the workday.
Fall home office time can be a cozy and productive time if you prepare for it well. Make your work environment cozy, make sure you have enough light, and structure your day carefully. Don't forget to take breaks and socialize. With these tips, you'll be able to enjoy autumn in your home office and work efficiently at the same time.
In recent years, the world of work has changed dramatically, and with it, home office has become an increasingly popular option. While the flexibility and convenience of working from home offers many benefits, it also comes with challenges, especially for your health. One of the most important aspects that is often overlooked is the importance of ergonomic furniture in the home office. In this article, we take a look at the impact of ergonomic furniture on your health and how it can help you work productively and pain-free.
The term "ergonomics" refers to the design of workplaces that adapts to the natural movements of the human body. The goal is to reduce strain, stress and injuries that can result from repetitive movements and poor posture. In the home office, many people spend hours in front of a screen, and without proper ergonomic set-up. This can lead to various health problems, including:
Ergonomic furniture plays a crucial role in your home office's health. So, by ensuring correct posture and reducing strain, you can not only work more productively but also improve your long-term health and well-being. Invest in high-quality ergonomic furniture, design your workplace efficiently and don't forget to take regular breaks and exercise. Your body will thank you and find that you can work even more effectively and motivated in your home office.
As a leader, you must learn to trust your employees. According to Microsoft, this is very important to keep your employees even in uncertain times. It’s statistically proven that hybrid workers continue to be productive.
In the new edition of the Work Trend Index, Microsoft shares the results of its global survey data for leaders and also provides valuable action tips.
In recent months, the hybrid model has become more mainstream. However, employees and executives don’t always agree on how well the new work model is working. There is still a clear perception gap. For example, flexible working conditions are highly valued by employees. The majority of 87% think they are just as productive at work as before. However, many managers are not so sure about this yet. The majority of 85% find it hard to trust that the productivity of hybrid workers is consistent.
According to Microsoft, however, the data clearly speaks for employees. For example, weekly meetings were already up 153% earlier this year compared to pre-pandemic times. So far this year, no trend reversal has been observed either. In addition, it has been shown that around 42% of employees perform other tasks during meetings, and this does not even include passive activities (e.g. reading emails).
In order to check the activity times of employees, some managers rely on opaque activity tracking, which undermines the relationship of trust. Microsoft itself also had such a tool on offer until the end of 2020.
At the very least, this is purposeful. Managers must learn to trust, otherwise the long-term success of the remote model and thus of hybrid work is at risk. It is therefore all the more important to show employees what is important on the basis of Objective Key Results. A corporate culture in which quality is rewarded instead of quantity also promotes a relationship of trust between employees and managers.
For the new edition of the Work Trend Index, Microsoft surveyed a total of 20,000 full-time employees in 11 countries (Germany, France, England, Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan, Brazil, Canada and the USA) between July 7 and August 2, 2022. The survey data is representative for all countries.
You can view the complete report for free: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/hybrid-work-is-just-work
Feel free to share your opinion on the topic with us on social media.
* Source: Heise
According to a new study (conducted by Nicholas Bloom, Stanford University, among others), the hybrid work arrangement reduced the turnover rate in a large technology company by a full 35%. It also improved employee job satisfaction but had no negative impact on performance evaluations or promotions.
During the pandemic, there was an explosion in remote working, which led many companies to adopt hybrid work arrangements for their employees. Employees typically spend 2-3 days per week in the office and worked from home the rest of the time. This allows them to separate the tasks they do better in person from those they do best individually.
If we take a look at the unemployment rate, we see that it is approaching its lowest level in 5 decades. This is causing even the harshest critics of home-based work to ponder and change their stance on attracting talent and retaining them long-term.
A randomized control trial (conducted by Bloom and Ruobing Han, Stanford University, and James Liang, among others) of 1,612 engineering, marketing, and finance employees was conducted at global travel agency Trip.com in 2021/2022. Employees born on an odd date (e.g., June 3) were given the option to work from home on Wednesdays and Fridays while other employees worked in the office. After the study, Trip.com then introduced hybrid work for the entire company.
The study, which was released by the National Bureau of Economics, shows not only that turnover was greatly reduced, but also how hybrid work arrangements change work hours and work habits. For example, employees worked fewer hours on remote work days but more hours on other days, including weekends. Overall, it can be said that employees worked about 80 minutes less on work-from-home days, but about 30 minutes more on other work days and weekends. In addition, employees who worked from home used individual messaging and group video calls more, even when they were in the office.
There was no overall impact of working from home on performance appraisals or promotions, even for individual subgroups. Employees who had the option to work from home reported slightly increased productivity. The number of lines of code written by this group of people (a measure of IT engineer productivity) also increased by about 8% compared to office-based employees.
Overall, this shows that hybrid WFH is often beneficial for both employees and companies, but is usually underestimated upfront.
Feel free to share your opinion on the topic of hybrid work with us on social media.
*Source: Bloomberg
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