Coronavirus outbreak has forced most people to work remotely. You don’t need to worry about the soul-crushing commute. Also, you don’t need to worry about someone stealing your lunch. Thus, most people think that remote work is wonderful. Employees can be more productive when they are working from their homes. However, sometimes they are working for more hours. There are many work-home interferences that they need to deal with. In this article, we are going to talk about the most common challenges that remote workers face.
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Lack of Productivity
Most studies show that remote workers are more productive when compared to normal workers. However, you need self-disciple if you are working from your home. If you are procrastinating in your home, then it can affect your productivity.
There are various methods that you can use for improving your productivity. Many remote workers are using techniques like the Pomodoro technique for boosting their productivity. In this technique, you need to work for 25 minutes without getting interrupted. After that, you can take a short break to get your coffee. Some remote workers even check their emails in this period. After that, you have to get back to work. Once you have completed 3-4 work sessions, you can take a longer break. This break can last up to 30-45 minutes.
Many remote workers also track their actual work time. This will help you in improving your productivity. You can use apps like Hubstaff, Timely and Time Doctor for tracking your work time. They have automated time tracking features available. There are many other amazing apps available in the market. You can use these apps for ensuring that you are not procrastinating.
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Team Communication Challenges
It is important to have fluid online communication between your team members. Enterprises should define clear communication channels and protocols. This will help employees in communicating with each other.
There are many tools available in the market that you can use. Slack is one of the best team communication team. It will allow you to send messages to your team members. Also, you can post an update on channels. This will ensure that you can communicate with your team members. PukkaTeam is another amazing team communication tool. You can see the face of your team members in this tool. Thus, you will feel like you are working in your office. This will allow you to have conversations with your team members.
Organizations should define guidelines for using these tools. They should provide these tools to their workers. Also, they should tell them when to use these tools. This will ensure that the employees are effectively communicating with each other.
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Security Risks
There are many security risks that you need to consider while working from home. If you are working remotely, then you can connect your laptop to your office database. This can create many loopholes in your office network. Almost every office has some security measures for preventing security risks like cyberattacks. However, most people working from home don’t know about these measures.
Sometimes you can connect to a public network for completing your work. Hackers can use this opportunity for intercepting your connection. Thus, they will get access to your company database. This can lead to a security breach. You should install antivirus in all your devices. This will protect your devices from malware. Also, you should use password managers for creating strong passwords. You can use password managers like LastPass for managing your passwords. This will ensure that your account is protected. You should also use a VPN while using the internet. It will ensure that hackers can’t intercept your communication. These security measures will help you in protecting your devices from attackers.
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Working too much
Some people find it difficult to eliminate distractions. However, there are many people that focus too much on their work. They forget to unplug from their work. If you are working in an office, then you can only work till your office is open. After that, everyone will go to their home. However, if you are working remotely, then it can be difficult to unplug yourself. Many people will work the whole night to complete their pending tasks. Sometimes it is mandatory to work overtime. However, if you are doing it every day, then it will affect your health. You should take care of your health during this outbreak. This will ensure that your immune system can deal with the virus. Thus, you should set specific working hours every day. This will ensure that you are not working the whole night.
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Interruptions
There are various distractions and interruptions that you need to deal with. Sometimes your kids can distract you from your work. You can’t avoid all distractions. However, you should ensure that you are completing your work. You should have consistent work hours. This will ensure that you are completing your work. You shouldn’t talk to anyone during these hours. This will help you in focusing on your work. Some people even use headphones while they are working. You can use the Pomodoro technique for working for 25 minutes. After that, you can play with your kids during the break time. This will help you in working optimally.
Conclusion
More than 50% of the world is currently on lockdown. However, you can still do productive work from your home. Remote workers face many challenges every day. However, you can deal with these challenges. If you are working from home, then it will boost your productivity. However, you need to ensure that you are effectively communicating with your team. Also, you should ensure that all your devices are protected. This will ensure that hackers can’t intercept your communication. Companies should also define communication protocols. This will help your employees in effectively communicating with each other. If you need more tips regarding working from home, then you can contact Bleuwire.
Contact us today to learn about Bleuwire™ services and solutions in how we can help your business.