Tag Archives: WFH

Ways remote work is reshaping how tech companies operate

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Let’s admit it; no one could have truly predicted what the world is currently dealing with due to the effects of COVID-19. The pandemic struck fast and hard and caught all of us off-guard.

For tech companies and most other businesses, that meant one thing; it was time to adapt (and do so quickly) or die. While remote work (or working from home) is not a completely new thing, it wasn’t a big trend yet pre-COVID.

Today, big tech companies such as Twitter and Facebook have embraced it, with many more like Blueground, a provider of furnished apartments in San Francisco, joining the bandwagon daily.

In this post, we look at how this new trend is rapidly changing how tech companies operate for the better.

Reduced costs

It is impossible to talk about the shift to remote work and not mention the positive impact it has on finances for both employers and employees.

With COVID-19 negatively impacting revenues, finding effective ways of cutting costs is a necessity. That’s why employers are offering workers the chance to work remotely at the expense of significantly reducing their salaries.

In addition to cutting operating costs, remote work is opening other avenues for employers. For example, it’s now possible to hire employees from different geographical locations, including offshore countries where labor is cheaper. Again, the net effect of this is reduced costs of doing business, which is key during times like these when companies are dealing with unprecedented economic challenges.

Increased productivity

According to a study by the Harvard Business Review, remote work can motivate employees to be more productive and yield higher results.

By working from home, workers are able to cut down the time it takes to commute to their workplaces. The truth is, commuting to work takes up a considerable amount of employees’ daily schedules. This not only increases fatigue but also raises their stress levels, especially if the commutes are hectic.

Remote work makes it possible for employees to earn a living without having to deal with such stressors. Ultimately, they become more productive and this shows in more sales and improved relations with other team members.

Wider pool of talent

When tech companies require employees to work in the office, they are oftentimes limiting their talent pool to just those who can work at their location. As a result, most end up missing out on sharper and more qualified candidates from other regions.

For example, living in Silicon Valley is expensive, which means candidates who don’t have enough money to live there will be unavailable for selection.

By embracing remote work, companies can comfortably widen their talent pool as they can recruit workers from any geographical region.

Are there downsides to working from home?

As with anything, it’s not all rosy when it comes to remote work. The increasing popularity of the trend means a lot of information is coming up on the negative side of it.

For starters, reports show that remote work has taken a toll on some workers since most were used to collaborating with a team in an office setting. As a result, some have found it difficult to self-motivate when working at home without any physical supervision. On the upside, the self-driven ones have benefited immensely from a lack of physical supervision.

Another problem that is arising is a lack of proper work-life balance. Some employees are finding it harder to separate work from their social life, thus eating into their personal time. This has led to issues such as increased divorce rates and gender-based violence cases. The premise behind it is that parents and partners no longer spend as much quality time with their loved ones as before.

However, all these hiccups are slowly getting smoothed out and soon, remote work will become the norm—especially in the tech sector.

Conclusion

When remote work first started to pick up speed, employers doubted they could manage their staffs, and that it would lead to a dip in productivity. However, this has been proven wrong, with most workers and supervisors now working smoothly via virtual platforms like Zoom.

This continues to work well for both companies and employees, as the former cuts down on operating costs, while employees benefited from the reduced hassle and cost of commuting to and from work.

Overall, shifting to remote work has enabled many tech companies to remain competitive and profitable. Whether it will be a future trend or just a temporary way to survive the disruption caused by COVID-19, it is easily the best thing that has happened to the tech industry in a long while!
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Taking Care of Your Toddler While Staying at Home

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Being a parent to a toddler is a hard task. And despite the fact that we’re all mostly home due to the ongoing health crisis, the additional household chores, work, and stress make it even more of a challenge.

parenting, toddler,

Luckily, you can overcome the additional workload by staying organised and getting the respite you need. So here are four tips for taking care of your kids at home during these trying times.

Schedule your day

The first step to balancing your work and parenting load is to create a schedule. How many hours or projects do you have to accomplish in a day? In between those hours, set some time for your toddler’s needs, such as feeding and playing. If you run your own business or are a freelancer like mother-of-two Catherine Balavage, then you can be more flexible with your schedule. Otherwise, your company might require you to work for set hours. In this case, it helps to inform your employer about your situation and send in a tentative schedule. They may even have maternity policies to help you out.

Keep them entertained

Keeping your children entertained allows you to focus on your other tasks. In the Irish Times’ article on keeping children entertained, they mention that toddlers are at that age when they want to ‘feel useful’ and are always in the mood to ‘sort’ stuff. For this reason, you can have them do home-play activities such as cooking and cleaning. Kitchen set toys and even a small broom might keep them occupied for a while. To satisfy their urge to sort, you can leave them with simple activities like arranging laundry into piles or different-coloured pasta into groups. Their curiosity has the potential to keep them entertained for hours.

Go out for some fresh air

Staying cooped up in your home is not good for you or your toddler’s health. If you have a garden, now is the time to maximise it. But if you don’t have one, or are simply looking for a change of scenery, you can always go out for a quick stroll. In case you’re worried, the BBC reports that walks are actually highly encouraged now, as adults can use the time to unwind and boost their immune systems. Of course, you’ll need to take trips sparingly to minimise risk. Additionally, it helps to have the necessary equipment to ensure your child remains even safer and more comfortable during these walks. According to iCandy’s guide to pushchairs, a harness and a parasol can help keep your little one protected while you’re out and about. This ensures that they won’t fall out of the pushchair or get too much exposure to the sun. You don’t need these concerns on top of everything else that’s going on, so being prepared will allow you to make the most of your daily walks.

Prepare meals in advance

Meal prep can take up a lot of time, but it will help you manage your day-to-day schedule if you have your toddler’s food ready in advance. It helps to start prepping during the weekend when you have more time. In this regard, Smart Mom Ideas lists a couple of children recipes you can store in the freezer to be eaten for the entire week. The list includes comfort food like chilli mac, small bites like mini pizzas, as well as bulk meals like casseroles.

The current situation won’t last forever. But until things go back to normal, you have to be able to adapt and work around your situation. It will sometimes be overwhelming, but by keeping these tips in mind, it doesn’t have to be too complicated all the time.

Author’s Bio

Jean Baker is a freelance writer and a mother of two beautiful daughters. She does a lot of reading in her spare time, and has opted for this kind of flexible lifestyle to be there for her kids.