While for many companies, homeworking has taken off well, for others it has taken some time to get used to the new way of working.
In a recent survey from the Office for National Statistics, one in four bosses claim that staff are less productive at home than when they are in the office, with as many as 24% of businesses saying there had been a decrease in productivity since workers logged on from kitchen tables.
Digicomm 360 have been making it easier for businesses to work remotely for many years, and here we offer our top tips for businesses to ensure that their homeworking set up is both streamline and productive.
Are you sitting comfortably?
How many of us really think about posture when working from home? Last March, workers quickly set up work stations on kitchen tables and slouched on sofas. This was adequate in the short term, but almost a year down the line and the problems are starting to present themselves, in shoulder, back and neck pain caused by poor posture in the working day. This can be up to 10 hours for some people – and we all know that is we have aches and pains, we don’t operate effectively.
Getting the right furniture is key – a supportive chair positioned at the right angle, along with a desk at the right height, is crucial.
Comfort is far more than a great chair and desk. The computer you use – and how you use – it can make a huge difference. A correctly positioned monitor encourages workers to sit upright, with a perfect viewing angle for optimal performance.
This includes your hardware, too!
We also offer a range of top-quality ergonomic laptop stands which will encourage workers to sit properly and allows for multiple screens and as result, work more efficiently.
In addition, a mouse mat with a wrist support makes typing easier.
Collaborative working
Office 365 is the ultimate productivity application. The ideal platform to facilitate effective collaboration, employees can work together in the cloud, access resources and share files with Office apps across the web, mobile, and desktop, storing their content in the cloud by default. This allows staff to access their emails, calendars, and files within File Explorer on Windows, Finder on Mac, and Office Apps on mobile devices. It’s super-easy for work to be saved, and it’s fully secure.
Utilise the right phones
If your business involves high volumes of calls, you may have noticed a dip in productivity since homeworking began. This could be for several reasons, including poor quality internet resulting in poor quality calls. Many business don’t have a call recording system which means they are unable to keep track of the volumes of calls that are actually being picked up. IP Telephony technologies offer the capability to route calls to any location, using a handset, a mobile phone or an app, keeping employees connected to the company network at all times.
Comfort is once again crucial here – no one can work efficiently with a mobile wedged between their chin and their ear – so option for a decent headset can make a world of difference.
It’s good to talk – and productive too!
They say it’s good to talk – and during remote working, we couldn’t agree more. Digicomm 360 have been offering real-time remote conferencing to businesses for several years, keeping customers in the loop with colleagues and clients wherever they’re based. Now we’re amidst a global pandemic, remote conferencing has been an essential tool to keep businesses operating, facilitating faster decision making, increasing productivity and allowing a better work-life balance at a time when it’s more important than ever.
Our new technologies and intuitive user interfaces make video even more accessible, simple to install, often HH quality and more affordable to you than ever before.
Keep on co-working – and get more done
Most people are used to working side by side with colleagues and will miss this social element. We’d suggest pairing colleagues together and allowing them to both work with their cameras on – silently. There will naturally be the odd bit of banter and conversation, and more importantly, your staff will have someone to bounce ideas off. Make sure they also have time for virtual brew breaks too!
Work in time blocks
Did you know that 90 minutes is the optimum time-frame for productive working? We recommend getting into you designated workspace, turning off your emails and if possible, leaving your phone in a different room. dedicate a full hour and a half to purely concentrating on your tasks – you will be amazed at the results.
