This pandemic has been a change agent not to just influence transformation in redefining and refining work norms but paving the way for changes in the social norms.
Intervention such as parental time-off in place of maternal time-off is a great example. This reduces the pressure on Women's workforce in managing work from home Vs work for home, thus inculcating the joint responsibility of homemaking between the spouses.
The likes of Flexi or reduced working hours pave in the retention of the Talent to meet the Global Workforce demands and addresses the women workforce deficit.
Remote working is here to stay, effective management of work-life balance and upbeat boredom; effective people-centric engagement makes its way.
Thus, WFH is a boon, not a bane.
Most of the Year 2020 kept us captivated inside the four walls of the home but thanks to the technology we could work. Though challenging it may sound, staying indoors all day with kids taking their online classes, spouse zooming in through meetings literally, buttogetherness brought the fresh air of ideas and respect for each otherÂ’s work.
WFM has more potential than we could use before the year 2020. I tried to innovate this time as I had worked from home from 2010 – 2013 also.
Learning - Realistic Goals, Exercise/Yoga, in between work, be flexible for teamwork and stay positive.
I started my journey, as a Global Head Talent at FarEye, enabling digital logistics at the same time when COVID-19 hit the world.
I was blessed with lots of opportunities to work virtually managing the teams and building talent at FarEye.
Work-From-Home facility helped all of us to stay flexible and plan our day that worked for you and your teams. In the last 10 months, I enhanced my listening skills as this allowed me to focus on a conversation without much distraction.
The flip side of work from home, I observed, is losing the human touch and bond which we share when we meet and work together at a workplace.
I practiced more sensitivity during this period and coached teams to do the same. As we all are in unpredictable situations and allowing people more space and support certainly helps!
If you ask me, Work from home has proved to be a boon.
Many organizations had been contemplating on WFH policy for ages, but Year 2020 forced them to implement it abruptly and its results on productivity were beyond anyone's expectations. WFH not only provided work flexibility to employees but also enabled companies to hire candidates from any part of the world. As WHF saved our travel time and office preparation time, it helped people to explore their hobbies, spend time with family and focus on their health and personal life too. However, this arrangement also had few side effects like elongated work hours, difficulty in focusing on work because of changes in the work environment, and lack of communication with peers.
I do not think work and personal life is separate. Both are integrated. In a work-from-home arrangement, the work timing and responsibilities remain the same but the only thing that has changed in terms of Work-Life-Balance is the presence around the family members for more hours.
Well, as same a coin always has two sides, honestly speaking Work from Home is no exception.
Pandemic taught us many things; the most important lesson learnt SOCIAL DISTANCING.
WFH made us wiser by embracing technology in the form of Zoom and Google meet and spend time together with loved ones.
Avoiding Noise and air pollution saving on fuel and ultimately time.
But on the contrary, we missed office chit-chat and the joy of working together. Missed the rush to reach the office and of course, dressing up for the same.
Nevertheless, the year 2020 was difficult for all and brave hearts to heal.
In my personal experience working from home is a boon in the pandemic situation.
Work-life-balance is not a new norm for any working woman, it has always been part of the journey. However, in the pandemic situation, there were few adjustments to be made since everyone is staying at home and expectations may vary. Setting boundaries, defining the ground rules with the family will help in navigating the work from home challenges.
I personally learned 3 things –
I follow this quote of Stephen Covey, The Key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.