Are you part of the 41.8% of the American workforce who continue to work remotely even after the government has eased up on the lockdown restrictions? Your company has probably seen the overwhelming statistics that support the benefits of working from home. Gartner projects that organizations that support a “choose-your-own-work-style” culture will boost employee retention rates by more than 10%. While Flexjobs reports that 97% of the workforce said a job with flexibility would have a huge improvement or positive impact on their overall quality of life. Buffer says that 40% of remote workers were in agreement that a flexible work schedule is the biggest benefit to working remotely. Then there’s the PGI report that states that 82% of their telecommuters reported lower stress levels. Improved quality of life – check. Less stress from the commute – check. Flexible work hours – check. Lower stress levels – check. So many benefits, that’s probably why employers have given their employees the option to keep working from home.
By now, you should already have the essential tools you need to be able to work from home. Unlike at the beginning of the pandemic when we had to go through hoops to secure company-issued laptops or have our personal laptops installed with tighter security checking tools. Here are 4 must-haves for successfully working from home.
Desktop or Laptop
The most basic need for working from home is a computing machine so this is a must have. Get a reliable one if you don’t yet have one by now. A desktop is better if you’re in it for the long haul.
A task management system
You can use the old whiteboard method or better yet, use a digital system. Your company probably uses one already (Wrike, Trello, Asana, etc.) Just make sure you have a way to track your tasks. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself overwhelmed and just trying to put out fires
A place to work
While the kitchen table is a perfectly good spot to work, you’re going to have to carve out space for a permanent home office. It doesn’t have to be fancy but should be enough space to hold a work desk and a comfy chair. If you live with other people, having a work area will signal that when you are in this zone, you are not to be disturbed (if only it were that easy with kids!)
A good pair of headphones
If you can afford it, get the noise-canceling ones. And get the “plug-and-play” ones, so you don’t have to tinker with ports and settings, and other whatnots. Most of your work from home life will be video conferences and collaboration calls, so a nice pair of professional headsets will reduce those “hello, can you hear me?” moments.
What are your work from home essentials? We’d love to know what your favorite tools are. Share them with us in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!
Written by Jaie O. TheHelp