5 golden rules for successful hybrid working - The following tips will help you as an employee to establish a regular, hybrid working day.
First of all, plan the work you want to do in your home office. Activities that require a high level of concentration and creativity are particularly suitable for this.
Working from home: Preferably complete larger tasks that take a long time. This is because you can think in peace and undisturbed in this workspace, making the home office an efficiency booster. Pack routine tasks into fixed time slots and don't let yourself be terrorized by these time wasters, even close your email program for two to three hours - your work efficiency will thank you.
In the office: You should consciously use your time for social interaction. Make sure you have the small and important hallway and coffee corner conversations to stay present and relevant with your colleagues. The network within an organization is the key to your success and helps you to complete your tasks effectively within the team.
The big advantage of working from home is that you can organize your working hours freely, depending on your job and your employer's availability requirements. For example, you can do the first part early in the morning and have lunch with your family. Allow yourself breaks or a change of pace, especially if your work is top-heavy, it is easy to get "lost" and a walk to the coffee machine or 15 minutes of watering flowers in the garden can help to loosen the "knot in your head".
Depending on how intensively your work needs to be coordinated with a team, you should inform your teammates transparently about your work location and availability, show your work location in the calendar. It's about performance and not about time "served".
Set up a workstation at home that is well equipped in the same way as your office workstation. We recommend a large screen with a universal docking station and a fast internet connection.
Audio and video: A good camera and headphones are also part of the equipment needed to work successfully and effectively as a hybrid. Most video telephony systems today allow flexible and individualized background images. Use this feature if you don't want to give away too much privacy. Sometimes, however, the real background scenery also creates a pleasant closeness to the conversation partners.
Printer: Despite the paperless office, it is still worth buying a printer. You can save on the scanner, as there are already plenty of excellent apps for your smartphone that perform this function perfectly.
Home office or co-working: Treat yourself to a little luxury and the necessary isolation from your immediate family environment. If this is not possible at home, it is advisable to find a co-working location where you can work effectively and perhaps in an inspiring environment. Make sure that your workplace supports you in your work and does not hinder you.
What is practiced in the offline working world also applies in the home office. This is why personal as well as team or company-wide rituals are important anchors in the working world.
Personal:
Before starting work from home, behave as you would if you were going to the office. Drink coffee, get dressed, do your hair ... This will help you to switch to work mode in your head.
Team: If you frequently work from home, organize virtual meetings. This could include, for example, a virtual coffee klatch or an after-work beer at a fixed time. Grab a drink and catch up with your work colleagues via an online conference. The first few times this will feel a little awkward, but soon the virtual after-work beer will also become a sociable exchange. Working from home will inevitably mean that you meet your colleagues less frequently. However, informal interaction is important for your well-being.
Flexible working requires a management culture that is characterized by trust and not control. If working from home has been newly introduced in your company, it helps to arrange regular feedback on the status of work, especially at the beginning. You can use the latest communication and collaboration tools for this.
Studies show that employees who work from home tend to work too much. This can lead to overload with the known consequences of burnout. The following two recommendations can help to maintain a healthy balance:
Take personal responsibility and have the courage to do something private in between. Remember your surroundings by marking this time as absent in your calendar.
Do you still need help or have questions? Then get in touch with us.