Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction
Keeping in light the current circumstances of a pandemic outbreak throughout the world, millions of businesses worldwide have been forced to let go of their regular office working environments and set up a remote workforce to put in the same amount of work, just from their homes. Many companies throughout the world like Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon have set up their workers to work from home, while smaller companies are also starting to get into it and setting policies accordingly.
Working from home is not a foreign concept, and work from home jobs have been around for a long time.
However, many companies are not set up to be efficient remotely. The transition will prove to be difficult for them, but with the following guide, it can be made easy, so the same amount of output is seen as working from a regular office environment.
Whether it’s working from home or working from an office, work is work, and if the needed input is given, the results will surely be just as well. Working from home or working from an office should not pose much of a difference, as long as the environment you create for yourself is to your full potential and lets you put in your hundred percent efforts.
Work from home jobs have their benefits and may seem daunting at the start, but they’re not! We can teach you the ins and outs of a home-based job and help you master them fully to produce the most successful results!
Chapter 2: The Basics Of Working From Home
Working from home was never a reality for many of us. While working from home has become quite common in the new age of technology, some people still either prefer working from offices or their jobs do not allow them to be able to work from home. However, currently, a lot of us have found ourselves forced to work from home.
Since most of us have no prior experience in working from home, there are some basics which should be followed to make working from home easy and functional.
Make a Schedule
While most of us may have the flexibility of setting our timetable for working from home, it is better to stick to a schedule we’re used to, or our employers recommend. To not increase already existing stress, your schedule does not have to be binding. Rearrange it according to what suits you best, if you keep getting a considerable amount of work done.
Set a Working Space
Most of us don’t already have an existing home office to work from. But a make-shift space can be made. You need to have a quiet and peaceful space to work from. All you need is a table, a chair, a laptop with a working internet connection, office supplies, and you’re good to go!
Have Reliable Electronics and Internet Connection
Since you will be the connection between you and your company, and will likely need to communicate with them often, having a reliable phone, computer and internet connection is essential for you. Your working space should have an outlet and a backup electricity supply in case you run out of battery or charging. Make sure you also have a backup internet supply in case your internet is down, such as data on your mobile phone.
Dress Accordingly
No one will see you while you work, but dressing appropriately will put you in the right frame of mind and will increase your productivity levels. This does not mean dressing up into formal clothing like you would for a regular office, but changing out of pajamas into at least day clothes can be a start.
While you don’t technically need to do this, it can help demarcate your time from your work time and make it easy to follow a schedule and stay up to date.
Communicate
While, not having to see your boss or co-workers everyday sounds like a good idea, keeping them out of the loop though may not be. If you are working remotely, communication with your employer and colleagues is essential. Stay in touch with them via email, instant messaging, or programs that allow you to work simultaneously with your colleagues on shared documents. Stay within reach via phone and emails, and check-in with your boss or co-workers if you have confusions any time along the way.
Don’t Get Distracted
Working from home may seem easy, but it can be difficult to keep yourself focused if you’re constantly faced with distractions such as the doorbell ringing or your family talking in the background. Keep your workspace relatively distraction-free. Consider getting noise-cancellation headphones or use other methods of soundproofing. If you live with a family or roommates, let them know that you are not to be disturbed at this time.
Avoid Extra-Curricular Activities During Work Times
If there are some household tasks or chores you are required to be tending to while you’re at home, schedule them according to your working timetable so that you don’t need to use your ‘office hours’ for household tasks.
You need to be disciplined and able to manage time efficiently.
Avoid taking breaks for cleaning or cooking and schedule time for them later, so they don’t pose a distraction while you work from home.
Keep Your Mind Fresh
Working from home can over time become quite lonely and claustrophobic, especially when you’re stuck in a routine and can’t leave your house often. Some ways to keep yourself from falling into the monotony is to keep your mind fresh. Try to set up your working space near a window, so you can have a view of the outside while you work. If you’re not lucky enough for that, keeping an indoor plant near your worktable is fairly low-maintenance and can have a positive effect. Keep yourself well hydrated and have healthy snacks in the middle to keep your energy levels up.
These are just a handful of small essentials you need to make working from home a wholesome and positive experience.
Choosing the best environment for yourself and optimizing it according to your needs is the secret to having a successful home office.
Chapter 2: How To Transition From A Traditional 9 to 5 In-Person Job To A Home-Based Job
There are lots of reasons why people transition from a regular 9-5 job that requires you to sit in an office to a home-based office where you don’t have the constant threat of looking busy in case your boss walks in. Statistics say that people working from home are happier than their counterparts. Of course, happiness is easier to achieve when you work on your own rules.
However, if you have been accustomed to a 9-5 on-site job, you may find transitioning to a home-based job quite difficult. But fret not; we have a few tips for you to make the transition easier for you.
Organize Your Data
Transitioning from an office-based job to a home-based job will not be easy, and the first step you should be covering is to organize all your data and files. Because of being physically apart, your employees or colleagues will need simpler access to files and data that may be under your attention or being handled by you. To provide all necessary information to them promptly will be essential.
Using cloud-based storage where you can keep everything updated and within reach of everyone else working with you will prove to be important. Programs such as Google Drive and Dropbox must become your go-to applications for keeping everyone up to date.
Re-think Your Methods of Communication
Since you will have less face-to-face interaction with your employer, employees, or colleagues, you will need to have access to an easy form of communication that can be done remotely.
While trying to save money, a lot of internet-based applications will let you make phone calls and video calls locally and globally, such as WhatsApp, FaceTime, Zoom, and Skype, to name a few.
If calls are not required, communication can also be continuously made through emails and instant messaging.
Of course, communication in an office-based environment is different from home-based jobs, but it can still stay efficient through other mediums.
Keep Everyone Working
Perhaps the most difficult part of transitioning from an office-based job to a home-based job is how you keep a check on your co-workers or employees and see if they’re staying on task and are working the required amount. This seems difficult as it is in an office environment, and can become ever harder while working from home.
Getting rid of the 9-5 schedule can make this easier than then assessment of how much work is being done can be done based on project deadlines, so your employees can work at their convenience, don’t need constant checking up and keep getting work done.
Perhaps you can reward your employees for results, so they keep achieving them. You can keep track of the amount of work being put in through software like Trello, Toggl and Tick, to name a few.
Remove Security Risks
With a team spread out and everyone working from different locations, security risks may fast become a concern considering everyone will be working on separate computers and from different networks.
Keeping them secure should be made a priority, and you can do so by taking a few essential steps.
Everyone should be updating their passwords regularly, and the passwords chosen must be well secure. Have individual employee devices encrypted for data and emails?
Make use of Virtual Private Network (VPN) for remote network access, which can keep most of your online activity encrypted. Company laptops set up to already be secure can perhaps be the best option.
Don’t let Organizational Culture End
With everyone working from different locations, the previous company culture that your company may have had will probably not be very easy to maintain. However, having a company culture is not everything. Some teams do find it easier to work without having to meet each other constantly.
A successful team is one that can work with each other from anywhere, treat each other with respect, and get work done efficiently.
However, that does not mean you don’t have to see each other’s faces at all. You can very well keep the organizational culture alive through meetings such as monthly meetings, holiday parties or any other form of get-together, so you don’t forget how your colleagues look.
Making use of regular video conferences and meetings over Zoom or other programs to go over plans and tasks can also play its part in keeping the company culture living.
Going through the transition may not seem easy initially if you have never worked remotely before. Still, there are lots of examples worldwide of remotely working companies and organizations that have proven themselves to be quite successful.
While the thought of transitioning may seem daunting, if you follow the basic protocols, you too can make it a success for yourself!
Chapter 4: The Pros Of Working From Home
Over the last few years, whether willingly or unwillingly, a lot of workers and employees have been forced to work from home.
Working from home may not be everyone’s cup of tea; but it may be a good decision for many.
Here we have listed some pros of working from home, and if you go through them, maybe you will rethink your contempt towards it.
Independence
Working from home is not just sitting in a comfortable environment and working according to your own rules. It also helps massively in strengthening your focus, concentration, self-reliance, motivation, and confidence.
With no one else breathing down your neck, you are the only one keeping yourself in check, and how you manage your time and get work done as needed is an important life skill.
You Create Your Own Schedule
You can make your schedule according to your work ethic. If you can’t work continuously for hours, you can give yourself refreshment breaks in the middle to keep your energy levels up.
You will need to make still sure that all your work is being done, but you can have more flexibility.
Keeping a certain amount of ‘office hours’ is still essential, but you can divide them; however, you like and set it according to your most productive hours, be it morning or night. Simply put, you can work with a schedule you’re comfortable with.
A Comfortable Environment
Probably, for many of you, your office’s cramped cubicle, glaring white lights and broken coffee machine is not the ideal environment to work in. One of the pros of working from home is to be able to create a comfortable working environment for you.
You can choose a spot you like, maybe by a large window or somewhere on the patio.
You can choose your comfortable chair and can even set up the noise levels and the temperature to however you like it to be! No more nosy co-workers and boss intruding in your space.
Dress However You Want
While staying productive, it is recommended to at least change out of pajamas even if you’re working just from home, but it is not needed to wear a crisp ironed dress shirt or khakis anymore! You can wear regular day clothes that you find the most comfortable, as there’s going to be no threat of anyone seeing you in it while you work.
Just make sure if you’re attending a meeting on video conference, you’re dressed appropriately, at least from the waist up even if you’re wearing no pants under!
You're Going To Save Money
Working from home will come with a major benefit for you: you no longer must commute from your home to the office! No commuting can itself help you save a lot of money. While you will also have to no longer pay for other expenses such as expensive lunch, which is not an option if you’re working in an office.
You can prepare food at home and have it when you’re hungry, saving yourself a considerable amount of money every month. Your home office expenses can also be written off on your taxes.
More Work Can Actually Get Done
While it is a common misconception that working from home is often not as efficient as working from an office, this is not true at all. When you work from home, you can be more productive than the regular office worker. First off, you don’t waste time commuting to and from the office every day.
You also can set your schedule according to your most productive hours in a day, and no longer must take one hour in the morning at the office to bring yourself into the working mode. You are free from office interruptions and are relatively more stress-free and can put in more work.
You Get More Time With Family And Friends
With working from home, you will be wasting less time commuting to and from from work, which means that time can be substituted spending with your family. Your schedule will also have relative flexibility, which means you can spend time with your friends and family more often if you can shift things around a bit. Perhaps, attending events will also become easier for you if your work was keeping you from them before. Your pets will also surely enjoy you being at home more often!
While working from home may have its cons as well, we like to believe; the pros outweigh them severely. Working from home may be a difficult decision to make for many, but surely one you will not regret in the long run! Working from home, whether was your choice or not, you can surely make the most of it.
Chapter 5: Crucial Things To Note About Homeworking Jobs
Whether you have already started working from home or are considering working from home, some prerequisites need to be fulfilled for your home-based job to be successful.
Working from home has a lot of benefits, such as no commuting, flexible schedule, and home comfort, but some challenges need to be met.
Homeworking jobs are no walk in the park, and there are some crucial things to know about it before you consider transitioning from an office-based job to a home-based job.
The job should be legal.
Your city or the area where you live may have imposed some restrictions on people trying to start a business from their homes. A lot of jobs require meetings with a lot of clients, and if you think a lot of clients will be coming to your house for meetings, it may pose a problem if your city or homeowners do not allow it. So, make sure it is legal in your municipality for you to pursue it.
You will have to put in more time than you think.
It is a common misconception that working from home would mean that you will have to work less because no one is watching over you. This is not true; however, as employees working from home put in more hours than employees working from offices.
A recent study showed that 73% of remote workers were putting in more work than required, compared to 68.5% of employees who were working in offices.
Also, without a traditional office environment and having the advantage of no clocking out time, remote workers generally tend to overwork if they lose track of time.
Technical difficulties will slow you down at some point.
It is a fact that you will have to face technical difficulties while you’re working in an office-based job, but if you are remote working, you will have to get accustomed to having to face more technical challenges than the former. While you’re working at home, technical aid may not be as readily available as you’d wish. Some programs also set up restrictions for those trying to access them out of an office environment. Thus, all data may not be available to you on-hand.
So, make sure you know about all restricted programs before you decide to work from home. Internet and power failures may also pose to be a problem if you don’t have any backups for them.
Taxes may not apply to you as you would hope.
Working from home means that you will probably be taxed differently than before.
You can either be an employee working under someone from home, or a freelancer, and you will need to fulfill certain criteria to be able to subtract home office or business expenses from your taxes.
The office space that you have set up to work from must be used regularly and only for business and must be used for your administrative duties and where you keep your books and records for appointments and supplies you require. Before you set up your home office, consulting a tax professional is advisable, so you know the exact ins and outs on how to pay your taxes.
Balancing work and family will not be easy.
While you’re trying to balance working from home and maintaining time with your family under the same roof, setting boundaries may become difficult. Working in an office removes the responsibility from your head to have to balance it yourself as it balances it for you, but working from home means you’ll have to set your schedule accordingly. Some days you will need to give more of your time to your work, and on some days, you will have to give more of your time to your family.
Getting all your work done and giving your family the required attention is up to you. Make sure your family knows when not to interrupt you, and make sure you also know when to stop working.
You will have to face more distractions than you expect.
Having no one checking up on you while you work may seem like a blessing, but having to keep a constant check on yourself is not as easy as it seems.
Social Media, chores and general activities around the house may call for your attention more often while working from a home-based office, and to stay focused is entirely your job.
Chapter 6: Steps To Setting Up An Effective Work From Home Policy
Working from home is not uncommon anymore, and more and more people are widely accepting remote working over on-site working. While it has become quite the norm for many companies and businesses, formal policies to manage and monitor the process are not as commonly made by employers as one would hope.
Most companies hiring remote workers don’t have policies regarding it, which can ultimately lead to confusion. Here are a few steps to setting up an effective work from the home policy:
1. Outline Roles Eligible for Working from Home
Though remote working may seem like a good option and prove to be more effective in the long run, not every employee is cut out to be a remote worker. Some employees require supervision and cannot work independently. Remote workers need to be disciplined, self-reliant and self-motivated.
Thus, the remote workers you choose to work from home should be suitable and fit the category. They would not require being physically present at the office and must be well-equipped and well-versed with technology to be able to carry out the job efficiently from home.
2. Define The Purpose
The policy you are setting up should have a definite purpose, which must be clearly stated to your employees. It should be defined in terms of a document and what the opportunity of working from home will benefit in the future.
The policy should improve the experience for your employees at the company and should be in touch with what you believe in. Convey to them properly what role the policy will be playing in the company and how it will be used.
3. Clearly Establish Expectations
All remote workers should have it made clear to them what is expected from them by the company. Expectations will generally include the amount of time the employees will be working per day and how they will communicate with the rest of the company.
They should be kept up to date with all meetings and should make themselves present in all of them at times they’re needed.
Make the expectations clear and what quality of output is expected from remote workers. Tell them how they should perform, so they keep meeting the expectations that are required from them.
4. Define How Employees Can Request To Work From Home
Layout the process through which your employees can apply to choose to work from home as an option. Decide whether they need to be putting in a formal request to make it happen or whether they can directly talk about it to their manager.
Also, make it clear whether the employee should be considered eligible before they can request the option of remote working and what would make them eligible. Make the steps and route of application clear to your employees, so they know what needs to be done if they wish to have their request accepted.
5. State Equipment and Technology Requirements That You Will Provide
Depending on what job is required by your remote worker, you may need to provide them with some equipment and technology to fulfill it, considering they might not have them at their homes.
Some specific technologies your workers may need to include software, internet speed, computers, and broadband. Make it clear beforehand whether you will be providing them to your workers, or whether they will have to make the arrangements for themselves beforehand. Also, outline the procedure with which technological difficulties will be met with.
6. Guarantee Digital Security
Digital security is a common concern amongst employees working from home. If employees are using their equipment connected to the company’s network, they may accidentally introduce viruses to it. Likewise, even if they’re using the company’s equipment, they may download files or apps accompanied by viruses.
Hence, a company’s IT team should ensure that the required need for protection is provided beforehand to remote workers, such as encryption, anti-viruses, firewalls, and any other form of protection. Protection should be guaranteed on devices and servers.
7. State Exactly What Expenses You Cover
Working from home may not be as cheap an option as most would think. Working from home comes with the expenses of making a home office, getting a higher broadband or internet connection package, phone usage, electricity, and other utilities.
Before hiring your remote employees, make it clear to them which of the expenses will be covered by the company, or if they will be provided with a form of an allowance to cover such expenses.
A work from the home policy may cover any prerequisites you think will be useful to your company or your employees, if all aspects of working from home are being covered by it. An effective work from home policy will make the experience better for everyone.
Conclusion
Working from home can be both rewarding and frustrating, sometimes, at the same time.
While your social circle shrinks dramatically, your expenses also shrink. And while you are more comfortable at home, many of us can slip into bad habits quickly without realizing it. Habits that danger our health – physically or emotionally or even mentally.
If you decide to work from home, you’ll save money and get to spend more time with your family. Just remember to do a monthly check-in with yourself… and be honest! Do you need a larger social circle? Do you need to force yourself to go outside once a day? Are you saving money by eating healthily at home, or are you indulging too often in delivery?
It’s a learning curve and it’ll take you some time to get it all down, but you will!
