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The COVID-19 pandemic forced most people to turn their homes into digital workplaces to keep their jobs. Working From Home (WFH) became so apparent that it would not be a one-off thing. Since then, people have come to accept that remote work might be the new norm. But, as I’m sure you have experienced firsthand, remote work has its fair share of perks and drawbacks. Many employees have quit their jobs during the pandemic, exhausted from overwork. The Employee Revolution highlights how people do not want to go back to the way things were. Read on to discover the ways remote work has changed our lives and how we can adapt to those changes.
Yes, there are positive things about getting to work inside all day. And I don’t mean that as an excuse to wear your pajamas all day! Remote work has led many people out of crowded cities to look for more affordable homes. As a result, Americans have flocked to places like Texas, where low home prices and job growth are high.
Working from home also encourages companies to be more flexible with their employees. By encouraging employees to work at their own pace and use schedules that best suit their needs, it encourages companies to focus on both productivity and mental health.
As you probably know by now, WFH is far from perfect. The pandemic has been raging for more than a year and doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. As a result, many people feel let down and depressed. For people in the 18-25 age range, a study by Making Caring Common reported that 61% of the young adults who took the survey had high levels of loneliness. In addition, many people have fallen into anxiety and depression over a new lack of in-person communication.
A “creativity crisis” from a lack of interpersonal communication with peers has also occurred. Since not all of your colleagues are there to give feedback to you collectively, it results in teammates working on a project adding their thoughts on what might work the best without much consultation.
Remote work also requires many employees to have less balance between their work lives and their personal lives. As more people begin to work from home, cybercrimes have also risen over the past year. Many small businesses that allow their employees to work remotely rely on faulty Wi-Fi networks rather than stable cloud networks to do most of their work. As a result, a 4,000% jump in cybersecurity attacks has led to many small businesses losing money, data, and other assets.
So can you successfully adapt to a virtual working environment? Yes, yes, you can! Here are a few ways to help ease you into the transition.
First of all, the pandemic has uprooted our very understanding of what it means to be successful in the workforce. Pre-COVID, many believed that the key to success was to aim to be “recession-proof.” So people should try seeking out jobs in industries that still offer decent pay in economic recessions. However, people in these “recession-proof” positions are still losing their jobs during the pandemic. Instead, people should focus on working in jobs that give them valuable skills to help them stay marketable. So even if they don’t get a “recession-proof” position, they still have the skills to apply for several others.
For example, there is an increasing number of positions open for jobs in tech-based industries like cybersecurity. Many cybersecurity jobs need little experience, so anyone wanting to apply can start right away. It doesn’t matter what your current profession is either. You could still try to apply for a part-time position even if you’re anything from an accountant, a comedian, or even work in garbage disposal. As long as you’re getting the skills you need to stay current in the job market; you should take advantage of opportunities like this.
Creating a reliable schedule to keep track of upcoming company meetings or events can help you stay on track. You can also text your co-workers on apps like Slack to share your work on projects or have casual conversations when appropriate.
It’s now that remote workspaces are accepted as the new norm as more people become virtual nomads. It’s vital to adapt to these recent changes and develop valuable skills to get a job in any job field that interests you. The Employee Revolution is here, and it’s going all-in on virtual workspaces. Be sure to check out even more blogs like this one on our website!
Have a Super Day!