Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out. If effort is being put in, does the location of the effort really matter? This is something that recently has been a huge topic of debate.
When covid-19 hit, multiple companies shut down their on-site locations and decided to work from home. This decision resonated with more people than expected. Since going back into the office, there has been a dip in applications throughout multiple industries. This decrease is because individuals are enjoying a bit of freedom & flexibility. People found it was easier to balance their work/home/family life situations. Two brief examples of this would be, for those with children in school. By working from home, it is easier to take early or late lunch breaks to be able to do drop offs or pickups. The other example would be for those in Western New York that would much rather avoid the commute in wintry weather, snowstorms, and sloppy roads.
From a company standpoint, by employees having more freedom and flexibility to work in their comfort zone, studies have shown that an individual can accomplish more from home because there are less distractions around them, less opportunities to chat with co-workers and that individuals are more driven to prove themselves because their boss is not on-site to witness all their hard work. Many in the workforce want their bosses to appreciate all they do for a company and want to show that in qualitative figures. Even if they do not accept it, a study showed that over 98% of workers want the option to be able to work from home even if it is just in a hybrid scenario.
On the flip side, there is a negative stigma that goes with working from home. Employees feel they need to be present and accessible 24/7. When on the clock, absolutely this is the case, however, other than checking for occasional time sensitive material, companies should not expect their employees to put in more hours than they would in the office, unless compensated for it. As an employer you do not want to cause burn out among your staff which is becoming a common trend for the current generation.
Here at Selective Staffing Solutions, although we are here in office, we have incorporated popular remote techniques into our everyday practice. One way we do this is by leaning into technology, where companies used Zoom to conduct meetings during covid-19, we use Zoom as a way of conducting initial interviews with candidates. Although it is something small, it is something that keeps us more productive and accessible. In the words of Sean Gerety, “The technology you use impresses no one, the experience you create with it is everything.”
