With the onset of COVID-19, professionals are working virtually at a global scale. Not only has it affected the goals and turnover of most companies, but it has also left employees in a state of conundrum and uncertainty. To top that, the challenges of working virtually are making things harder for both the employer and employees.
Here are some common challenges that most people face when working virtually and relevant solutions.
1. The Inability to Balance Personal and Professional Life
With no set hours at home, you might find it difficult to balance your personal and professional life. At times, you just don’t know when to stop. Some individuals even end up working during the weekends, thereby resulting in a poor work-life balance. It can affect your personal relationships and social life.
How to Resolve: Set official working hours at home. Create a separate space or home office where your family cannot disturb you. Step inside at the designated time and leave after working for a fixed number of hours. When your time is up, do not look back and spend the rest of your time with your family.
2. Poor Time Management and Productivity
At home, you are free to work as per your schedule, which can ruin your entire working pattern. Some days, you may start work after lunch due to laziness, and you may end up working late till night. In a way, it has resulted in a lack of productivity and concentration in most individuals.
How to Resolve: As mentioned, prepare a fixed schedule and abide by it. Set an alarm to wake up at a designated time. To resolve productivity, you can try creating an environment that closely resembles your office. Request your employer to give you a piece of their office equipment that made working easier for you. It can be your standing desk, comfortable ergonomic chair, or the keyboard on your desk.
3. Lack of Team Communication
This is one of the biggest challenges that most companies face due to the inability to meet their employees and coworkers in person. While video calls and virtual meetings do help at a certain extent, they are not always suffice to resolve issues. This, in turn, results in a lack of coordination and delays the project.
How to Resolve: If you are an employer, keep a track of each of your employee’s progress and note it down. Hold end-of-the day virtual meetings to know your current progress and set goals for the rest of the week. In case of any ambiguity, contact the concerned person at the earliest. Many artificial intelligence software developers also suggest getting a team-based app that will help you track your goals and progress. With time, such apps are becoming increasingly popular.
4. Technical Issues
When working at the office, you don’t have to worry about issues with your tools or a weak Wifi connection. However, at home, such minor issues can pile up and cost you a lot of time. A lousy laptop and weak internet connection can put you in a state of frustration.
How to Resolve: If working on a tiny screen is uncomfortable, invest in a monitor to hook it up with your laptop. Get your Wifi connection checked or get a new connection. If needed, ask your employer to send a person from the technical team to visit your home and set up a reliable system.
5. Lots of Distractions
Despite setting a schedule and abiding by it as much as possible, you may still get distracted when working from home. Your home is where you relax and be comfortable, which makes it difficult to work. Your bed, books, TV, etc. can be a major distraction that can affect your work.
How to Resolve: Find a space that is devoid of distractions. Stay away from your bed and TV and keep your books away. Invest in a pair of noise-canceling headphones to concentrate on your work. Set a few rules and abide by them.
6. Lack of Supervision and Guidance
Without dedicated supervision and feedback from your boss, your progress can get stagnant with time. Even if your employer is keeping a track of your progress using digital tools, there is always a lack of nuanced communication that affects the mentoring.
How to Resolve: Do not be afraid to ask as many questions as possible, especially if you are new at your job. Keep a dedicated tracker for your personal progress and report it to your boss to receive feedback. Take a few minutes before and after starting work to reflect on your daily goals and doubts.
Working virtually does pose a lot of threats that can affect the company’s and employees’ progress. However, with certain solutions in place, you can eradicate most of the issues with ease. More importantly, take advantage of the time saved from avoiding commute and settling in the office to work harder and smarter for your company’s progress.