Covid-19: Ushering a New Era of Work Culture

 

Dynamics of Work from Home
By- Syed Athesham, HR Head, Impact Public Relations

The world is undergoing huge transformation in view of global outbreak of Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) which has so far taken heavy toll on human lives. Never before, the world faced a pandemic of such unprecedented magnitude. It has pushed the entire world on the brink of a social and economic uncertainty. Global economy has slowed down and stock markets have crashed. Businesses across industries are witnessing direct impact and will continue to do so in the times of uncertainty.  Though, the government is taking immediate measures to control this outbreak, however the battle seems to be a very long drawn. It is a fact now that Covid-19 would usher a new era of work culture. NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant has termed this phase as Industrial Revolution 4.0 and he anticipates that Work from Home (WFH) would accelerate this revolution.

Industry wise, there has been a substantial impact on IT & ITES. In fact, sectors which have been dealingdirectly with customers and end-clients are at a receiving end at this point of time. In order to run the operations and keeping employees’ safety in mind, several companies and organizations have opted for WFH which is currently the only way to sustain and ensure day- to- day operations. 

COVID-19 has also impacted work culture across the global immensely, with multiple countries opting for complete lockdown. WFH has emerged as a viable option to run businesses and operations. Its efficacy is yet to be proven in a broader perspective. It is still debatable whether WFH is going to prove as productive as people working in offices? As an HR professional, my answer would be- Yes. But it will take some time for the people to sync with this new era of WFH. Family of employees would be getting use to ‘you’ being at home and working for five-days a week for 8 hours a day. Employee will need time to prioritise their work first and then to deal with domestic chores. It is widely admitted that there would be more positive outcomes of WFH and negatives can be taken care of while moving ahead with the new arrangement.  Kulpreet Freddy Vesuna, Founder & MD of Impact Public Relations Pvt Ltd, feels that ‘productivity of all her employees have gone up while working from home.

All good things fall in place if it is driven by discipline and consistency
Here are few pointers, if followed, would help you to be more productive while Working From Home:
    • Stick to your usual routine, which you have been following when you use to go to office. For example  getting up at the same time in morning, doing your usually activity, ready to leave for office
    • Find a cosy conner in your house, where you can sit and work with minimal disturbance
    • The time you have been spending on commuting/travelling to office – Utilize that time for exercise/meditation/spiritual activity/playing with kids or pets. The crux of the story is that it should make you feel happy and make your mind calm. There is no better way to begin a day or work with zeal and happy mind
    •  Wear work cloths.Wearing work clothes can send a signal that you’re working and shouldn’t be disturbed
    • The first 15 minutes of your workday sets the tone for the rest of your workday. So plan accordingly
    • Communication is the key – effective communication is required throughout
    • Try and add value to your output and deliveries 
    • Be open- minded. Since face to face interaction will be much less, the person on the other side might take your words in an inappropriate manner. Hence be open-minded and explain
    • Try to have more of video interaction with colleagues than telephonic – it will give you a better feel
    • Welcome suggestions – The world is going through this phase for the first time hence all the suggestions with regard to making WFH affective would be welcome.
    • Ensure to have your favourite food, deserts, and beverages throughout the day – Be Happy
    • Feel good and be the game changer
    • Learn to trust. Irrespective of the levels, employees should trust each other and their seniors

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