Building A Successful Work From Home Solution
- February 10, 2023
- by: Yousuf Karodia
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, more of us are working remotely than ever before. According to Cisco Global Hybrid Work Report, 86% of South African employees believed that hybrid and remote working had benefited all facets of their well-being, with that total being above the 78% worldwide average.
It’s interesting to observe that more than two-thirds (70.3%) of Gen-Z’s (born between 1997 and 2010) stated that working remotely increased the quality of their work, compared to 49% of Baby Boomers (born between 1948 and 1964) who preferred to work in an office, which is an interesting distinction between these working demographics.
Many of us now live in a fast-paced society with little time to spend with family. At Surgo, our work-from-home solution has proved that more than 70% of our employees love working from home, with more than 80% saying that they have a work and home-life balance that they use to spend time with family and friends.
This working model also had benefits on Surgo’s mental and physical well-being:
• More than 50% of Surgo’s employees said that they are more productive when working from home.
• Just over 52% of Surgo’s employees felt, a work-from-home solution enhanced their emotional well-being and made them resilient in their jobs.
• Surgo employees also expressed that they exercise more when working remotely, while a few mentioned that their physical fitness had improved.In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, more of us are working remotely than ever before. According to Cisco Global Hybrid Work Report, 86% of South African employees believed that hybrid and remote working had benefited all facets of their well-being, with that total being above the 78% worldwide average. It’s interesting to observe that more than two-thirds (70.3%) of Gen-Z’s (born between 1997 and 2010) stated that working remotely increased the quality of their work, compared to 49% of Baby Boomers (born between 1948 and 1964) who preferred to work in an office, which is an interesting distinction between these working demographics. Many of us now live in a fast-paced society with little time to spend with family. At Surgo, our work-from-home solution has proved that more than 70% of our employees love working from home, with more than 80% saying that they have a work and home-life balance that they use to spend time with family and friends. This working model also had benefits on Surgo’s mental and physical well-being:
• More than 50% of Surgo’s employees said that they are more productive when working from home.
• Just over 52% of Surgo’s employees felt, a work-from-home solution enhanced their emotional well-being and made them resilient in their jobs.
• Surgo employees also expressed that they exercise more when working remotely, while a few mentioned that their physical fitness had improved.Commented [MC1]: I would add the reference of the years here as well i.e from what year to what year makes you a Baby BoomerCommented [EM2R1]: I just added the years. Thank you for indicating that to me.
Although the stats show a positive reaction towards working remotely, a business’s HR policies need to be tailored to ensure the success of a work-from-home solution.
Information security is a top priority, especially in an uncontrolled environment such as working from home. Our HR and IT professionals have set up policies, processes, and systems that secures the business and minimize risks in terms of data security which ensures our ISO-27001 compliance. We also monitor company equipment to track digital activity which not only ensures that the correct processes are followed but also identifies areas of improvement and potential risk.
Although we need HR policies to ensure the success of a work-from-home solution we also need trust between employers and employees.
The Cisco Global Hybrid Work Report, also indicates that managing and maintaining high levels of trust will be critical for businesses to manage as they grow hybrid-working arrangements. Even though 70.5% of those surveyed feel that their employer trusts them to be productive when working remotely, a far lower statistic applies regarding trust among colleagues, averaging 58.9%. More than 90% of Surgo’s employees said that they feel trusted by their managers and team leaders.
When there is uncertainty trust may be lost. Employers should provide detailed instructions on what remote work should entail. Trust is imperative for remote teams to work well together; without proper communication, that trust diminishes. Employers should train employees to communicate effectively to build trust in a remote work environment. Humans are social creatures, and research shows that trust begins with honesty and accountability. To ensure honesty and accountability is practiced amongst employees, clear communication lines need to be established. Management must effectively communicate responsibilities to their teams. Since remote work environments make it more difficult to read emotions and make connections, the extra effort of building human connections will go a long waytoward building trust. Everyone needs to communicate proficiently to keep abreast of projects and upcoming events remotely.
