According to the World Bank's latest Global Economic Prospects report, the global economy is stepping into a noticeable slowdown after a strong rebound in 2021 amid new threats from COVID-19 variants and a spike in inflation, debt, and income inequality that could jeopardize the recovery in emerging and developing economies. 

As a result, global GDP is predicted to slow significantly from 5.5% in 2021 to 4.1% in 2022 and 3.2% in 2023 as pent-up demand fades and fiscal and monetary assistance is removed globally.

Read the full article at: groww.in

Hybrid work is a big departure from the traditional work model. But what exactly is hybrid work—and how has it changed over time? 

Hybrid work has transformed the way we think about work. It’s a flexible, modern way of working that’s been swarming around the working world for years. Yet, despite being popular with so many companies worldwide, hybrid work isn’t one-size-fits-all. Instead, it comes in different forms for different businesses and their employees. In this post, we’ll explore what a hybrid work model is, including how you can transition to one smoothly.

Read the full article at: envoy.com

The Traditional work environment vs Work from Home Environment?
The work environment continues to evolve, change, and adapt according to the times and the workforce landscape. Traditionally, employee workplaces have consisted of company-designated office spaces structured by a specific function or department. The traditional workspace design was intended to create consistent performance, maintain professionalism, and increase employee collaboration to achieve company goals. In a traditional setting, employees are easily able to build relationships and establish connections within their teams when working together in one location or building. The traditional office space has helped employees to remain engaged, productive, and thriving in the work environment.

The introduction of the virtual or work from home option has disrupted the 21stcentury workplace. According to a Gallup:

“43% of U.S. employees work remotely some or all of the time...show remote workers are more productive and profitable than in-house employees.”

The virtual work or work from home environment is a new frontier shaping the workplace. Employees are faced with increasing challenges to adjust and remain productive in a geographically dispersed workforce.

There are three ways to remain productive when transitioning to a work from home environment:

1. Create a balanced office structure
2. Evaluate and monitor performance
3. Maintain engagement and communication with your team

How do you create a balanced office structure?
Creating a balanced office structure is important to staying productive in a work from home setting. The work from home option often lacks organization and order. The benefit of working from home is the ability to create your own structure and workspace. It is important to create an office environment that you can easily remain motivated to perform well. Plan by arranging your office space to help you feel relaxed while working from home. Furnish your office with comfortable furniture, provide essential ergonomic office equipment and construct a pleasant setting to work in for 8 hours a day. In your virtual space, you may need your furniture arranged to have a view of a natural landscape, picturesque scene instead of a blank or gloomy wall. Delineate the workspace from your home environment to eliminate frequent interruptions and establish a boundary between business obligations and your personal life. Come prepared to start each day with a positive mindset to minimize distractions to your workflow. Your positivity will influence innovation and creativity. Incorporate an aspect of accountability into your office structure by implementing a daily schedule. The daily schedule will help with establishing a routine. Keeping a routine will help with creating a balanced structure and sustain the performance that you had prior to working from home.

How do you evaluate and monitor performance to stay productive?
Another way to remain productive is to continuously evaluate and monitor your performance. Remain focused on your individual and team goals by dedicating sufficient time to important tasks and staying abreast of deadlines. Schedule meetings with your manager to clarify performance expectations, update your goal status and check completed milestones. Your results are the best leading measurement of your performance.

How do you maintain engagement and communication with the team to stay productive?
Working from home often creates a feeling of isolation for employees. Employees lose the ability to have frequent interaction and engagement in comparison to staff in a traditional office environment. The Buffer State of the Remote Worker Report said that:

"20% of remote workers have stated a feeling of loneliness when working from home.”

As a work from home employee, you must make the effort to build relationships virtually with your team through frequent communication and collaboration. Make use of your company's internal communication channels like Slack and Video Conferencing to remain connected to your team. Plan ad-hoc virtual breaks or team-building exercises to boost employee morale and connectivity to the team. You’re not alone because you simply work from home. So, resist the urge to work in a silo. Always ask for help when needed and offer to support your team when you can. Using a team-based approach is best to maintain engagement with your team members and manager and create an inclusive culture.

Cozy clothes all day. No commute. Freedom to do house chores while on a conference call.

Ahhh the joys of working from home…

What started as a short-term leave from the office has transformed into an entire workforce transition. Remote work has been on the rise, with a peak of 62% of employed US adults working part or full time from the confines of their home. But remote work isn’t the only thing that has been on the rise... Burnout is hitting an all time high. More than two thirds, or 69%, of employees are experiencing burnout symptoms while working from home, and this influx is impacting both business productivity as well as the overall health of the workforce.

If you think burnout just means being exhausted from your job, think again… Burnout is known to cause a litany of physical and mental conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and even death.
With remote work, which socially isolates people, there is an added component to consider: loneliness. Research demonstrates that while obesity reduces longevity by 20%, drinking by 30%, and smoking by 50%, loneliness takes the cake, reducing life expectancy by a whopping 70%. It’s safe to say that practicing self-awareness and establishing a healthy work from home lifestyle could be what keeps you safe for the long term.

While this data may be difficult to digest, there are strategies to nip remote-work burnout in the bud before it gets too bad. I have outlined three of the main causes of burnout while working from home, along with ways to remediate them so you can get back on track with growing your career.

1. Inability To Disconnect

The alarm goes off and you start checking email in bed. You sit on a conference call through lunch and end up working on a report late into the evening. Your laptop has become an extension of yourself, always by your side. Sound familiar?

All of this connection at home means more hours logged at work. On average, employees have reported working three more hours per day since working remotely due to Covid-19. That 15 hours a week… almost another part-time job. Too much of a good thing can be bad, particularly if it’s your work.

This increase in work hours and shift in setting are causing some pretty profound social and personal struggles. An ASU research paper described the importance of transitioning from “home you” to “work you” as a result of boundary-crossing activities. This means “work you” would put on work clothes, make your coffee and commute to work. Experiencing these physical and social indicators of a change created an established boundary between the two aspects of your life. While it feels cozy and convenient to skip these activities, maintaining these habits is critical for well-being and work engagement.

 

Preventative Measure: Live As Though You Are In An Office

First, it’s key is to find a balance in your work space at home. Begin by implementing office hours, silencing notifications and activating an out-of-office response outside of predetermined time blocks. This way, no matter if you’re out running an errand, or winding down from the day on the couch, you (and your clients or co-workers) know that your office is closed for business. If possible, create a block of hours that you can consistently work within, and be sure to communicate this up front with staff and customers to avert any surprises.

Next, consider skipping the jammie workdays and put on a nice blouse; data shows that what you wear actually changes the way you think and improves your abstract thinking capabilities. Instead of driving into the office, go for a walk outside while you listen to the podcast or new station you’d typically enjoy while driving to work. This isn’t only good for creating that work-office divide; getting fresh air to the lungs increases oxygen levels in your brain to boost energy and improve concentration and memory. Once you finish your show, enter the front door of your home as though you are walking into your office.

At the end of the day, you need to establish boundaries for yourself and commit to honoring them. When someone tries to push back and schedule a late-night meeting, don’t be afraid to stand in your values: “I am unavailable during this time. How does [insert alternative date(s) and time(s)] work for you?” There is no need to explain yourself and dive into the details; keep it straightforward and simple. These are the hours you work. End of story.

 

2. Lacking Workplace Inspiration

Are you dragging your feet to hop on conference calls? Has your inbox begun to fill up, while your desire to respond diminishes? Often, when we’re feeling burned out at work, we suddenly want to do everything… except for work.

This isn’t simply an emotional response; the chronic stress that results in burnout actually changes the anatomy and functioning of the brain. These changes overwhelm one’s cognitive skill (ability to think, learn, reason and pay attention) and neuroendocrine systems (which releases serotonin and adrenaline). Living in a heightened state of stress spark our brains to switch into “survival mode,” impairing ambition and responsibility.

 

Preventative Measure: Take Creative Initiative

When you begin to ignore messages, procrastinate on projects or find yourself avoiding work altogether, take a moment to consider what got you jazzed up about your career in the first place. Ask yourself: What excites you most during the day?

From here, set a plan in place to implement this aspect of your work back into your life. If you loved presenting your work at quarterly meetings, ask to host a virtual session with your team. If you loved researching possible solutions or new products, carve out time to do this. Before you jump on email and get buried in the day-to-day workload, make time for this. Block an hour on your calendar every morning for an “inspiration session” where you work on what you love most completely uninterrupted.

If you aren’t sure what sparks your inspiration at work or where your greatest strengths lie, spend time defining this. When I work with new clients, I often have them take a few personality tests to identify what they do best and see where their natural gifts and talents lie. Check out the following tests:

• Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment: Uncovers your “talent DNA,” or your top strengths, which explains the way you naturally think, feel and behave.
• Myers-Briggs, or 16Personalities: Indicates your psychological preferences in how you perceive the world and make decisions. The results highlight how you work best with others and maintain relationships, and it even provides career paths to consider.
• Enneagram: A personality assessment that identifies your strengths, weaknesses and how you exist while living in a place of strength versus weakness.
  You control your career. It’s time to take pride in holding ownership over what you do best, and find joy in doing so.

 

3. A Supportive Environment Is Missing

Working without others can be a blessing and a curse. You no longer have to deal with co-workers “dropping by your desk to ask a question” or navigating out of lingering conversations in the hallway after a meeting ends. But now, those instances almost feel like a distant dream you miss. Instead, you’re alone, all day long.

If things go south at work, a project budget gets cut, co-workers are laid off or your manager isn’t the best at leading remotely, being socially isolated leads you to suddenly feel as if you have no one to turn to for support. According to Steve Cole, the director of the Social Genomics Core Laboratory at UCLA, losing a sense of community and connection changes a person’s perception of the world, leading one to feel threatened and distrusting of others and activate defense mechanisms.

When you work remotely and a problem arises, you’re alone in the isolation of your home office to cope with the impact and find a solution.

 

Preventative Measure: Communicate Your Concerns

Without the personal interactions on the office floor, it is more difficult for co-workers to notice subtle shifts in your behavior and address them with you. It is your responsibility to be aware of your behavior and speak to it with others. Concealing your concerns beneath a smile will only make them worse.

If you feel burnt out, communicate this tactfully to your boss or co-workers. And if the thought of this leads you to fear being let go, especially given the rate of layoffs and unemployment, consider addressing it in a forward-thinking tone: “I want to deepen my commitment in this role and would like to discuss with you ways to remain engaged and focused while working from home.” This comes across as though you are fully committed and want to do your best—then you can speak to what is and is not working for you in the current workplace climate.

There is a powerful link between social support in the workplace and reduced levels of burnout among employees. According to a UK study, the most important factor in workplace happiness is positive social relationships with co-workers. Just because you are no longer in the office, doesn’t mean you can’t maintain friendships remotely. Consider putting together a fun group call, or if Zoom fatigue is strong, set up a socially distanced meet-up in a park.

You are working independently, and that now means you are far more responsible for your career, and your health, than before. Begin to build a level of self-awareness around these warning signs of burnout and take preventative measures to stop burnout in its tracks.

You control your career; don’t let it control you.

We’re only four months into the new year, and 2020 will most likely be remembered as the year of the pandemic. The coronavirus is affecting the global economy, daily life and how and where you work.

Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend limiting large events and gatherings of more than 10 people. Many employers are taking heed by both grounding employees who frequently travel and instituting work-from-home policies for employees who typically work in a centralized business office.

While there is an increase in remote working due to this national emergency, remote work isn’t new. It has been gaining traction as employees increasingly demand greater flexibility with both their hours and working conditions. Five million employees, or 3.6% of the workplace, work from at home half of the time or more, according to Global Workplace Analytics. Regular work-at-home has grown 173% since 2005.

Even with its growing popularity, a sudden shift to working remotely can leave you feeling a bit uneasy. After all, if you’re accustomed to working in an office environment full time, the change to working from home can leave you feeling both excited and discombobulated!

Below are some helpful hints for the work-from-home novice, and some gentle reminders for those road warriors who suddenly find themselves longing for business upgrades.

 

1) Set boundaries. Work life has a certain cadence to it. You leave the house the same time every day, stop and grab a coffee and a muffin from the same café and arrive at your desk with enough time to send a text to your bestie or partner.

But now that you’re working from home, everyone seems to think your availability is greater and you have nothing to do. Time to set things straight.

It’s important to let people know that, even if you’re working from home, you are still working. You have the same goals and your boss is expecting the same results. Set boundaries around your availability by letting your friends and family know your working hours haven’t changed.

 

2) Get organized. Not everyone has a dedicated office, so finding workspace can be a challenge. While working at the kitchen table may not be ideal, you can make it work for the short term.

If you expect to be working remotely longer than the next eight weeks, it may make sense to convert a spare room to an office or to find a spot in the house you can use that will be less distracting. Move your charger station close to your workspace, find a comfortable chair and set your table up like you would a desk at the office.

Creating a dedicated, work-friendly space will help you separate your personal and work life and keep you feeling organized during this time of transition.

 

3) Embrace technology. Working from home has its benefits, like throwing a load of laundry in the wash at lunch or taking a quick walk around the block with your four-legged friend. But remote workers also tend to feel isolated, especially in the early stages of transitioning to working from home.

To prevent that feeling of loneliness, it is important to remain connected. The good news is many businesses already have tools in place like Zoom, Go to Webinar and Skype. These tools help to create a more intimate communication experience between workers and their colleagues and clients. 

For some workers, getting comfortable with the video features can be a little intimidating, but if you focus on the purpose of your communication instead of how you look, you’ll quickly find these tools bring the outside world in and any anxiety you felt about video communication will quickly subside.

A quick word to the road warriors who have been grounded: don’t despair. You’ll be earning hotel points and frequent flyer miles soon enough. Enjoy the extra hour or so in the morning normally set aside for getting to the airport and go for a walk, practice yoga or do an activity with your kids.

This crisis will end soon enough, and you’ll be longing for the green, green grass of home once again.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many organizations around the world to digitize their workforces. As the pandemic continues and remote work becomes the new norm for many organizations, leaders who fail to effectively transition into the digital realm may struggle. However, there are steps they can take to adopt the increasingly digital workspace and become digitally savvy leaders.

Read the full article at: innovationatwork.ieee.org

The Census Bureau reports that 36.9% of surveyed adults in the United States switched to remote work in some form, for at least part of their employment hours, during the pandemic. This shift to remote work affected so many and kicked off a number of changes to how we approach work and our daily lives. Some of these changes are here to stay and may even inspire trends for years to come.

Here are the top work from home trends to keep an eye on now and into the future.

Read the full article at: www.hp.com

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, both individuals and organizations have been going through trying times. Today, leaders are presented with new challenges as well as opportunities to strengthen their teams.

In 2020, with new norms emerging post-COVID-19, the world saw the rise of WFH culture. As with anything new, change is not so easy. New norms have added to the stress, affected team morale, and cohesion. Now, there are two major challenges for any leader, i.e. helping the team in making a smooth transition to the WFH model and taking care of their health and well being. So, if you are also facing this challenge, here’s are some tips using which you can support your team through a crisis.

Stay connected with your team

Interact with your team regularly to ensure that you establish ongoing communication where the team is updated on the company’s developments and their progress to keep them motivated and productive. A five-minute zoom call can keep your team focused and well-informed about their responsibilities.

Read the full article at: www.financialexpress.com

Well, I think it’s safe to say that it doesn’t look like COVID is going away anytime soon.

Our team has been working from home for just over four months now. It’s crazy to think about that, even as I type this.

I think we all feel the transition to remote life has been two fold – great in some ways, not great in others. Not having to commute is at the top of my list. Just getting those couple of hours back each day makes a huge difference in my overall happiness and work-life balance.

As far as the downsides go, I miss seeing my team each day. Yes, we see each other on Zoom calls, but it’s different when you get to each lunch together and casually chat about everyday life. But alas, we do what we have to do when a pandemic hits.

Having a good culture is the lifeblood of a company. For many millennials like myself, it’s a make-it or break-it when it comes to choosing where to work next.

But like taking care of a plant, you don’t put it in a pot, water it once, and call it good. You have to continue to nourish it for it to grow.

Because of this, we decided to get together a couple of weeks ago and discuss what it would look like to continue to invest in our remote working culture. We talked about what’s been going well, what hasn’t, and what could be improved moving forward.

I found this process to be extremely valuable and wanted to share it with you as an example you can take back to your organization.

To start, we went back to the basics. We focused heavily on our values and how our culture supports them. You may have seen these before, but at Heinz Marketing, our values are:

• Results-driven
• Generous
• Creative
• Curious
• Proactive
• Respectful

We strive to make sure everything we do revolves around these values, from our interactions with each other to our interactions with clients. We even have a tradition of “helmet stickers” (like in high school/college football) to call out accomplishments made by individuals on our team who model our values.

Next, we took a look at our best practices for internal communication. Obviously, when working from home, we aren’t able to turn our chair around to ask our neighbor a question. So we talked through how to go about asking quick questions, internal reviews of client deliverables, and methods for giving and receiving feedback. This got everyone on the same page, cleared up any confusion, and allowed us to establish a more concrete process. We were also able to agree to err on the side of over-communicating, versus under-communicating. For us, this included setting our status on Slack as “away” if we planned to be away from our computer for more than an hour, or “heads down” if we are preoccupied with a project and/or don’t have extra bandwidth.

Along with talking through our preferred communication styles, we also dug into our communication tools (primarily Slack and Zoom). In this process, we evaluated whether or not we were taking full advantage of the tools we use everyday and all they have to offer. This ended up being super beneficial, as we discovered a few features we hadn’t used previously that could make our lives easier. The one we were most surprised to find out was we can actually make 1:1 calls on Slack (you’re welcome).

Lastly, we discussed feelings around video calls. While we want to see each other regularly, we also wanted to be cognizant of times where we just don’t feel like being on video. This could be because we’re finishing up our lunch, or have already had quite a few video calls that day and are just tired. Being on video might not seem like work, but does require more energy to be “on” than simply being in a meeting in the office. We all agreed we would try to be on video as much as possible but be okay if not everyone is every single time.

In the end, the exercise of collaborating and talking through our company culture was promoting a good culture in it of itself. That’s the goal.

The gist of it is this: company culture doesn’t have to take a back seat just because we aren’t able to be together physically. We can and should continue investing in each other and promoting the environment we want to be working in.

Hopefully, you found some of these tips helpful as you continue to navigate working from home in these weird times. And let us know if you feel like there’s anything we missed! We’d love to hear from you.

With the sudden and ongoing shift to remote work for millions of American employees, many are starting to speculate that working from home (WFH) may be part of the “new normal” in a post-COVID world, even after the necessity of the work arrangement has passed.

 

This begs the question: Will the ability to work effectively from home become a job skill employers look for in their hiring process?

Working from Home as the New Normal

According to survey results published by Willis Towers Watson, roughly three-quarters of employers adjusted their workplaces in response to COVID-19; 53% report that their full-time employees are now WFH.

The Willis Towers Watson survey also found that employers expect two-thirds of their workforce to be working in person on-site full time in the post-COVID-19 world.

That’s certainly more than half, and it’s more than the 37% who are currently working on-site, but it’s a big dip from last year, when 87% were working in person.

Not All Employees Thrive in a WFH Environment

The logistical challenges of shifting significant proportions (or even all) of a company’s workforce to remote work are enough to make any manager cringe. But logistics are not the only challenge.

Some employees simply aren’t great at WFH, and many don’t even like the arrangement. According to a survey by Fishbowl, roughly 55% of respondents said they would choose WFH as their new normal. That’s more than half but certainly not an overwhelming majority. Even employees who prefer to WFH might lack some of the traits necessary to do so effectively.

Traits of Effective WFH Employees

So what exactly would comprise a WFH skill set? A few come to mind, such as independence, organization, time management, technical aptitude for telecommunications technologies, and the ability to develop and maintain strong relationships.

As WFH arrangements become less of an exception and more of a standard practice in many industries, these are the types of skills employers should consider looking for when hiring new staff.

It’s also a good idea to work on developing those skills where they might be lacking in existing staff—learning and development leaders can play an important role in this process.