While entire communities, cities, and countries, fall into full lockdowns because of the on-going pandemic, people are forced to leave their physical workstations and start getting used to working remotely. But there is a group of people who have been used to this work arrangement for quite some time now – the gig economy workers.
Gig economy workers are individuals who mostly work remotely, responding to outsourced tasks which keep organizations running smoothly. These workers are usually working through systems and apps operated online or in the cloud. While a huge part of the world’s population is in shock with the remote-working arrangement, the gig economy workers have all been in this working state for quite some time now. We look to them to understand how productivity at home can be achieved. What can you learn to maintain productivity at home?
- Set ground rules for yourself and people who may be occupying the same space
Creating a functioning workstation needs discipline. This is how the gig economy workers have thrived – by setting ground rules not just for themselves but for the people who may also be occupying the same space they’re working in. It may be their partners, their kids, their parents, or their roommates. It is important to set ground rules to ensure that there is a common understanding of how your workstation should function within “work hours”
- Know your “weapons”
Having the right tools to carry out your work is crucial. From a working laptop, a printer, an extra monitor, a keyboard, a mouse and even a mouse pad, knowing all the tools available for you to maintain productivity is important. Equally important is getting to know and having quick access to an IT expert. Whether you like it or not, unless you are an IT specialist yourself, you will need to know where to get IT services for work from home needs. When the voip phone for remote employees don’t work, whether you are the manager or the employee having difficulties making this work, you have to know who to contact and how to contact the IT support fast to get systems back up and running.
- There is no such thing as overcommunicating
When you work remotely, your means to communicate may be limited to a few online channels such as email, chats, and calls. There is no such thing as overcommunicating when you do not have the opportunity to interface in person, talk face-to-face, and get immediate, real-time response. Communicate clearly, but concisely. It is also important to remember that not everyone has the time to read 100 lengthy emails every day.
Working from home can be highly productive and rewarding as what we’ve seen from gig economy workers who have been maximizing this system and have been reaping the benefits. Know your support systems, especially the available it services for work from home needs. Talk to CMSIT today to learn how we can support you in keeping your work-from-home arrangement productive and efficient.
