5 Focus Strategies for Remote Workers

Remote working isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Since the pandemic forced companies to adapt their working styles to adhere to the strict conditions of lockdown, once we returned to normalcy, many employers opted to keep a remote or hybrid approach to work.

However, there have always been productivity concerns – especially from employers – around those employees who do work from home either full- or part-time. And there is some weight behind this concern; the Stanford analysis, which pooled the results of multiple studies, found a 10-20% reduction in productivity amongst those employees working from home.

There are many reasons for this, ranging from childcare demands, household duties, or simply just the ability to remain focused in an environment which was previously considered the antithesis of the workplace. As remote and hybrid working continues to remain popular amongst employees, it can be a great idea for employers who may be noticing a dip in productivity to promote some focus strategies for those working from home:

1. Create a Dedicated Workspace – when working from home, encourage employees to try utilizing a private space to operate from where possible. Whether this be a spare room, their own bedroom, or a different room in their home, it’s good to be able to have physical boundaries in place to distinguish to themselves and others they live with that in this space they are ‘at work’. This can also help prevent the lines between ‘work’ and ‘home’ from blurring too greatly, as it compartmentalizes these two things.
2. Don’t be Afraid to be Flexible – a great tip employers can promote is this idea of asynchronous work. When working from home, employees can be more flexible with their approach to their working hours (albeit within reason of being available for scheduled meetings and so on). This can help chunk the workday when operating remotely, allowing for time to tend to those distractions that may pop up when in the house.
3. Encourage Goal Setting – help employees stay on track by promoting short- and long-term goal setting. This enables tasks to be broken down into smaller, manageable chunks which can reduce the likelihood of procrastination and instead boost motivation.
4. Set Boundaries with Others – employees may be working from home with others in their home, such as a partner or roommates. Either way, the notion of working from home can sometimes be mistaken for ‘being at home’, mistakenly implying you are readily accessible for a chat or a task whenever needed. To avoid this, it’s important for staff to set boundaries with those they share a home workspace with, setting expectations by communicating that during these hours, they are unavailable as they will be working.
5. Foster Connections – 23% of remote workers reported to be suffering from loneliness. Whilst remote work has been received well overall, there are pros and cons to everything, and one major drawback of working remotely for some is the lack of social connection and camaraderie that it offers. This isolation can result in a lack of motivation, which has a domino effect on wellbeing and productivity. Employers can therefore encourage team collaboration through regular virtual meetings, peer check-ins, or accountability partnerships, as feeling connected to colleagues can help to increase engagement and focus and ward off those feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Working from home offers incredible flexibility and convenience, but it also demands intentional strategies to stay focused and productive. By promoting these tips and providing the right resources, employers can empower their remote employees to thrive.

If you would like to discuss how we can help implement these strategies, please get in touch with us today!