3 minute read
Don’t Come Back To Work
Don’t come back to work. Instead, move forward in leading your company and managing your career by embracing remote work. Even though ghSMART has been remote-only for over 26 years, I never fully realized how enthusiastic I am about remote work until I heard that many companies are forcing workers to come back into offices.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, “work where you want” was a rare concept – but during the pandemic, basically every company that could function with people working remotely shifted to that mode out of necessity. I thought that mode would stick, and we’d see the landscape of cities shift from “places people go to work every day” to “places people go to work sometimes, eat, shop, learn and play.” But it seems I was wrong.
You would be VERY surprised how many of your current passwords may already be compromised and you have no idea. Contact us to set up a quick discovery call and demo some of these amazing affordable Cyber Tools. Trust us when we tell you this is something you cannot afford NOT to take action on. These tools and software simply work and they are month to month. No longer, commitments needed. Do not wait!! Call KRS IT TODAY!!!!!
There isn’t a great argument against the idea of remote work, but there is one for it. Remote work improves financial and operating performance and productivity for companies while also improving job and life satisfaction for employees. A 2015 Stanford University study published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics showed a 13% performance increase from remote working, and employee attrition rates fell by 50%.
Even with all of the research and information available that shows remote work is beneficial, there are still some myths floating around. For example, many say you can’t build a great company culture when your business operates remotely. This is entirely false. I think an excellent culture begins with doing what’s best for people. Making people commute to offices daily does not seem to be in anybody’s best interests.
Another common myth states that people don’t work as hard remotely as they do in an office. I believe that if you have a transparent culture where performance is measured, you can pay people according to the value they are creating. They will be incentivized to work productively and not lollygag –even if they are working remotely. But I guess many companies have not yet figured out how to pay employees based on a scorecard of measurable results and instead pay based on hours worked. They should be worried about lollygagging anyway, both in the office and for people who work remotely.
If you run or own a company, please continue to experiment with allowing your people to work remotely when possible. I believe this is the future of work, both because of the demonstrable benefits to companies in operating and financial performance and the benefits to workers due to having more control over their time.
Dr. Geoff Smart is chairman & founder of ghSMART, a leadership consulting firm that exists to help leaders amplify their positive impact on the world. Dr. Smart and his firm have published multiple bestsellers. He stays active in his community and has advised many government officials.
Working Remotely? Improve Your Work-Life Balance In 3 Steps
As many businesses continue to utilize remote workers, some employees are struggling to find a proper work-life balance. They constantly find themselves drawn back to their work after completing all tasks for the day, which takes away from their ability to enjoy hobbies or spend time with their families. Maintaining a proper work-life balance is beneficial to all aspects of our lives, including productivity and overall happiness. If you’re struggling to maintain your work-life balance, here are three ways to include more personal time in your daily routine.
Set Boundaries: Don’t allow yourself to be pulled back into work. Turn off your work phone and e-mail when your shift has ended for the day.
Create A Workspace: Do not work in the same areas you use for relaxation. This will make it more difficult to relax when you’ve finished working.
Dress Professionally: It might be tempting to wear sweatpants while working from home, but try to wear the same clothes you would wear if you had to go into an office. When the workday comes to a close, you can dress in more comfortable clothing, allowing you to easily unwind.
Is Your Workplace Becoming Toxic? Watch Out For
These Warning Signs!
Over the past year, the idea of toxic workplaces has garnered quite a lot of attention. No employee wants to work in a toxic workplace and no business owner wants to run one, but how do you know if your business is gradually becoming more toxic? Here are a few warning signs to watch out for.
Mass Turnover: Are employees quitting in droves? Do you know why? You should be holding exit interviews with the employees who are leaving to determine why they want to work elsewhere. Allow them to speak openly, and you’ll gain valuable insight.
Low Employee Morale: If your employees are not enthusiastic about their work or tend to work on individual tasks more often, you may have a morale problem. Hold a meeting with your team and allow them to speak freely to understand where the morale issue stems from.
Gossiping Employees: Are your employees talking negatively about each other or the business? If so, you must catch and correct it as soon as possible. Figure out why gossip has increased at your company and develop solutions to solve the root problem.
