How Designers Group Is Dealing With WFH Phase - 2
Ar. Khozema Chitalwala, Principal Architect & Designer, Designers Group, 0
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust maximum of the world’s population into an unforeseen scenario that is work from home (WFH). Over the past couple of months, there has been a dynamic alter in workspace culture with the sudden uptick in remote working and the shift of the working populace to home offices rather than one close door studio. Therefore, the corporate sector has been facing multiple challenges in managing the teams, keeping aside the inclination towards profit. The business heads of companies had to make the best of the current situation while trying to deliver results on strict schedules.
Khozema has also been trying to maintain a perennial approach of communication and problem solving with his employees to manage deliverables and deadlines. With a lack of structure and constant distractions coupled with the personnel obstructions has resulted in a significant compilation of work in phase 1. The pandemic fatigue has also had adverse effects on the employees, resulting in low productivity, anxiety, and stress for workers.
Since the remote working trend is here to stay with us now, as a significant portion of employees are expected to remain in this setting post-COVID as well the employers have a responsibility to consider the exper
ience of their workers that are most affected by work from home burnout and to create an inclusive remote culture that can benefit their entire organization.
Following are some steps that Designers Group is taking in order to Protect its Employees from Burnout during and after the Pandemic in Phase 2:
1.Check-in with the Employees:Not all employees are upfront to discuss their problems with the management. It is the employers’ responsibility to comprehend their requirements and how they’re doing. Culminating an inclusive remote culture starts with hearing out all employees and making fair and appropriate accommodations for them. The simple act of communicating can relieve ambiguity and anxiety.
2.Offer Flexible Work when Possible:Certain companies insist their employees to continue being on computers during regular work hours. The management at Designers Group believes that, “While some tasks and decisions need to be completed synchronously, leaders should consider if all the work at hand needs to happen this way”. Allowing for some asynchronous collaboration grants employees the flexibility to manage other responsibilities as well (as most of them currently are). Flexibility can bring both sanity and comfort. It can also become a competitive advantage for an organization.
3.Off Time & Mental Breaks:Rotating meetings between times at the convenience(and inconvenience) of every individual can also help. While working from home may make it seem like employees are always available, recovery time in these tough times is also important and employees must get to schedule time to be ‘off’. Taking breaks and switching tasks not only recharges energy, but also induces skills like creative thinking and problem solving.
The pandemic has followed us into 2021, and remote work is expected to remain a norm both during and after the pandemic world. Employers increasingly have the responsibility to ensure their employees’ well being and take proactive steps to make operational changes. We can build better organi zations by paying attention to those workers most susceptible to pandemic fatigue and burnout.
Following are some steps that Designers Group is taking in order to Protect its Employees from Burnout during and after the Pandemic in Phase 2:
1.Check-in with the Employees:Not all employees are upfront to discuss their problems with the management. It is the employers’ responsibility to comprehend their requirements and how they’re doing. Culminating an inclusive remote culture starts with hearing out all employees and making fair and appropriate accommodations for them. The simple act of communicating can relieve ambiguity and anxiety.
2.Offer Flexible Work when Possible:Certain companies insist their employees to continue being on computers during regular work hours. The management at Designers Group believes that, “While some tasks and decisions need to be completed synchronously, leaders should consider if all the work at hand needs to happen this way”. Allowing for some asynchronous collaboration grants employees the flexibility to manage other responsibilities as well (as most of them currently are). Flexibility can bring both sanity and comfort. It can also become a competitive advantage for an organization.
3.Off Time & Mental Breaks:Rotating meetings between times at the convenience(and inconvenience) of every individual can also help. While working from home may make it seem like employees are always available, recovery time in these tough times is also important and employees must get to schedule time to be ‘off’. Taking breaks and switching tasks not only recharges energy, but also induces skills like creative thinking and problem solving.
The pandemic has followed us into 2021, and remote work is expected to remain a norm both during and after the pandemic world. Employers increasingly have the responsibility to ensure their employees’ well being and take proactive steps to make operational changes. We can build better organi zations by paying attention to those workers most susceptible to pandemic fatigue and burnout.