In 2020, most of the UK workforce was given the ultimatum, work from home or don’t work at all. As a result, the work-from-home culture took off.
After being forced into this position, companies quickly learnt that they could, for the most part, achieve the same productivity from their employees without having to pay such large overheads for huge offices that could house every employee.
Instead, bosses across the country started giving their employees the opportunity to embrace this newfound flexibility, with many moving to a hybrid approach and some deciding to go fully remote.
However, while there are many benefits of this new way of life, such as saving money for companies and greater flexibility for employees, there are some drawbacks too.
For example, those who do work fully remotely lack face-to-face interaction, which can lead to feelings of isolation. This makes networking and building connections that bit more difficult.
In this article, we’ll address the importance of staying connected, even for those who are working from home, and how you can do it.
Leveraging tech
The one thing that’s made working from home possible at all is technology, and it’s that technology that you can use to your advantage.
Video chat tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet enable you to chat face-to-face with anyone. That way, you can schedule essential meetings, social catch-ups or networking events from the comfort of your own home.
One way you could make the most of this tool is to organise virtual co-working sessions where your colleagues or industry peers can work together on a video call. Not only can this encourage collaboration, but it’ll also help you build relationships and enjoy social interactions.
Maintaining connections and morale
It’s one thing to ensure important meetings and decisions are made face-to-face (even if it is virtual), but one thing you shouldn’t let slip by the wayside is encouraging non-work-related hangouts and interactions.
Perhaps suggest organising a purely social coffee break, game night or happy hour to help remote colleagues foster those essential bonds.
And, if you want to form even better relationships with colleagues, you could recommend celebration evenings to mark birthdays, work anniversaries or achievements such as promotions.
Networking beyond your team
It’s not just your team who you need to foster relationships with, if you want to succeed in business you’ll also need to network beyond your team. Try joining relevant industry groups on social media (like LinkedIn or Slack) to broaden your professional connections.
And, when you’ve found the right community for you, participate in online events or webinars to meet like-minded professionals and expand your knowledge.
You’ll also want to maintain these new connections by utilising the messaging function on social media platforms; just a few messages to keep in contact can really strengthen these bonds.
Setting up your home workspace
Don’t underestimate the influence the space you work in has on your productivity and mood, and consequently your relationships.
Focus on setting up a comfortable, distraction-free office space that allows you to really get into the zone when it comes to being productive and building your connections while working from home.
You should also consider investing in good audio-visual equipment, such as headphones, webcams, Wi-Fi or microphones, that can ensure clear communication during any virtual meet-ups.
Combating loneliness and burnout
Unfortunately, burnout is something that can happen regardless of your job, but when you’re working from home, you can throw loneliness into the mix.
Those who work from home sometimes get to the end of the working day and realise they haven’t spoken to anyone, particularly if they haven’t had any meetings. And, while some people enjoy being left to their own devices, you can have too much of a good thing.
To combat the problem consider scheduling regular calls with friends, family or colleagues to maintain a sense of community. Or, if you know someone else who works from home, consider working together – even if you work for different companies.
And, don’t forget to set boundaries. Sometimes, working at home can blur the lines between work time and relaxing time. So, make sure you have a designated ‘end-of-work’ routine to signify breaks or the end of the day.
Further reading
How to manage time and productivity when you’re working from home
