Across the world, workers have had to rapidly adapt to the home working lifestyle. Despite the recent changes in the English government advice regarding working from home, the benefits of this method of working mean that a flexible, hybrid work structure will remain a reality for many employees in 2022. It is without a doubt, however, that organisations have been gravitating towards new methods of working for some time now. The recent 4-day work trial in the UK stems from a similar trial conducted in Iceland that was labelled as an “overwhelming success”. According to Gudmundur Haraldsson, a researcher at Alda, "The Icelandic shorter working week journey tells us that not only is it possible to work less in modern times, but that progressive change is possible too”. These bold new ways of working are undoubtedly created with the intention to increase employee wellbeing and productivity. Despite trials such as the Icelandic 4-day work week being seen as a success, home working has posed certain issues for organisations. The remote work model offers many apparent advantages, from flexible working schedules to increased productivity. However, home working has presented several challenges for organisations such as employee loneliness and burnout. Unacknowledged challenges can have damaging consequences for an organisation if left unaddressed.

The Negative Effects of Home Working

A study by Nuffield Health revealed the 80% of employees feel that working from home has had a negative impact on their mental health. Here are some of the reasons why:

Staff feeling isolated - those working from home may feel disconnected from their colleagues and organisation as a whole that an office environment typically allows.
Difficulty monitoring progress – managing home worker’s performance and progress can become limited without clear lines of communication.
Lack of motivation – without regular check-ins, or being in a working environment, those working from home may suffer from a lack of motivation.
Lack of routine – in a typical day prior to home working you wake up, shower, get ready, drive to work. Remote working means that employees could even work from their bed if they want to. It is difficult to decipher a routine in your personal space and to separate the work-life balance. This lack of work-life balance is exactly what the 4-day work week trial is trying to avoid: employee well-being is increased when there is a clear distinction between work and homelife.

The pandemic has given employers, who may not have otherwise opted for a home working structure, the opportunity to see how this works within their organisation. Many organisations are now opting for a hybrid working approach, namely, enabling employees to work from different locations: home, on the go, the office. Though this may deflect some of the negative effects of home working, ensuring systems are in place for your workforce working from home are fundamental for employee wellbeing.

How can Organisations Tackle the Challenges of Remote Working?

This month we celebrate the International Day of Education. On 24th January, UNESCO will be celebrating the theme “Changing Course, Transforming Education”. In light of this period of transformation in education, and with the world’s shift in working protocols, we have seen an increased demand for organisations to implement new systems to keep staff informed remotely. At the heart of education is presenting information in a way that is clear, consistent and easy to retain. Implementing a bespoke online learning management system to ensure a clear line of communication is one of the ways that organisations can tackle the challenges they face when communicating remotely. The transition of education from in-person teaching to online has highlighted a number of benefits of having an e-learning LMS as part of organisation’s approach to communication when working remotely. For example, organisations that use e-learning often see an increase in workforce productivity, quality, retention, safety, and compliance. Resolution Digital’s team of expert software developers and video producers believe that a bespoke e-learning system, tailored to each organisation, gives a sense of unity within a team, allowing employees and to stay connected and supported to their team. Not only do Bespoke E-Learning systems save money and time compared to instructor-led training, they:

Ensure consistency and standardisation
Fit employee’s flexible home-working lifestyle
Guarantee a risk-free environment for your employees
Provide employees, and managers, with timely feedback
Improve information retention
Reduce emissions from transport to in-person training

Bespoke software solutions that are made to match a company’s unique branding, values, and protocols are just one of the digital solutions that can help your workforce feel more supported. Information distributed remotely is often in the form of a PDF document that is frequently overlooked. We believe in the strength of video-based e-learning as one of the most effective ways of communicating with staff remotely. Personable and easier to digest, by putting a voice to the information, essential training done remotely is more accessible, inviting, and effective. What’s more, using a green screen studio to record your e-learning means that information can be easily adjusted in accordance with up-to-date information. As the world progresses in terms of work and education, we look forward to helping organisations adapt to progressive change. If you’re thinking about implementing a bespoke software system, don’t hesitate to get in touch.