Are you looking for a Remote and Hybrid Working expert to help you:
- Transition into the new normal.
- Build more synergy with your remote teams.
- Maintain and foster corporate culture.
- Work more effectively and productively from home.
I’ve been a Flexible & Remote Working Implementation Consultant since 2003.
Email: marilyn@tranceformationstm.com
Potential Challenges of Remote Working
Many discovered during the pandemic that remote working and working from home is more than just being at home at working. There are practical considerations, the psychological impact, mental health aspect, and productivity issues. There's also the conversation about hybrid working as the world opens up. If you have struggled with any of these factors, get in touch and read on.
I have also shared a few starter tips.
The Perils of Working From Home
When I first started remote working and working from home in 2003, I set up a few rules and parameters. They are simple yet powerful, and my consultancy clients have found them to be invaluable. I'm sure they have saved many a marriage and and helped hundreds of people over the years save their sanity and maintain a sense of work like balance even when working from home.
Challenges with working from home include:
- What I call the Groundhog Day Syndrome where each day blends into one.
- The inability to switch off after work.
- Difficulty getting into work mode.
- Issues with productivity or the lack thereof.
- Problems with the social and/or family dynamics.
- Losing connection, cohesion and communication with the team.
One of the reasons for having clear plans and a Remote Working Policy and Strategy is to nip these issues in the bud, or resolve them if you or your staff have already fallen into that trap.
Quick Tip #1 – Get Dressed
If you have gotten into the habit of working in lounge wear when you work and are struggling to remain focused and energised, get dressed for work. I’m not talking full suit and tie or blouse and skirt, but choose a work piece which is comfortable to wear, and feels like a power move. For those of who have been around long enough you may remember the 1980s ‘power suit.’ The underlying concept is real and can serve you greatly when changing your state and physiology when working from home.
What Is a Flexible Working Implementation Consultant?
This means going into organisations to design and implement smart, remote, and flexible working policy and strategy and covering everything from re-prioritising work, designing new workflows, writing remote working policy and corporate guidance, designing work packages, working with architects, designers, and ergonomic specialists to redesign office spaces, through to scoping and procurement of technology solutions, designing and delivering management and staff briefings, training sessions, and workshops, and offering Executive Coaching to support the psychology and mindset of transitioning to new ways of working.
If you need help, are looking for further clarity, or struggling to create strategies and new ways of working that work, get in touch with Marilyn Devonish.
How to Get Ready for Hybrid Working
It is a complex set of variables, including the human, technological and strategic.
On a human level, key issues include how to create real connection in remote settings, which is entirely possible; as one of my private clients put it:
"It has been really fantastic. It has gone into great depth and I thought I would miss the live room but this is very good." (This feedback from a Webinar Workshop participant who attended the in-person version of the Practitioner Insider Secrets Workshop 2 years prior).
On a technological level it require both efficient and conscious use of technology.
On a strategic level, workflow planning is essential.
Quick Tip #2 – Project Plan
The seeming ease of being at home and working, or doing some tasks online, others offline, and the ease of access to technology often lulls organisations into thinking that no strategic or planning is necessary. I have found the opposite to be true. Treat remote and hybrid working as you would a project, because it is.
Online Working & Technology Experience
I have also been working with clients online for the past 15 years, starting with telephone and Teleseminars, then moving into the Webinar and Virtual Training space in 2016. I also support clients in transitioning their product offerings from off to online.
When used well, technology is a fantastic enabler for the times we find ourselves in. When used badly it can add to our sense of stress and take over.
Mental Health Support
In terms of mindset and the psychology of working from home, I have been a Coach and Multi-Disciplinary Therapist for the past 20 years. I am also a Mental Health First Aid Trainer, which involves going into organisations to train their staff to be Mental Health First Aiders.
Many who didn’t pay much attention to their mental health before the pandemic and were always “go go go” have found it coming more to the fore with the prolonged isolation. Now more than ever it is important to prioritise mental health both for yourself and your employees if you manage a team.
I having been a Coach and Multi-Disciplinary Therapist since October 2000, so if you are in need of mindset strategies, I have hundreds of them! They are all simple yet powerful and easy to implement.
Quick Tip #3 – Breathe
One thing I suggest is starting your day or reset throughout the day with a simple breathing exercise. With my clients I teach a Huna Breath technique, you can however start with intentional breathing for 30-60 seconds.
Mental Health First Aid Training
If the mental health of your staff is challenged, meeting your KPIs and targets puts an extra strain on the organisation.
It helps to have both a high level and detailed view.
Quick Tip #4 – Do a Mental Health Check In
Check in with staff. Don’t reply on group chats or an ‘informal Friday’ approach because unless you already have a solid and supportive organisational structure, staff can be reluctant to speak up. Instead schedule one-to-one time, and have some form of escalation or sign post plan in place should issues arise.
To book a bespoke corporate Mental Health First Aid Training, or join an open course send Marilyn and email. The MHFA Certification courses are currently run online and can accommodate up to 20 people online.
A Wealth of Practical Expertise
I rarely go around calling myself an expert, but having worked in this field for the past 18 years, well before anyone was even thinking about these approaches, I would say I am!
If you or an organisation you know is looking for an expert in navigating the ‘new normal’ get in touch.
Marilyn Devonish
Flexible Working Implementation Consultant, The NeuroSuccess Coach & Mental Health First Aid Trainer
Contact Marilyn Devonish
Email: marilyn@tranceformationstm.com
Therapy and Mental Health Website: https://www.tranceformationstm.com
eLearning Site: https://tranceformationstm.newzenler.com
(New) Flexible Working Website: https://flexibleworking.brizy.site/
Marilyn Devonish Online Resume: Click Here
Book a Remote Working Strategy Session
Remote Working Consultancy Session: https://bookme.name/marilyndevonish/remote-working-quick-start-consultancy-session
Remote Working Strategy Session: https://bookme.name/marilyndevonish/remote-working-strategy-session
Sessions take place by telephone, Skype, Facetime, or my Online Meeting Room. Marilyn Devonish has been working with clients around the world online since 2005, so all processes are tried and tested, rather than developed in reaction to the lockdown and pandemic.