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5 biggest challenges of working from home according to new survey
The practice of working from home has numerous benefits, such as eradicating the commute and stopping you from missing all-important parcel deliveries, but the phenomenon has also given rise to several challenges.
These obstacles have been highlighted in a survey conducted by Buffer in partnership with Nomad List and Remote OK and were here to examine five of the biggest struggles remote workers face and highlight some of the ways that we, being part of a remote company ourselves, have tried to overcome them.
5. Difficulties with collaboration and communication | 17% found this to be a challenge
Clear and effective communication between employees is one of the most important aspects of any organization and thankfully, the advent of video-conferencing apps like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype and all the rest, means that holding meetings from anywhere in the world is, for the most part, a breeze.
That is until youre faced with an unreliable internet connection or technical issues arise with your microphone.
Unlike in an office, accessing in-person tech support is not possible when working from home and having an internet connection that refuses to cooperate means asking for help on a work messaging app such as Slack is also a non-starter.
In these instances, its important to have alternative means of communication set up, such as having phone numbers for line managers or tech support, so that there is a way to ask for assistance should anything go wrong.
4. Working across time zones | 21%
In the connected world of the 21st century, companies regularly have employees from all over the world and it can often be a struggle to communicate effectively over different time zones.
To combat this, try to ensure that there is a crossover period between shifts to allow employees in different parts of the world to be available for calls and messages at the same time.
3. Difficulty focusing and staying motivated | 21%
A problem faced by more than 20% of remote workers is finding it difficult to stay focused and motivated when working at home on your own where there are no other people around and there is no manager looming over your shoulder to check on your progress.
In cases like this, it can be very easy to find yourself scrolling through social media, being distracted by delivery drivers at the door or children who are off school during the summer.
Removing distractions, such as leaving your phone in another room or putting it on Do Not Disturb to block out notifications and finding a quiet room to work in if you live in a busy house, are a great way of helping you to concentrate.
But one of the best ways this writer has found to help stay focused is through the Pomodoro working technique which helps to break up your day and gives you time to take a break where you can check your messages or grab a drink.
This is done by dedicating 25 minutes to working solidly before giving yourself a five-minute break. Carry out four sets of 25 minutes before then giving yourself a slightly longer break of around 20 minutes – if your work schedule allows, of course.
- REMOTE WORKING: My top 5 tips to avoid feeling lonely when working from home
2. Loneliness | 24%
The second most common issue that remote workers face is loneliness as it can be incredibly difficult to spend so much time on your own with only the glow of a computer screen for company.
Setting up calls with colleagues to have a brief catch-up is a great way to combat this. They dont even have to be work-related. A quick 10-minute call where you talk about what TV shows youve been watching can be a perfect way to break the silence of working on your own and help bond with your colleagues.
Finding a way of working around other people can be a huge help as well, whether thats through working in the same room as another person at home or finding a coffee shop or shared workspace you can go to.
This also relates to the previous point about staying focused, too. If someone around you is tapping away on a keyboard, it can often help you to stay focused on your own work. Alternatively, playing a Study/Work With Me video or office sounds on YouTube can be a great way of kicking your brain into gear as well.
Two initiatives weve set up at GRV Media to combat loneliness include a shared Spotify playlist as well as a Movie of the Month group. In the first instance, we all select a song or two each week which helps to spark a conversation with colleagues about our different music tastes while the second works similarly to a book club, where one of us will choose a movie for everyone to watch before we then have a discussion about it.
1. Not being able to unplug | 25%
And finally, the biggest challenge facing remote workers according to the survey from Buffer is not being able to unplug from work as a whopping 25% of respondents felt this to be an issue.
Its not hard to see why either as its very easy to work a little longer to finish a task, especially if youve been delayed by distractions earlier in the day. This is never good as it means work can bleed over into your personal time and potentially lead to burnout in the long run.
To combat this, try to set boundaries and clock off work at the time youre supposed to or try to arrange an activity for the evening, such as going to the gym or meeting with friends at a certain time to give yourself a hard deadline to finish work by.
It can also be difficult to switch off from your job if you work in the same room you relax in, whether thats in your bedroom or the corner of your living room. Having a dedicated room at home to work in can be a great solution as you can leave any work-related issues alone when you clock off for the evening.
Buffer’s survey also found that 20% of people felt they were working more, as it’s a similar issue to not being able to unplug, we’ve combined that figure into this entry on our list.
