Most of us work in an office, and the majority of these offices are situated in urban areas. But how do you feel about your workplace when you know that there is a potential risk (at least one case) of coronavirus being present? This virus has caused Britain’s second-largest outbreak on record.
The virus has led to a change in lifestyle for British employees as they try to stay safe from this potentially deadly virus. This blog post will show some of the ways in which coronavirus has changed the lifestyle of British employees, including both the good and bad. So, if you’re curious about the changes in lifestyle due to work from home in covid, this blog post is for you.
Positive outcomes of WFH during Covid in the UK:
- People maintained a healthy diet: People became conscious about their health during this outbreak and worked from home in covid. As a result, they were able to control their diet, which increased the chances of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- They were more productive: The work from home allowed them space and time to focus on tasks, which led to a better work product in general. It also allowed people to work at their own pace, which eventually led to greater work productivity.
- They could work in a healthy environment: Working from home during the coronavirus outbreak was conducive for individuals who have chronic diseases such as asthma, which limited their ability to work in public spaces due to potential risks of exposure. Moreover, this also allowed people with disabilities or other conditions that impeded their mobility but did not preclude them from working remotely.
- More knowledge was shared: Most of these businesses have employees who are scattered throughout the country or world; with WFH, there can be greater interaction between those people about how information is being collected for projects.
- They renowned their home-office spaces: People work from home to work on special projects and work that requires concentration. Hence, most of them tried to enhance their home-office space by turning the spare rooms into a garden office, adding a work desk, and adding bookshelves. But, on the other hand, some people went for a professional setup like workstations and work tables.
- They had better work-life balance: WFH employees were able to be present with their families and not work on weekends or during evenings; this increased work-life balance immensely. They also got to spend enough time with their families and work on special projects with their children.
- They became mindful about self-care: WFH employees were more mindful about their work-life balance and self-care. As a result, they tended to take personal leave rather than work over weekends or work during evenings. In addition, they took required breaks to work on themselves and improve their work performance.
- Learned different coping skills: WFH employees learned different coping strategies or workarounds to compensate for the limitations of their work. For example, they would take personal leave and work from home on weekends. They also re-prioritized tasks; this led to higher productivity rates at work.
Negative outcomes of work from home during Covid in the UK:
- Missing out on work opportunities: As a result of this outbreak, many people were not able to work the number of hours they would normally have. This led some individuals to miss out on potential work opportunities and promotions.
- Increased stress levels: Increased absenteeism also increased work pressure for their colleagues, leading to anxiety-related diseases such as diabetes and depression. The risk of developing these chronic conditions may be attributed to the lack of social support that is present when working remotely.
- Losses due to decreased output: Some experts believe that because workers are being forced into WFH, this is resulting in lost productivity at high rates- about 30%. In total, it is estimated that work-related stress has led to losses of about $500 million in the UK.
- Lower performance level and motivation: Research suggests that work from home can lead to lower levels of employee morale and decreased motivation. So, at certain times, people were less productive when they worked at home – even if they had more time than usual on hand because there are fewer distractions. This decrease in output led them towards feelings of work-related stress.
- Increased competition: This work-from-home arrangement caused people to work more slowly, on average. This led them to feel like they were competing with their colleagues for recognition and other rewards even if they weren’t actually working simultaneously or in connection with each other.
Tips on staying on track while working from home:
Although some offices have resumed, a majority of employees are still working from home, which makes it challenging to manage the schedule. As we saw, there were both good and bad outcomes of working from home, and of being on the safe side, it’s best to work in short bursts and have a set work schedule that you stick with.
If you are working from home, then here are tips that will help you work while still getting work done and staying on track:
- Manage your day: Have a set time for work, including breaks. Set your break times to be about an hour in length so that you can get up and stretch after specific intervals. This will not only allow you to work longer, but it’ll also make sure the blood is flowing properly.
Bring work to the kitchen or living room and balance work while also enjoying your downtime! This is a great way to create a schedule that fits into your lifestyle better, so it’s not as difficult on yourself when working remotely, but make sure work comes first before going out for any other reasons.
- Create a workspace that is free of distractions: This includes workspace in your bedroom, the kitchen, and living room- anywhere that is convenient for you but not distracting. For example, if work requires some concentration, then it’s best to work on a desk or laptop while away from other distractions like TV.
- Set the alarm to remind you when it’s time to work and stop working: This is a good way to work on your schedule and maintain a work-life balance.
Conclusion:
It is evident that coronavirus changed the work-life balance of British employees. However, with a few adjustments in work habits and lifestyles, it is possible to overcome the effects of coronavirus on your work-home lifestyle.
