Importance of Environment: 2022 Hybrid Work Analysis

We are creatures of habit, the world endlessly encounters change that challenges the habits we’ve come to know. The most important characteristic we can demonstrate in situations like this is adaptability. Being able to adapt is what allows us to succeed, seeing as success does not come untested. The recent shift to remote work has shaken up the way companies operate and tested their efficiency without being physically connected. 

This has resulted in dramatic boosts in productivity and effective task completion. It was found that remote work is completed with 40% fewer mistakes. Additionally, the ability to work remotely has had its benefits on employee satisfaction. One company surveyed in 2019 found that 71% of their employees working remotely were happy with their job compared to 55% who were in person.

In the case of today’s workforce, upwards of 56% of companies are transitioning to remote work in the United States alone. The popular opinion here is that workers are much more effective when they’re able to work from home. Why is that? If there’s been this standard procedure of going into an office for years, why is the at-home model being favored? 

If we consider all the elements eliminated from the workday (commute, wardrobe, coffee, lunch) there is a lot of time and money being saved over time. Employees can now allocate this additional time and money to areas most beneficial to them and not just for “fueling” or “getting through” the day. 

The big dilemma being faced by organizations is that now the world is shifting back to how things were before. With this, a return to in-person work is included yet employees have become accustomed to this new lifestyle of working from home. The reason there is a conflict is that remote working was supposed to be temporary. Yet because of the duration that remote work has been in effect, we have adapted to it and used it to our benefit. This has created tension in organizations and even led to employees leaving their jobs for being required to come back in person. 

The ultimate goal of any organization is to have a team that performs at its maximum capability. Leaders are constantly looking for ways to allow this to happen but they may be missing one of the biggest opportunities to do so. The shift to remote work has seemingly broken barriers to new levels of effectiveness. A remote shift does not mean that the organization never has to meet in person, there should be designated times for this. However, allowing employees to work in their preferred environment makes their creativity flow freely. 

Here are some reasons why:

Everyone Is Different

A one size fits all approach to work is never going to be optimal seeing as everybody has different needs for their productivity and creativity. A cubical can never represent or be turned into someone's ideal space. Some may need more natural light, certain scents, be able to dress their preferred way, be able to think/talk out loud, the list is endless. Essentially, gathering a team in one collective spot to do their work will not yield optimal results for every member. 

Mental Well-Being

Just as the space someone works in enhances their creative process, it allows them to feel in control of what they are doing. In some cases, it may even make them feel more in control of their lives. We can become so detached from our personal lives spending over 40 hours a week in the office. Remote work allows people to bring the workplace closer to their personal life, which some may see as an issue but anyone who loves working from home will tell you it’s not. It’s about finding the balance, and the balance is a lot easier to find when you’re in touch with your reality. 

Increased Recruitment Pool

With the alleviated stress of someone having to relocate, organizations can bring in talent from just about anywhere. This brings in new perspectives and even allows people who may not have had the opportunity to work at the location, a chance to grow in the organization. This puts leaders in a position where they can evaluate the talent they wouldn’t have had access to and apply it to roles in their teams. 

Conclusion

Change is inevitable and can be unexpected, however, change also goes one of two ways. Which way it goes is up to those experiencing the change, you can look at it as happening to you or happening for you. Using any circumstance in your life to your advantage comes from identifying the big picture and not settling for anything less than the desired outcome.

We work with successful companies to increase their net profits using exceptional custom software solutions, contact us here to see how we can help your business grow!

Standing Your Ground: Guide To An Effective “No”

Having plenty on the go at work gets overwhelming, unfortunately for someone with a people-pleasing character, they may not turn away further tasks. They end up accepting and the work continues to pile on. This can be frustrating and may seem like a dilemma between two people. However, not being able to say "no" is an internal conflict one faces with themselves. This kind of situation can be difficult to manage as it may feel like a moral obligation to accept. 

Yet, if someone has enough on the go then taking on more tasks will inhibit their ability to focus on the more pressing obligations. As a professional in the workplace, it is important to prioritize and execute tasks to create opportunities for more tasks. Additionally, a professional must recognize when it is necessary to detach from their people's pleasing tendencies. 

The goal is to balance the desire to please others with the responsibility of carrying out promises you make to yourself. Why this is important is because not fulfilling your promises will begin to impact your relationship with yourself. Of course in the position of an employee, you take the duties assigned and complete them to the best of your ability. Yet now you’re in an environment where you’re dealing with people, and unfortunately, some may not recognize the value of what you provide. 

This can lead to further requests with the expectation that there’s no issue for you if you don’t speak up. Now the situation causes you to deal with potentially unnecessary stress. Nonetheless, the moral obligations felt can cause us to just roll with it as a means of avoiding issues (which may not even be there in the first place). 

There is a dichotomy present here, as the fear of guilt from not taking on the extra requests can be met with the guilt of not fully tending to the original responsibilities. What’s also important to consider is that the scenario can have an authority figure making the requests. This makes just saying “no” ineffective and warrants negotiation. 

The idea of saying “no” in business is a lot more complex than it seems, so here are some ways you can actively stand your ground. 

Draw Your Boundaries 

At the end of the day, you’re a professional and your responsibilities remain a top priority. Now of course if someone brings something very pressing and requires action, tend to it. Essentially you want to use the prioritize and execute method with every situation you face at work. This makes identifying the issues which you can control automatic and then you can be efficient in your task completion. 

Provide Rationale

When that co-worker comes at you with something they’d “like your help on” but you’ve got deadlines, say exactly that. “Hey forward me the info and I’ll check it out when I'm done with my other projects”. Or if it is just something you can’t get to “I’d love to help, but the team has my full attention right now, count me in for the next one”. This very basic yet open form of communication demonstrates that you care and it also avoids added stress when you’re in the weeds. 

Find Alternatives

To ensure your “no” is effective, provide an alternate proposal as a means of making up for missing the task (if necessary). There are going to be situations where you may not be able to help the other person in time which is where rationale comes in. When you can help, negotiate meeting times that fit your schedule, essentially you want to help but only so much that it doesn’t derail you. If you can’t take on the full scope of what they’re asking, offer to complete maybe a portion of it.

This is especially important if the request is coming from an authority figure, additionally, it will reflect your empathy and competence for your work. 

Look For Help

As another form of compromise, if someone is looking for you to help them, see if they can help you in exchange. This creates a give-and-take relationship and bypasses negativity, especially if the person is willing to help you in some capacity that will free up your time. Additionally, if they have a reason they cannot help you then you just tell them they’ll have to wait. Re-adjusting and evaluating your position in situations like this are the key to mutually beneficial outcomes. 

Conclusion

Working in a team requires individuals to operate at the best level they can, it demands everyone pull their weight. Yet some situations may present opportunities to bite off more than you can chew. As a team member, it may be tempting to accept for fear of what the other person will think. However, these opportunities should never put someone in a position that may hinder the quality of their prior responsibilities.

This is why teams must follow the guidelines of prioritizing and executing, to make their effort yield the most optimal outcome for everyone. To do this, detach and evaluate when to say “yes” and when to say “no”.

We work with successful companies to increase their net profits using exceptional custom software solutions, contact us here to see how we can help your business grow!

Wants and Needs: Identifying Priorities

How do you define success? What do you need to make your dream a reality? Maybe it’s a house, a car, more freedom, or maybe it’s working with what’s right in front of you. The taste of success can make you want to start planning your next vacation. The issue here is that reaching success is just the beginning of laying a foundation. Often, people might skip this step and go straight to the dealership. 

While going beyond your means can be a rush at the moment, it is very fleeting. It’s important to establish the things necessary to maintain productivity and further accomplishments (needs). Everything else is secondary (wants) and should not interfere in any way with the foundation. This takes a disciplined mindset but more so it requires one to see the bigger picture that can be reached with achievements.

The concept of “living within your means” is critical to sustaining the lifestyle you have and then expanding on new areas as you grow. Essentially, if you make the most out of the means you already have, eventually it will open up doors to more freedom and resources. Of course, this theory is contrary to the inspirational social media posts we see daily talking about luxurious material objects. 

Yet, while it may not sound as exciting, this is the reality of achieving sustainable success. This is also why 70% of lottery winners typically end up broke. Even after successful people begin to earn their wealth, they continue to live as if they didn’t have it yet. Why would they do that? Because they are adjusting their means to their end goals instead of wasting resources on wants that will later inhibit the accessibility of needs. 

When we look at the characteristics of a business, every brand wants to be the best, every leader wants to have a say, and every employee wants to make an impact. Assessing the wants and needs of a business is crucial. Budget decisions are a perfect example, the team must assess what is critical and what is a burden to the company's resources. At the individual level, no matter what position you’re in you’re inevitably aiming for better or just thinking “it would be nice”. 

This topic can be complex so let’s break it down:

Want It? Or Need It?

People will have differing opinions of whether something is a want or a need for many reasons. Some value certain things others don’t, some need things others want, and the argument goes back and forth. Take for example the clothes you buy, do you need clothes? Yes, do you want specific ones and would be willing to pay more for them?

Absolutely, but is that a need? This is not to say that you shouldn’t purchase the things you prefer but if you are on a tight budget and buying that designer jacket means you have to spend less on groceries you need to re-evaluate. 

Invest In Long-Term Gratification

Typically, we want to materialize success or achievements as soon as possible, just like as a kid when we easily pick out things we want. What’s rewarding is not what achievement or reward means at the moment, it’s the chain of achievements that it brings after. If a company meets a sales quota much earlier than expected should it stop there? No, the originally perceived barrier has just gotten bigger and should be the new means the company operates in.

Simply put, sacrificing immediate gratification will have more of a payoff in the end. It will eliminate the guilt that comes with splurging at the moment when it is outside the means. 

Operate In All Areas Of Means

This theory does not relate solely to money and budgeting, it is a lifestyle that we must embody through everything. The way we think should be constructed on the basis that our current reality has room for improvement, and action must of course be taken to reach it. Accessing this mindset may seem easier said than done. However, it is not a dramatic change to make, it is just never being complacent.

No matter the level of success achieved, there must always be a debriefing you have with yourself to ensure the next steps you take are not going to eventually set you back. 

Conclusion

Trusting that sacrificing instant gratification will lead to a better reality is a very hard concept to follow. It is a natural instinct we are fighting against and honestly, it feels great to embrace success. However, one achievement should not be the goal because if every successful person, brand, or company stopped at their first achievement the world would be a very boring place. Take time to search for more, be proud of yourself of course but see each achievement as a reminder that you are capable of more.

We work with successful companies to increase their net profits using exceptional custom software solutions, contact us here to see how we can help your business grow!