How to Make Working from Home Work for You

Reasons You Can Feel Confident About Working Remotely

Telecommuting, remote work, working from home—whatever you call this flexible working style, it’s steadily growing in popularity. In fact, more than half of U.S employees now work remotely at least once a month, and 56% of global companies are either fully remote or offer a hybrid form of at-home and on-site work options.

Because of the global health challenge posed by the coronavirus, many businesses are now urging employees to temporarily work from home. For your own health, and for the well-being of co-workers and friends, this makes perfect sense—along with using hand sanitizers, washing your hands regularly, being careful not to touch your face or mouth, and other preventive measures.

But for many, working from home can be a little daunting. Are you missing out on things in the office? Is your supervisor really on board? Will you be able to do your best work?

Here are a few tips on how to work remotely that can give you and your employer confidence that you’ll be productive from the comfort of your home.

Collaboration Is a Snap

Technology has empowered us to get more done from almost anywhere at any time. You probably already do things like meet with co-workers in other locations by phone or share documents through Google Drive or other cloud-based services. You can easily do the same from home.

• Easily connect with supervisors or colleagues for regular check-in calls—either video or audio—or quickly jump into emergency meetings.

• Share materials with one or more co-workers; make, accept, and reject changes in real-time.

• Instead of being chained to your desk, use team messaging, IM and other tools to talk to anyone, anytime, no matter where you or they are. Work more efficiently by quickly getting questions answered or information confirmed.

• Don’t worry about not being able to access your company’s most secure and confidential documents; VPN or access management services allow you to securely gain remote access to your company’s corporate network and tools.

These things are designed to keep you connected with your colleagues 24/7 and enjoy improved collaboration. And thanks to the power of the cloud, remote workers are feeling energized and more productive.

Watch this video to see how Vonage Sale Trainer Hillary Tapley found a fun and relaxing way to connect with colleagues around the globe while working from home.

More Time to Get Things Done

Imagine how much more you can accomplish if your daily “commute” lasts five minutes instead of two hours. You can knock out projects faster, take on additional assignments, and speed up the review and approval process.

Traffic jams stretching for miles? Trains running late? Time to get cracking and you’re still in your pajamas? Who cares? And forget about snow days—bad weather is no longer a factor in commuting or working.

Of course, there will always be real and important benefits from in-person collaboration and meetings, depending on your role and how it fits into your organization. But taking full advantage of today’s technologies can make working from home work for you in more situations than ever before.

Take a look at how a creative solution helped Vonage Solutions Engineering Director Oscar Rodriguez walk his way to a healthier body while working from home.

Life Gets Easier

The advantages of working from home go beyond time and space. Remote workers often find that fewer interruptions allow them to focus more on the job at hand. At the same time, the greater level of independence generates increased satisfaction and a feeling of being valued by their employers.

Working from home offers another welcome benefit: a better work/life balance. You can get in a quick morning exercise session or work out on your lunch break. Scheduling and making doctor’s appointments are less of a hassle. And it’s easier to carve out time with the family. All of these and more can lead to improved physical and mental health—and a better job performance.

Watch this video to hear how Vonage Sales Enablement Consultant Eric Matthews keeps himself and his colleagues inspired and motivated while working remotely.

And Your Company Also Benefits

There are several ways allowing employees to work remotely can save a business money. For example, they need less office space. Lighting, heating, and cooling costs drop. And the company eats up fewer supplies, like paper and toner.

These are just a few of the benefits that come with remote work. Whether the driver is a health scare, severe weather, personal or family commitments, or just the ability and desire to get some work done in the privacy of your own home, you can be confident that working remotely will be efficient, effective, and rewarding—for you and your company.

Looking for a unified communications platform that empowers your remote employees? Check out Vonage Business Communications.