Higher productivity at home doesn’t mean all that; companies will still need to work on employee morale—studies say.
– In the early weeks of the pandemic, when the world was forced to bring its work home, many companies feared a drop in employee output and presence of mind. It’s too easy to get distracted where other responsibilities and personal comforts are easier to reach, so some managers set in place stringent measures to help rein in their employees’ attention.
As we count more than a year in, we’re finding that reality has been kinder to some sectors, including the software industry, which has even seen a boom due to everyone else relying more on apps and programs to enable every aspect of not just work but life to happen. And it’s been met with great energy by production teams.
The Accelerated Strategies Group (ASG) reported on The Future of Remote Work and Software Development. Almost 60% of the 347 industry leaders surveyed across the globe said that their software teams are “significantly or somewhat more productive” than pre-pandemic. This doesn’t mean interruptions are completely out of the picture, as perspectives vary on whether it has been easier or more difficult to deal with them, but both employees and their managers have been collaborating closely to make whichever space they’re in to be more conducive for work.
Still, as vaccinations roll out globally, employees can’t shake the feeling of uncertainty. A separate study by Springer has found that software professionals on work-from-home setups are “experiencing diminished emotional wellbeing”. Part of their fears is the possibility of being discriminated against should their productivity drop at any point during the pandemic.
What then can companies do to show support while keeping their momentum?
Lead with empathy. Productivity may be up now but under these circumstances, it’s unrealistic to expect it to remain at normal to high levels consistently. Opening conversations, doing regular check-ins with team members, and creating more flexible processes can all do wonders not just for your employees’ health but the team’s overall morale.
Take care of yourself, too. Managers and team leaders need as much support as their members. Recognize your limits and impose boundaries. Know that it’s okay to openly depend on your employees, sparking their leadership potentials and a more collaborative environment.
Move forward with a hybrid model. There is no normal to return to. The future of work is likely forever changed by the pandemic, and most companies are now eyeing a split setup that leverages the benefits of both in-office and remote work. In a hybrid model, employees will continue to have the benefit of alternating between locations, even as our circumstances improve.
It’s not just physical borders that will be diminished; time zones, too. 61.37% of ASG’s respondents are already finding it easier to work across time zones, with 39.71% nodding to the efficiency of multi-continental teams. This makes companies more than ready to include offshore recruitment in their hiring practices. Professionals in the Philippines have long been sold on the idea of fully remote work, as it frees them from urban traffic which yearly eats over 200 of their hours in commute.
As you put your and your people’s needs first, you end up raising a software team that’s better equipped to battle uncertainty—pandemic or not.
Open up to the future of work. Get Devs will help build back your productivity with end-to-end offshore hiring solutions. We’ll find you top talent from the Philippines, and support them through challenges so they can remain in shape to meet your bottom line. Schedule a consultation today.