Not everyone wants to go back to work in the office: they are happy with the increase in productivity and savings.

Cons of working from home: awkward workplace, long workday

Although Eglė from Vilnius has managed to adapt to working from home, he says he wants to return to work in the office as soon as possible, as he urgently needs live conversations with colleagues, meetings and joint lunches.

“Working from home is not always the limit when that work day ends, but when there is not much to do at home, work is a real salvation. I realized that I could not always work from home. I really miss the team, colleagues, real communication and a certain daily routine, “says Eglė.

However, there are also employees who would prefer to stay with the new work regime remotely.

Karolina, from Vilnius, says that she used to have the opportunity to work from home but rarely used it, because at first it was difficult to work from home.

“After a while, you find your rhythm, you become productive. So when the quarantine started, I already had my own job from the home system. Since I am used to working from home, I have no small children or pets, I have no problem, “she says.

However, during the quarantine, the interlocutor noticed several disadvantages of working from home that he had not encountered before.

“When lunchtime comes, I realize I haven’t prepared anything in advance, so I eat something light or quick for lunch. At the time, I was used to going to lunch in a cafeteria or cafeteria at work .

I also don’t have a comfortable workplace, so I recently started having back pain. Obviously, you should invest in a work chair and monitor if you want quality work from home.

Not only that, I work at least an hour more than usual. Before quarantine, when work time was ending, I avoided starting a more difficult task because I knew that if I wanted to finish it, I would stay on the job longer. Now there is no incentive to go home as soon as possible because I am home. Therefore, sometimes even after 6 p.m. I’m taking a new job, “says Carolina, less work from home.

Celebrate increased productivity and savings

However, after solving the awkward workplace problem, you ensure that you will be able to continue working from home for as long as necessary.

“It is easier to concentrate when working from home, because it is quiet at home. My workplace is a type of open office, so there is a lot of noise, you listen to what colleagues around you are talking about.

I am also quite a distracted person. Therefore, the less interference there is, as colleagues, the better ”, summarizes the interviewee.

At the time, another office worker, Julia, says she was used to the new work regime and wouldn’t even want to go back to the office. The 27-year-old girl and her boyfriend moved out of town during the quarantine to live with their parents on the other side of Lithuania. Julia is happy that she found time for new activities and hobbies during the quarantine.

“It just caught my eye then. I can get up later and still be able to do the exercise. Before quarantine, no matter how I wanted, I didn’t have to get up earlier at 7pm in the morning. Now I get up at 8am. and I start working around 9 pm During lunch, I go outside: I read a book or do sports for half an hour. And I manage to do the work until 6 pm Then I have a lot of free time again for my hobbies and spending time outdoors, ”she says.

According to Julia, her productivity has increased significantly because in a new environment, she can focus better, start and finish work earlier.

“The office employs about 50 people, so I generally work in a fairly noisy environment, I don’t always manage to focus. Since I spend a lot more time outdoors now, I feel this contributes to my better mood and productivity as well that the weather in the office is generally bad.

Also, there were team meetings with managers in the morning, which took a long time as I started the assigned tasks around 11 a.m. in the best case. Now starting at 9 p.m. “After consulting with my supervisor, I can start work at full speed and finish it earlier,” says Julia.

Not only that, the interviewee says that working from home during quarantine saved not only time but also money. Julia saved more than two-thirds of her salary because costs have been significantly reduced.

“At work, I used to go to cafes with colleagues, spending about 6 euros a day. Now I do everything at home, I started planning my purchases, I only buy once a week. Also, traveling to and from work costs in Vilnius, and now there are no such expenses ”, says the girl.

However, Julia only misses one thing: communicating with her colleagues, so she would be very supportive of the idea of ​​continuing to work remotely after quarantine and returning to work in the office once a week.

Enterprise IT systems and teams were up for the challenge

Eglė Staniulionė, the head of the Bitė Lietuva People’s Embassy, ​​says that already on the first day of quarantine, about 90 percent. Company employees could work from home.

“What seemed impossible or time consuming was implemented by our IT team in 3 days,” she says.

According to E. Staniulionė, employee participation was high, people proactively offered ideas and looked for the most effective forms of teleworking. Effective internal communication was also crucial, as there was a lot of confusion and uncertainty during the first weeks of quarantine.

“Each of our teams searched for and then discovered some new rituals. During the quarantine, a series of business and internal communication initiatives emerged: a weekly video “letter” from the manager, a peer newsletter, Ask Me Anything sessions, as well as emotional resistance training and individual employee training. consultations with a psychologist, Mindfullness practices.

The quarantine further highlighted the versatility of our employees: Unable to provide live customer service, employees quickly adapted to phone consulting, “says a Bitė representative about the changes and new ideas.

According to Ernestas Vasiliauskas, General Manager of Gera dovana, the company successfully adapted to the situation and quickly mobilized due to changing working conditions.

“Our IT systems are interconnected and ready for that remote job, so we have avoided technical problems,” he says.

Gera dovana is an international company located in three countries: Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. Around 80 people currently work from home. The head of the company notes that the teams have started to work more closely together, every day they consult together and make the necessary decisions.

Employees have become more independent and plan their work more easily.

One of the biggest advantages mentioned by E. Vasiliauskas is that the team has learned to formulate tasks with precision and clarity so that no additional questions arise. It’s also possible to spend more time not only on priority jobs, but also on projects that have been waiting their turn for a long time.

“As for the employees, I could say that they have become more independent, we have received many initiatives, the creative thinking of people has been revealed,” says the interlocutor.

At that time, Bitė Lietuva’s chief of staff says the advantages of teleworking are simple and humane: no need to go anywhere, more attention can be paid to housewives, shorter and more efficient meetings, colleagues who do not work according to a fixed schedule plan their daily tasks more easily, always free “virtual” meeting room

The most lost is the live communication with colleagues.

However, according to her, there is another side to that job: Employees are used to social contact and listen live not only with their ears, but also with their eyes.

“When we communicate on the screen, we don’t always see the caller, we don’t notice body language, we don’t feel human contact. The teams that used to quickly consult to find a solution missed this opportunity entirely. This, of course, has been become not only an administrative but also an emotional challenge, ”says E. Staniulionė.

The interlocutor adds that even at any time during the conversation, the owners can ask for attention and disturb the daily plan: “Even the most diligent people begin to have an unclean window or a cup out of place. . Otherwise, the day becomes unbalanced and it becomes difficult to draw the line between work and personal life. It is not easy and adds to emotional fatigue. “

In addition, according to her, during the quarantine it was clear that working on a sofa or at a dining table is not a dream either. Comfortable and ergonomically equipped facilities are now said to be another attraction, attracting employees to return to work in the office as soon as possible.

Speaking of deficiencies, E. Vasiliauskas employees lack live and real communication with their colleagues: unexpected or unplanned conversations over a cup of coffee. brainstorm and the like

“One of our company values ​​is fun. We implement it by communicating in the office and entertaining each other. So we all long for our common activities. We have also noticed that when working from home, the line between work and leisure disappears: colleagues no longer count working hours and forget to turn off their computers at 5 or 6 in the afternoon ”, says the director of” Gera dovana “.

After quarantine, changes in work organization are planned.

According to him, all the employees want to return to work in the office: “The whole team is very close, has a lot of communication between departments or visits with colleagues from other countries, so everyone wants to return to the normal rhythm again.”

Although an employee can choose to telecommute at the company once a month, E. Vasiliauskas believes that for a long time the team will want to work more from the office.

The head of the Bitė Lietuva People’s Embassy also realizes that most employees want to go back to work. However, only employees who belong to risk groups are more cautious and enthusiastic about it.

“This opportunity is highly appreciated by colleagues doing individual tasks, whose work does not require cooperation, who do not need to participate in virtual meetings, and it is easier for those without children at home to adapt,” says E. Staniulionė.

Respondent says there will be post-quarantine changes: teleworkers will evaluate telework more flexibly, and perhaps employees will be encouraged to work from home part of the time so they don’t lose their skills. The chief of staff notes that even before quarantine, some of the company’s employees practiced working from home or even from another country, and now the circle of functions that can function in this way has been expanded.

Which residents want to return to the offices and which would stay home?

A population survey by Baltijos tyrimai in the fourth week of quarantine showed that during the pandemic, most people worked from home, about 41 percent. – From every worker. About 30 percent. He had no opportunity to work from home, and 20 percent. He did not work because he lost his job after quarantine, was inactive, or had a temporary inability to work, according to a press release.

According to the survey, up to two-thirds of those 30-49 years of age Lithuanian residents who had worked in quarantine offices before the end of the first month of quarantine wanted to return to the office before the end of the first month of quarantine. Just over half of these people said they wanted to return because they missed the office atmosphere and communication. A slightly smaller proportion of the population said they simply could not concentrate at home due to children or other members of the household.

Otherwise 50 m. and older residents. Of these, only 23 percent. He expressed his desire to return to the office. The main argument of those who do not want to return is that nothing interferes in the home.

At that time, the youngest, from 18 to 29 years old. age group: more than half (53%) also wanted to return to work in the office. The argument for a longing office environment and communication also dominated here. 27% did not see a big difference between young people if they work from home or in the office. surveyed