Remote work requires different rules

Heard on the radio at the start of the pandemic:

“I’m expecting a video call at any time, and that’s stressing me out.”

This came from someone who’s recently been sent to work from home by her company.

Too many businesses aren’t enforcing the new rules required for calm and productive remote work.

They simply transposed the old model to digital.
The good, bad and the ugly.

For instance, the habit of interrupting a colleague whenever you need them has to go.

Working from home demands more discipline and a different way of working. One that respects the individual even more, and gives them uninterrupted time to do their work.

Especially when they already have to adapt to a new work environment, their home, full of things potentially disrupting their attention.

One simple thing to start this process: encourage people to disconnect from the company’s communication tools (even email) when they are working on a specific task.