As we all know, the Covid-19 pandemic made considerable changes to our working lives in 2020. Many people began working
from home for the first time ever and started adjusting to life outside the office. Many Christchurch businesses
continued this practice well after New Zealand came out of level 4.
Offering remote working solutions to employees can come with many benefits; increased autonomy, better productivity, and
higher job satisfaction. When done right, it can result in improved employee engagement and happiness.
That’s likely why there has been a recent increase in the number of companies offering staff the option to work from
home. This looks different across various businesses, as each has its own unique needs which may require staff to be in
the office. However, those with the flexibility are offering their team the chance to work from home not just when they
feel unwell but whenever it suits them.
This has meant that more employees are struggling with technology at home rather than at work. This presents a unique
challenge for accessing IT support in Christchurch. People can no longer turn to ask the person next to them how they might fix their latest computer challenges. Instead,
they must rely on either Google or their IT company to solve their IT issues.
Other ramifications of people working from home can include a feeling of isolation, as they no longer have colleagues
nearby to chat to. Additionally, communication is made more difficult, as is collaboration.
The world of online working has a lot to offer us – increased flexibility and happier employees are among the major
benefits. But businesses need to be careful that they find a happy medium between providing this and leaving staff to
become isolated without the support they require.