WFH – a new experience

Saying goodbye to my sister after working together for only two weeks, not knowing when we would be seeing each other in person again was a little weird.  We had little preparation for what was ahead. But six weeks later I feel that I have the working from home (WFH – the new acronym) nailed.  I’m going to find it tough reverting back to the norm.

 For six weeks my husband and I have been closeted away in our home office working side by side.   This morning I asked him how we were going to feel when we once again joined the rat race?  He agreed that this lifestyle certainly suited him.

Reports on-line tell me that I am not alone in feeling this way. There is a massive shift is on the horizon.  Since the early 1970’s futurologists have been imagining home as a workplace.  Networked computers have meant there is a way to blend work and family life.  But many managers have been resistant to remote working. They have felt their workforce could not be directly monitored and that supervising from a distance posed too many challenges.

Yet there are many of us who possess self-motivation and discipline. We have the ability to work without direct supervision and the ability to cope with minimal social contact.  WFH is not for everyone especially those who crave the vibe of interaction with their colleagues, bumping shoulders with strangers or overhearing others talking in the office.

 The Covid-19 crisis has shone a light on both the pleasures and pressures of having home as your office.  Jumping from a Zoom meeting to domestic chores or taking the dog for a walk for some is a template for the good life.

When I took on my new role with Fraser People, working remotely was always part of the plan but something that would evolve over a long period.  With this upheaval it has shown how quickly we were able to adapt, and I think has actually given us a head start.

I’m looking forward to returning to my workplace alongside my sister. But now with the added flexibility of being able to spend days working at home.  An outcome that I know will be the new way of life for many New Zealanders.