The last year has been such a tremendous change for literally everyone the world over. We’ve been hit hard by the lockdowns and social distancing measures that Covid-19 led to in the UK and beyond. Everything is different now and as a direct result of the pandemic we saw office-based workers in every type of industry forced to get out of the office and to work from home. This has been incredibly difficult for so many people, with many suffering with anxiety and depression, productivity plummeting for lots of companies and so many just not having the space to work effectively at home.
At Candy, we took the different approach and opened our brand-new office space. Here, we’ll tell you why.
The cons of working from home
There is nothing quite like working in the office with your team. Working from home is something that so many people look at as a dream, but when it becomes a reality as it has for so many in the last year, you quickly realise what a nightmare it actually is.
What are the drawbacks to working from home?
Poor communication – What we have found is that we work so much better as a team when we can see each other. No matter how effective your Zoom or Skype is, or whatever platform you use to manage your workflow, you can never recreate the office environment where you can walk into your colleagues office or look over to their desk and ask for immediate assistance with a piece of work. Working in an office has increased our efficiencies as a company.
Lack of motivation – If you are on your own at home it can be really difficult to stay motivated. In an office environment, you’re all working together for a common cause and the visibility of your colleagues and management team make it clear what your targets are and what your motivations are to stay productive.
Too many distractions – At home, there is always something else for you to do. It’s so weird, but we never want to fold the laundry and do the dishes at the best of times, but you find yourself doing them when you’re ‘working from home’. Alongside household chores you’ll also have many fun distractions to procrastinate with, including the dreaded daytime TV!
No work/life balance – Our homes are not designed for us to work from home full-time. What this means in practice is that many of us are sitting at the dining table, next to the washing machine or in a cramped space in the corner of the spare bedroom surrounded by boxes and clothes. Our work and home life can quickly blend into one and be difficult to differentiate.
Declining mental health – All of the above has led to a decline in mental health for many people over the course of the last year. Getting back into proper working practice and back into the office has certainly been fantastic for the Candy team. We feel great and it helps us deliver the highest standard of work to our clients.
Covid safety in the workplace
It is so important though to be aware of Covid-19 and to have proper restrictions and safe working practices in place in our office. We wear masks in communal areas of our building at all times, our desks are a safe distance from each other (much further apart than the 2-metres we’ve been advised to have them) and everything is cleaned down regularly. Our health and safety and that of our clients is important to us.
If you want to take advantage of the benefits of Candy working in an office environment and working effectively as a team with clear communication at all times, we’re here to help. You’ll always have us at the other end of the line with clear focus on your project. To find out more about our services, contact us on 0161 826 0123 or hello@candymarketing.co.uk.
