A new survey shows how employees are adjusting to their new work-from-home reality.

I’m one of the lucky ones. I’ve been a remote work practitioner and evangelist for most of my professional life.  

As a former creative director for Upwork, a remote talent platform that facilitates online work, I’ve experienced the power of connecting with a diverse worldwide workforce. As an at-home word wrangler, I’ve saved untold hours by ditching the commute and enjoyed long stretches of quiet productivity. 

But I’m afraid COVID-19 might harsh my work-from-home mellow.  

Now that so many of us are remote, the cracks are beginning to show. Every day is Blursday. There’s a mysterious reluctance to take a day off. So. Many. Zoom. Meetings.  

If a seasoned WFH pro like me is feeling the strain, what does that mean for folks who were unceremoniously tossed out of the office and into their kitchens, bedrooms, closets, and garages? A recent ServiceNow survey of Canadian employees found that many were feeling both the agony and the ecstasy of taking care of business during quarantine.  

Here are key insights from the Work from Home Productivity Survey.   

Mostly prepared and productive 

Twenty-five percent of Canadian workers felt prepared for the shift, while one-third felt less productive.  

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Technology is an issue 

A large group said technology is a barrier to productivity, and a whopping 83% want their employers to do something about it. 

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An uneasy balance 

 68% of workers say work-life balance is very important right now. Taking care of others (29%), mental state (28%), and having no dedicated working space at home (23%) top the list of challenges.  

Not surprisingly, having kids at home complicates the dynamic.

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Remote work for the win 

Regardless of the challenges, an overwhelming majority think working from home works well for them. 

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But maybe not 100% of the time.  

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The numbers tell us that, while there are some kinks to be worked out, people are discovering the upsides of working from home. And while there will be a return to the workplace, it may be a part-time return.  

Here at ServiceNow, we believe that a new era of employee experiences is upon us. I look forward to the day when the remote rookies take a breath, turn off their video, and ease into the gentler rhythms of working from home.

 

Forbes

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