I caught an interview this morning on CNBC with Barry Diller, businessman and billionaire who stated:
"Working from home doesn't work…"
Do you agree with this statement? It appears there is a widening gap between the Gen X'ers and the Boomers when it comes to perceptions of our current work environment. During a phone call in May, Tricia Griffith, the CEO of Progressive Insurance, made this statement about 95% of her 45,000 employees working from home:
"…many of those people will be very efficient and effective working from home, (it) maybe better for them,"
America's workforce has been thrust into a grand experiment. We ARE working from home. Against the traditions of 'the old guard,' we have been sent home to figure out how to make work… well, work. I have spent the better part of my career in a mobile office, either working out of my car, hotel, or home. I am very accustomed to staying productive and completing business tasks wherever I find cell and internet connections. Fortunately (or unfortunately), this is just about anywhere in America these days!
Working from home is not always ideal, but it CAN work. It is up to each employee to manage their time appropriately and stay productive. In business, productivity can be measured very simply by watching the bottom line. Is your business growing or shrinking, holding on, or falling apart? Are tasks being completed or put off? It is time for leaders to 'pivot' and utilize all technological means necessary to stay vibrant and productive as a business.
Be a Leader Who Can Pivot
I heard this from Rich Roll on one of his recent podcasts:
"You can either resist what is happening... or you can accept what is happening and educate yourself about how to use these very powerful tools to innovate in your career in a new and interesting way."
Change can be frightening; it can invoke feelings of helplessness and lack of control … but only if we allow it. In contrast, change can be embraced and utilized to elevate effectiveness and efficiency on many levels. This is a conscious decision. It is YOUR decision. Are you a small business owner? Are you an employee with a list of tasks to complete? Are you the CEO of a billion-dollar corporation? It does not matter what your role is. It only matters how you embrace the forced change of this unprecedented time. For me, I chose to move forward, to find new ways to interact with business partners and customers, and find new and more efficient ways to get work DONE.
Are you embracing the change? Ask yourself these 5 questions and think through your answers:
Do I feel discouraged about working from home? If so, why?
Have I embraced the 'home office' and made it a productive 'permanent' environment for getting tasks completed?
How can I improve my attitude toward working from home?
Am I finding new ways to interact with my customers?
What is one new technology that I can learn and embrace this week to improve my efficiency or effectiveness?