Let’s be honest: pre-pandemic, working from home was a dream. After COVID-19 forced almost everyone to work remotely, we’ve discovered the new virtual workplace encompasses more than Zoom calls, virtual coffees, and cat memes in Slack.

Tech companies did not exactly embrace working from home before the worldwide lockdown, despite studies showing working from home increases employee productivity. Skilled remote workers are also happier employees that are 9% more engaged and 50% less likely to quit their job.

The crisis disproved the perception that working from home was counterproductive. By mid-May, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey emailed his employees that the entire workforce was allowed to permanently work from home – Slack followed suit in June. Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoftrecommended their employees work remotely until October or for the remainder of the year.

Work-life balance, mental health, and diversity and inclusion were already important subjects pre-COVID — and those problems have certainly not gone away now that our offices are virtual.

The sudden shift to an online work culture has highlighted the glaring issues companies have when it comes to a company-wide fair work environment — but it also presents an opportunity where all team members can reflect on their contributions to a toxic work culture, and grab the chance to do better.

Virtual workplace practices need to stimulate productivity while also upholding a culture of inclusivity where every employee is treated like a valued member of the team.

But how do companies create an inclusive virtual work community?

These blurred lines: balancing home and work-life

The migration to the virtual workplace created challenges for employees trying to manage their work-life balance during the workday. It’s not that strange because the workplace is now the same environment where we eat, sleep, and nestle on the couch for a Netflix-binge.

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Source: The Next Web website. By Giselle Defares