With the work from home trend growing in the country, more people are choosing this path rather than going to the office. Picture: File
The growth of remote working or working from home (WFH) in South Africa started at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
53% of South Africans said they would give preference to a job that allows them to work from home some of the time, according to 2021 study by Boston Consulting Group.
With the WFH trend growing in the country, more people are choosing this path rather than going to the office.
If you want to be remote worker, you need the following skills:
1. Use of digital tools.
When working from home, most of the time people need to use digital tools to communicate with fellow employees. It is important that you familiarise with video-conferencing tools and project management software. Ensure that you know the basics of working with digital tools or use online videos to better your online skills.
2. Communication.
Successful employees in the workplace understand and recognise the importance of clear communication. These communication skills need to be heightened for people that work from home because things can get lost in translation, especially when connectivity breaks or communicating via text or email.
Ensure that communication is clear whether it is in-person or through digital channels.
3. You need to be self-motivated.
When working from home, there is no boss or manager check in with you about your tasks for the day, therefore you need to be self-motivated to get your work done on time. To ensure you get your work done on time, create a schedule and routine to keep you focused on the task at hand while limiting distractions.
4. Balance your work and personal time.
When working from home, it important that you strike a balance in your work and personal lives, otherwise those lines can be blurred. You should have clear times for your work life and your personal life and ensure that those lives don’t overlap. Having that balance will prevent feelings of being overwhelmed and stress.
5. You can work independently.
Many people have different working styles when they are working in an office space, but working from home means that you are working on your own. Working independently means that you will need to be resourceful and have good problem-solving skills because you won’t have another team member close by to help you in the time of a crisis.
IOL Business