Working from home has become the new normal for employees of businesses in many industries thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.

The challenge, though, has always been making sure employees can stay productive as they navigate the unique challenges that remote work – specifically working from home – can present.

Though a work-from-home setup is indeed far more flexible for most people, there are good and bad ways to go about trying to get work done when employees and teams are meeting together in their normal locations.

Here’s a useful rundown on how business owners and managers can help everyone stay on track and keep productivity at levels required for success.

Productivity can be difficult to maintain while working from home

Working from home does not come naturally to many of us. In fact, a recent survey found that less than 30% of employees say they actually feel more productive when they are working remotely compared to working in an office.

Not all employees report the same struggles staying productive. A separate survey found that 54% of respondents believed working from home had a positive effect on their productivity. This was thanks, for the most part, to time saved by not commuting, not dealing with distracting coworkers and having fewer meetings.

Many businesses that are still requiring significant portions of their workforces to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic would rather have their teams in the latter, more productive group. Some companies are even considering making remote work a more permanent feature.

But to have a better chance at success and more productivity while working from home, employees must know how to go about it the right way, though, if they expect to remain productive.

There’s a right way to work from home

When most people hear “work from home,” they probably envision a comfortable setup at a dining room table or in a home office. Pajamas may or may not be part of this vision for some. (Don’t wear pajamas. We’ll get to why later.)

However, there are certain features every employee needs to have access to – and specific ways to set up a workstation at home – in order to maximize potential productivity.

Communication needs to be a top priority

A team’s top priority when working from home needs to be communication. When everyone is working in an office, there is constant communication that is able to happen more organically.

That kind of organic conversation is not possible when everyone is remote or working at their homes. This means there needs to be an effort made by everyone to stay in touch and communicate daily goals, progress and results to their colleagues.

It’s important to have set expectations for how often and with what methods communication will occur. Will you expect emailed check-ins at regular intervals or daily conference calls? You may also want to look into free messaging apps that make it easier for groups of people to stay in touch than email.

By communicating regularly, you will also help everyone on the team not feel so isolated, one of the major problems of social distancing during a pandemic.

Dress for success

Remember when we said you probably shouldn’t stay in your pajamas when clocking into work at home? Well, the reason for that is if you actually dress like you are heading into the office, then you will feel more mentally and physically prepared to actually work rather than relax.

This doesn’t mean you have to dress to the nines in a suit and tie or anything like that, but just remember that you’ll be more productive if you feel prepared to work. Part of that preparation that you likely have gotten used to over the years is actually getting yourself ready and dressed appropriately for work.

Use or set up a home office

To that same end, try to set up a work area in the home that isn’t near parts of your home that could lead to distractions. Don’t park yourself in a recliner, in front of a TV or in bed. Instead, use a home office or convert a room into more of a home office setup.

The best home offices are out of the way from the rest of the household, minimizing distractions from others. You should also try to replicate an office desk or workstation. Finally, good lighting is key to being comfortable in a space for long stretches.

Take breaks and maintain a schedule

Just as they should when working in an office, employees should take breaks when working from home. Despite what some may think, breaks will in fact increase an employee’s productivity – and quality of work – because it gives the mind a chance to refresh.

On a similar note, working from home requires a set schedule so that employees can find a sense of rhythm. This rhythm lends itself to working at a proper pace and accomplishing tasks when expected.

For most people, this schedule should reflect their traditional working hours. Of course, some may work for businesses where this is not flexible. On the other hand, working from home is a perfect scenario for switching up work hours for less traditional, but possibly more productive times.

Find the right communication tools

We touched on this point briefly, but it’s critical that we drive home the fact that better communication means better work. Without the right communication tools, though, staying connected to colleagues and coworkers can be more frustrating than beneficial.

This is where a free, easy-to-use conference call solution like Conference Town comes into play. With Conference Town, your team can enjoy a better free conferencing solution that comes with many of the in-demand features that other services make you pay for.

Conference Town offers free call recording, no participant limits, no call time limits, HD audio quality, a complete web interface and so much more.

Simply create a free account now to begin having better conference calls – or give it a try now by starting an instant conference call.