Faced with one of the biggest shifts in our work lives, how can we mindfully maintain productivity in our new work environment?



For many, working from the comfort of your own home is a dream come true. You imagine the magnificence of extended sleeping hours and the freedom to incorporate self-care activities into any time of the day. Sounds amazing, right? It is, until it’s time to sit in front of your PC and actually work.



The downside of having a few extra hours to spare (especially the hours we normally use to get to office and back), is that we may succumb to the temptation of comfort – the comfort to binge-watch your favorite show or even upgrade your cooking skills; absolutely anything that has no connection to your ‘real job’.&nbsp; The challenge is to transition your mentality into work mode which may require more effort than anticipated. Perhaps it’s a lot harder to have discipline when nobody’s physically there to remind you of your perennial to-do list.



So, how do you ensure that you remain focused on the task at hand while working remotely? Here are some tips to help kick-start and maintain your productivity in your new work environment:



First things first, establish a morning routine: Set your alarm and get up and pretend as if you’re actually going to the office. Take a shower, it helps increase your blood flow and leaves you feeling energized. Don’t get back into your sleepwear. If you’re still feeling sluggish, try a quick workout or meditation routine to wake up your brain. Drink lots of water, it also helps.



Location is everything: Find a comfortable spot in your home that you can dedicate to your work. Your space should cater to your needs and allow for you to do your work without infringing on other areas of your home, especially if you live with other people. Try and pick an area that has a good source of light – whether natural or artificial. According to Lux Review, good lighting not only allows for pleasant working conditions but also plays a significant role in your health and wellbeing.



Clean space, clear mind: Once you have found your spot, it is important to remove all clutter that reminds you of home chores or entertainment not in line with your tasks. It’s a lot easier to work productively in a well-organized environment as the opportunity for distraction is decreased. A clean space also comes with psychological benefits such as less stress and anxiety which is good for your overall happiness. Who wants to be stressed more when there’s already so much going on in the world?



Get those sticky notes out: Plan for your day ahead of time. The environment may have changed but the expectations are still the same! Put each goal you have for the day on paper. This will allow you to keep track of your workload so you don’t get overwhelmed. Having a schedule allows you to maintain your professionalism. For creatives, this will help so you don’t get carried away with one task.



Phone a friend: Being an employee in the time of Covid-19 means the social benefits of working in an office have been temporarily stripped away. So, it is important to check in with your colleagues and friends, just so you stay sane and feel less isolated. It also assists in keeping you cheerful and motivated to do your work. Be careful to not overdo it as that might distract you.



Take a break: As you would take a lunch break at work, do so at home too. Take a walk around the house, get some fresh air or spend a bit of time with the people you live with. You can also apply the Pomodoro Technique; a cyclical system in which tasks are separated into 25-minute segments, divided by five-minute breaks (with a longer one around midday). This way, you will feel less guilty about wanting a second away from your computer screen.



Don’t forget to log off: Having a structured and productive work day also means knowing when to stop. You should definitely set boundaries for yourself so you don’t interfere with your work-life balance. Log off, refresh and restart tomorrow!

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How To Stay Productive Working From Home

As the virus continues to keep people indoors and upend the world of fashion, our Johannesburg-based stylist shares her top tips on dressing up for WFH and online meetings. But don’t wear pyjamas, she warns.



The late German fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld once said, “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.”



It would seem now that he wasn’t completely off-the-mark, was he?&nbsp;Who would have thought on the first of January of a year that had been initially hailed as ‘twenty plenty’, that one miniscule virus would bring the whole world to a standstill and confine people to their homes? Who would have thought that gloves and face-masks would suddenly be the new rage in the upended world of fashion?



Due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases globally, employees in lockdown have no other option but to be productive in their home offices. Whilst Zoom calls and online meetings are the new norm, here are a few fashion do’s and don’ts for this period and beyond for those working remotely.&nbsp;



Do&#8230; Plan what you wear, be it a clean pair of sweatpants or a clean top. In the same way you would curate your look for a day at the office, plan for a comfortable work day at home. This prepares and sets your mind up for productivity.



Don’t&#8230; Wear pyjamas. While it’s understood that you’re not in your normal working environment, it’s important to always put your best foot forward. Wearing pyjamas on a work video con-call&nbsp;may translate as a lack of respect and regard for your colleagues and most importantly, yourself. Do not fall into the temptation!



Do&#8230; Wear a neutral colored top! A plain black, white, tan or grey T-shirt or sweater, a washed face and neat hair will go a long way for those zoom conference calls. You can’t control your environment, be it the bawling baby in the next room or the neighbor mowing his lawn, but you can at the very least, attempt to look presentable and somewhat professional while&nbsp;in your comfort zone.&nbsp;



Don’t&#8230; Wear a printed item or distracting accessories for video conference calls. Avoid any minor distractions. Your colleagues want to get off the work call as much – and as soon as – you do. Don’t create a point of discussion that will drag on the conversation or deviate from the point of the call.&nbsp;



“Like poetry, fashion doesn’t state anything, it merely suggests,” said Lagerfeld famously.



What people see before them has the first say even before a person opens his or her mouth to speak. Make sure you’re in control of the narrative when it comes to how you want to be perceived professionally, be it in the office or in the middle of your living room. 



&#8211;Keabetswe Mafora

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How To Dress Up For The Home Office

As coronavirus cases have surged, so have the number of companies asking their employees to work from home, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.willistowerswatson.com/en-US/News/2020/03/north-american-companies-take-steps-to-protect-employees-from-coronavirus-epidemic" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">46% of American businesses</a>&nbsp;having implemented remote-work policies as of mid-February. While telecommuting has become more mainstream in recent years—the remote workforce grew 159% between 2005 and 2017—when just&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/flexjobs-gwa-report-remote-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">3.4% of Americans work from home</a>&nbsp;at least half of the time, it’s not unreasonable to think that many of the employees who have been asked to work from home due to the coronavirus may have little to no experience doing so, or at least not for an extended period of time.



Whether you’re a first-time telecommuter struggling to be as productive from your couch as you are from your cube, or a manager looking for ways to keep your newly remote team engaged, here’s everything you need to know about working from home during the coronavirus pandemic. We’ll be adding to this guide as the situation develops, so check back for updates.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">How To Work From Home</h3>



As the coronavirus has continued to spread, some of the world’s biggest businesses have asked employees to work from home. But if you’re working remotely for an extended period of time, how can you ensure that you’re just as productive from your couch as you are from your cube? <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/darrenmenabney/2020/03/06/what-you-need-to-know-to-start-working-from-home/">These six tips</a> may be key to your success.



Many organizations have encouraged their workers to curb, if not cancel, business trips. If yours hasn’t, you may be wondering whether your boss can <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomspiggle/2020/03/06/can-employees-refuse-to-travel-out-of-fear-of-contracting-the-coronavirus-what-you-need-to-know/#4fc6f4a61eef">make you travel during an outbreak</a>. The short answer: Maybe. 



If you can’t telecommute and have to miss work due to being quarantined, can you lose your job?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomspiggle/2020/02/26/the-coronavirus-keeping-your-job-if-you-get-quarantined/">Here’s what you need to know</a>&nbsp;about your rights.



March is typically a strong hiring month, but as COVID-19 continues to spread, the job market may experience a slowdown. Whatever you do, don’t abandon your search—<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kourtneywhitehead/2020/03/01/3-things-you-need-to-know-about-a-march-job-search/">heed this advice</a> to achieve the best possible outcome.



If you’re a member of the class of 2020, with just weeks to go until graduation, chances are you’ve got more than a few questions about how, if at all, the coronavirus may affect your job hunt.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2020/03/10/how-recent-college-graduates-can-successfully-interview-in-a-covid-19-world/">Here’s what you need to know</a>.&nbsp;



Hiring may slow down, but it’s not likely to come to a grinding halt. There will always be a demand for top talent, even in a down market, and if you’re responsive to potential employers, open to alternative arrangements and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecenizalevine/2020/03/08/how-to-keep-your-job-search-going-when-hiring-slows-down/">follow these steps</a>, you’ll be better equipped to keep your search alive.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">How To Manage A Remote Team</h3>



As COVID-19 forces employers to embrace remote work, leaders have found themselves faced with a unique challenge: engaging employees from afar.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2020/03/02/what-managers-need-to-know-as-coronavirus-expands-our-remote-workforce/">Here’s how to get started</a>.



Despite the widespread adoption of telecommuting, remote-work advocates aren’t necessarily celebrating. Going remote may seem simple, but without the proper processes in place, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurelfarrer/2020/03/05/ironically-remote-work-advocates-warn-companies-about-covid-19-work-from-home-strategies/">experts warn that such arrangements can have serious consequences</a> for companies.



In times of uncertainty, people look to their leaders for answers. But you don’t have to know everything about COVID-19 to effectively address your team’s concerns—what you do need is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloedemrovsky/2020/03/03/why-the-business-impact-of-the-coronavirus-will-linger-and-what-to-do-about-it/">crisis communications plan</a>.



Leaders would also do well to stick to the facts and avoid any absolutes, exaggerations or otherwise emotive language. In other words, don’t say <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2020/03/08/ten-words-leaders-should-avoid-when-discussing-coronavirus-with-their-employees/">these 10 things</a>.



The bottom line: Keep calm. Panic is contagious, but so is courage, and by following<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2020/03/08/leading-through-coronavirus-how-those-in-charge-can-navigate-the-uncertainty-with-calm--courage/"> these six steps</a>, you’ll be better equipped to lead through tumultuous times.



&#8211; <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/vickyvalet/">Vicky Valet</a>, Forbes Staff, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/careers">Careers</a>

Nothing was Achieved  by Being Idle

Working From Home During The Coronavirus Pandemic: What You Need To Know

Companies that keep employees happy aren’t just helping their workers—they’re helping themselves, since satisfied&nbsp;workers are more productive. In fact, a mutual fund that invests in companies with positive workplace ratings, Parnassus Endeavor, has beaten the market handily over the past 10 years.



What are the organizations with the happiest employees? Careers site&nbsp;<a href="http://www.careerbliss.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CareerBliss</a>&nbsp;launched its eighth-annual list of the happiest companies in America. It surveyed tens of thousands of workers and asked them to rate their employers on ten key factors, such as their relationship with management, workplace environment, compensation, satisfaction with job function and growth opportunities.



To see the top 10 happiest companies to work for, open the gallery below. For the full list of 50, see the end of this article.



Keller Williams Realty takes the top spot. The Austin, Texas company has 175,000 agents across&nbsp;more than 900 metro areas and claims to be the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count. A Keller Williams Realty employee wrote on CareerBliss.com, “One of the greatest benefits is how our company promotes from within. All employees are encouraged and supported to be in control of their growth and career paths.”



Sneaker king Nike ranks second. It remains one of the most valuable brands in the world, and it’s navigating a big transition as more consumers shop online. In June it announced its “NIKE Direct” initiative—the company is trying to sell more of its products directly to consumers through its website and own stores, rather than rely on traditional retailers like Foot Locker.



Adobe is the fourth happiest company, according to CareerBliss. The Silicon Valley tech giant invented PDFs and launched them 1993. It claims PDFs have led to a 91% reduction in environmental impact and 90% cost savings when compared with paper-based processes. And Adobe’s Photoshop software is used by 90% of creative professionals. “The atmosphere is highly collaborative and energizing. People have always been friendly and helpful; very professional,” wrote one employee on CareerBliss.com.



Pharmaceutical giant Amgen ranks fifth. Arthritis drug Enbrel is its top-selling product, bringing in nearly $6 billion in sales last year. “The work-life balance is great, fantastic daycare on campus, lots of smart co-workers,” wrote one CareerBliss reviewer. “Working for Amgen was very rewarding to see the positive impact we made in patients’ lives,” reported a West Coast employee.



Full List:&nbsp;The Happiest Companies to Work for in 2018



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>Keller Williams Realty</li><li>Nike</li><li>Total Quality Logistics</li><li>Adobe</li><li>Amgen</li><li>Chevron</li><li>Intuit</li><li>Bristol-Myers Squibb</li><li>PNC Financial Services Group</li><li>TruGreen</li><li>CIGNA</li><li>Starbucks</li><li>Apple</li><li>Quicken Loans</li><li>Leidos</li><li>Qualcomm</li><li>iGATE</li><li>The Vanguard Group</li><li>Citrix Systems</li><li>Kaiser Permanente</li><li>Chase</li><li>Pfizer</li><li>Fidelity Investments</li><li>American Income Life Insurance Company</li><li>Blue Cross Blue Shield Association</li><li>American Express</li><li>GE Capital</li><li>Merck</li><li>American Airlines</li><li>Microsoft</li><li>Cisco Systems</li><li>Nordstrom</li><li>Exxon Mobil</li><li>Alcatel-Lucent</li><li>CenturyLink</li><li>Bank of America</li><li>The Walt Disney Company</li><li>Wells Fargo</li><li>Oracle</li><li>Citigroup</li><li>Broadcom</li><li>Farmers Insurance Group of Companies</li><li>DirecTV</li><li>Dell</li><li>Symantec</li><li>Metropolitan Life Insurance Company</li><li>ABC News</li><li>CareFusion</li><li>Spectrum</li><li>Verizon Communications &#8211; Jeff Kauflin</li></ol>

nike-store

The Happiest Companies To Work For In 2018

Sanlam&#8217;s approach to its employees is the same as its approach to its clients, to enable them to live their best possible life.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-319527" src="https://d16akly8855cs7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/04125012/Africas-Leaders-in-HR_Sanlam_Page2.jpg" alt="" width="872" height="505" />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-319531" src="https://d16akly8855cs7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/04125737/Infographic_Realise-your-worth.-FINAL.jpg" alt="" width="1448" height="2048" />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-319528" src="https://d16akly8855cs7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/04125222/Africas-Leaders-in-HR_Sanlam_Page3.jpg" alt="" width="2048" height="1093" />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-319529" src="https://d16akly8855cs7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/04125343/Africas-Leaders-in-HR_Sanlam_Page4.jpg" alt="" width="2048" height="1105" />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-319530" src="https://d16akly8855cs7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/04125443/Africas-Leaders-in-HR_Sanlam_Page5.jpg" alt="" width="2048" height="1105" />
 &#8211; Content supplied by Sanlam

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Making Work Rewarding For Generations To Come

Dimension Data turns employee careers into worthwhile experiences with tools, technology and now robotics. 
Seventy two percent of our workforce today is made up of millennials. A generation looking to government, as well as to corporates to solve societal problems. Overwhelmed employees need work that inspires them and enables them to make a difference in society.
To be a Top Employer and to attract and retain our talent and that of the future, means we need to create an environment built on empathy, wellbeing, one that provides coaching and mentoring, where careers are transformed into experiences.
For too long we’ve had robotic expectations of human performance. It’s about time we hand over the mundane tasks to robots, so we can focus on work that inspires us. A successful organisation of the future must become a data-led social enterprise, treating employees fairly, transparently and in an unbiased manner – says Dimension Data Middle East and Africa HR Executive Michaela Voller.
Voller says they need to reimagine how they will operate and transform Dimension Data to be fit for the future, and have begun their journey of transformation. They have adopted a Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) methodology to allow them to scale lean and agile work practices, and are moving towards agile workspaces to support this. ‘Our aim is to provide a more efficient service to our clients through this collaborative approach’.
We recently launched a new way of working through our global HRIS platform – Workday, continues Voller. We needed to improve the employee experience with tools that provide real-time transparent information, and enable employees to manage their own careers. Our employees can set performance objectives and get feedback on their progress from various peers at any time. They can in turn ‘give feedback’ and recognise their peers for great work. They can also showcase their careers by sharing their career history, competencies and aspirations, and can map their learning journey through our integrated learning platform, making them more accessible for promotional opportunities.
We also launched a new on-boarding experience – continues Voller. We decided to digitise induction as part of our broader digitisation journey, through a mobile application to ensure a social experience to on boarding. By digitising the knowledge transfer on the platform, we’ve managed to create time and space for human connections through conversations.
Dimension Data is also integrating robotics into their organisation. As one example, our bot ‘Pippa’ screens thousands of CV’s, cutting out the bias nature of candidate selection currently performed by HR departments – explains Voller.
These are massive mind set shifts and we are encouraging and empowering our people to consider these changes and make this a success in our business. Our transformation journey is not nearly over, as we look forward to further exciting challenges ahead.
In our world today, change after all is the only thing we can be sure of.
&nbsp;
&#8211; By Jenni Burgum, Dimension Data.

Tag: Work

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

How To Stay Productive Working From Home

How To Dress Up For The Home Office

Working From Home During The Coronavirus Pandemic: What You Need To Know

The Happiest Companies To Work For In 2018

Making Work Rewarding For Generations To Come

Transforming For The Future