Communication can look different when in-person or virtual; both can have advantages and disadvantages. Last summer I interned at a medical device company and worked in a hybrid setting, allowing me to see these differences. In-person communication allows for easier interactions with others as it is easier to build trust and allows for the use of nonverbal cues. It can also help usher in a more collaborative environment for brainstorming. Virtual communication, on the other hand, allows for more means of communication, such as through email, text, and video calls, and can allow for the ability to communicate with people that can not attend in-person meetings for reasons such as location. The ability to work virtually is also very convenient in the sense that the individual does not have to commute to a particular location and individuals can work on assignments from their homes. Some believe that working remotely is more productive since they are able to work in an environment that is more comfortable for them, while others say that they are more productive at an office due to the distractions that are available around them, at home. In my experience, communication is easier when in person but working remotely allows for more productivity.
This topic is very interesting. Personally I would prefer to work in an office versus from home because as mentioned before communication can become blurred. According to Albert Mehrabian communication is 55% non verbal, 38% verbal, and 7% just words. Only being able to access 45% of communication from home can definitely make tasks or projects more difficult than normal.
If I were a project manager working from home, I would create a firm schedule for office hours. I would create a workspace where anyone would feel comfortable contacting me anytime during those allotted hours as frequently as they like and even request video chats for a more prompt form of communications. In order to keep the project moving forward I would probably implement a project team meeting to start and end the day just to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Hello,
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented several challenges for project managers who are required to work from home. One of the main challenges is communication, as project managers need to ensure that they have the right tools and strategies in place to communicate effectively with their team members, stakeholders, and clients. Another challenge is managing distractions, which can include family members, pets, or household chores. Time management can also be challenging when working from home, and project managers need to be able to manage their time effectively and create a clear schedule that includes designated work hours, breaks, and non-work activities. Managing remote teams is another challenge that project managers face when working from home. Team members may be located in different time zones or have different work schedules, which can make it difficult to manage and motivate the team. Additionally, the pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty, and project managers need to be able to adapt to change quickly. This may involve revising project plans, managing new risks, or adjusting project timelines.
As a project manager working from home, maintaining a healthy work-life balance can be challenging. However, there are several strategies that you can use to create work-life boundaries and manage your time effectively. One approach is to establish a routine that includes designated work hours, breaks, and non-work activities. Additionally, creating a dedicated workspace that is separate from your living area can help you focus on work during work hours and disconnect from work when you step away. Using time-management tools like calendars and to-do lists can also help you prioritize tasks, manage deadlines, and ensure that you are not spending too much time on work-related tasks. It's also important to communicate with your team about your work hours, availability, and expectations to establish clear boundaries and set expectations. By implementing these strategies, you can effectively manage your project while still preserving your personal life outside of work.
This issue would be difficult to handle given the lack of immediate feedback that occurs due to working at home. I would probably set up a schedule for appropriate deadlines for people to complete and hand in their work. Having a web video conference room open throughout working hours can benefit anyone that have questions or would want to discuss any issues they have. Check-ins would probably be necessary if people were falling behind but a weekly meeting would be better. I would prefer to work at home although going to the office a couple of times a week would be helpful for the team's cohesiveness and building of camaraderie.
I think that the best working model would be a hybrid for those careers that just do not require you to be in office every day. During my internship, I had the option to work from home 2 days and come in the other 3 days. I could choose to do so any day of the week, consistently on the same days or inconsistently, it was all up to me. With this model, while it was hard to communicate with some individuals, it made completing my work easier. I enjoyed not having to spend over an hour commuting each way. For simple projects, communicating over Microsoft Teams was a breeze, especially among my younger coworkers. For more involved, complicated projects, there were moments that I wished all of us were in person. It would have been easier to find someone at their desk and ask a question rather than send email after email following up, especially for a hot project.
During covid we had no choice but to adapt to a new form of working and communicating when working from home. During this time we all had the opportunity to observe the benefits and downside to this method. As mentioned in previous posts communication can become blurred or convoluted due to zero face to face interactions, especially considering communication is mostly non-verbal in humans. Now that we are in a post-pandemic time, safe to say a lot of organizations went for a more hybrid route giving employees the option to work from home on certain days. This allowed for a good balance regarding boundaries, lapses in communication, and energy spent by employees commuting. Working from home in a project setting can be optimal when communicating purely technical information to one another or when reporting that technical information to a PM. When collaborating hands on it is best to be present on site to work on project. With that said a communication when working from home is best when a hybrid setting is adopted
Working from home definitely has some advantages like sleeping a bit more because you don't have to commute, watching the kids while working, being able to snack here and there, and so on. However, the environment is not ideal for working. There are too many distractions at home that are hard to avoid. Plus, your working hours are not always respected. I prefer working in the office. It is easier to follow a schedule and do anything planned for the day during your 8 hours shift. You are definitely more accessible, and reachable at work than at home. Currently, in my company, we have switched the software of operation. So we are still learning how to manipulate the new system. If working from home was on the table, it would catastrophic for us because you can't find the answer to how to get from one place to another in the new system. It would create so many delays, hence, it would not be ideal. At least at the office, we have some support from our colleagues with more experience with the system. At work, it is easier to communicate, and faster. It is definitely more efficient. Your work life would remain in the office while your personal life would remain at home. So boundaries will be in place.
I feel like the pandemic brought about needed changes in the way many companies were running. Many companies and employees found out that production and work output barely changes when employees are working at home. This causes a shift in the job market as more and more people preferred a work-from-home work model. Working from home allowed many employees to allocate the time used to commute to work and back to other aspects of their life, giving more time back to the employee. Personally, I find the hybrid work model being the best. I often feel like I need a change from the home environment and prefer to go to the office to work. On other days, I feel my time would be better spent if I worked on this at home rather than in the office. This way if I'm needed at the office for inspection, I can be there. Or if I need to be attending meetings, I can do that from home.
I agree with Dr Simons comment about the lines between work and home being blended over the last few years. I've tried my best to create that balance while working from home, however I haven't had too much success. I much prefer going into the office as it has allowed me to create clear boundaries for myself and my coworkers of when I'm available for work. I think it is up to the PM to foster a culture of respect and create an open dialogue for the team members to express their honest opinions to them about their bandwidth for the project. A lot of time at my job I find myself supporting multiple projects at once, so it is also important for me (or any project team member) to clearly communicate how much they can get done during a week. Additionally, I've always felt like it is important to know who to report to on a team for different things. That way communication is streamlined and people can use their time more efficiently.
As a project manager the ability to separate work and life is critical to stay successful, refreshed, and not compromise life outside of work. To help ensure this I believe it is important to stay organized and stay true to a schedule. As many prior posts have stated, I firmly believe in creating a hard-line boundary for when the work day is over, no more answering calls or emails until work begins again the next day (unless of an emergency). Additionally, when I say stay organized and true to a schedule, I mean that it is best practice to plan your tasks in advance. Knowing what needs to be done in a day whether it be your team or oneself, allows yourself to relax when your responsibility is over for the day. This also entails prioritizing task and staying on top of them through time. These best work-life practices are not just for project managers to follow, but us a students should also try to incorporate to our lives. Every student has waited last minute or pushed off work for later in their academic careers, but it is also important to make time for oneself away from school. Staying organized and following a schedule for when to complete tasks is a life practice that we as students should incorporate now and in our soon-to-be professional careers.
I prefer working in an office or a lab. One of the best ways to create a work-life balance is to keep your work and home environments separate. Once they get mixed, i.e., you start working at home, it becomes really hard to maintain a work-life balance in my opinion. It ends up so that you’re answering emails and calls — especially the non-emergency ones — at home. It’s best to create a schedule or a to-do list for the day, reach out to your respective employees or supervisors (whoever you need to communicate with), complete the necessary tasks, and end the work day knowing you’ve done what you had to do that day. This way, you don’t have to take work home with you, unless there’s a real emergency.
In addition, communication is always easier when you can see the people you are working with. Speaking in person leaves little room for confusion compared to speaking to team members through a screen. In person, you’re able to see the person, interpret their tone and body language better, and get an answer to a question or solve a problem easier. Through a screen, all of this becomes one and a lot is left to interpretation. Working in an office refines peoples’ interpersonal skills while working from home does the opposite. Plus, working from home for some employees creates unrealistic expectations. Some employees are logged into work 24/7 and others are never logged in. So, you have people working all the time or you can’t get hold of who you need to because they’re not logged in and they’re not responding to emails or messages.
