For many, a hybrid mix of home and office working offers the flexibility and freedom they crave. No more daily commutes sitting for hours in traffic and missing the bedtime story again. No more juggling family commitments with pleasing the boss. No more feeling guilty that you cannot solve the work-life balance riddle.
Covid 19 brought much tragedy and disruption to lives around the globe; but we’d be remiss not to acknowledge that there are always positives in even the bleakest of situations. The change in concept of what “working life” looks like makes hybrid working a regular option for those who seek it. Gone are the days of 9-5 in the office.
During July and August, I worked in three different offices… three different rental homes across Canada. Each house in a different location, each dining table where I set up my laptop becoming a different base for my work. It’s easy to argue that it’s the ultimate workplace freedom!
But what of the jobs that still rely on shift patterns, on-site production and those roles that simply cannot work in a hybrid way? Does this mean that workplace freedom is denied?
Of course not.
This is because workplace freedom is not down to WHERE you work but HOW you work. Where you work is measured by distance and commute times – it is still one of the primary factors that people use when searching for jobs. How you work is measured by something less objective – this is because how you work impacts how you feel about the work you do.
Two people could do exactly the same job in the same workplace. One loves it; the other hates it. Why?
This is because one person is well-suited to how they work – they might enjoy the variation of shift patterns, like the buzz of a high-pressure environment, find the unpredictable nature of their role stimulating. This “HOW” makes them happy at work. But for another person, who likes predictable work, regular hours and who finds high-pressure stressful, the “HOW” makes them unhappy – the job is not the right match. Is it little wonder that they hate it?
If you find yourself looking for a new job and not sure where to start, here is an important tip.
The objective measures of location, salary, etc, are factors that should be considered; BUT, do not neglect the most important factor of all – HOW would doing that work will make you feel?
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