5 in-office tips to make remote work of developers more efficient

Working from home may be difficult for jobs requiring collaboration or having high-value roles, but for some industry professionals, it has become the norm. Most companies understand that this is the new future where people work from anywhere, and they have adapted to ensure business continuity amid this adversity. The IT industry is among those businesses where people have been working remotely for a long time. The only requirements for developers, designers and managers is a laptop with an internet connection.

Studies show that remote developers experience a boost in productivity and feel that they can do more when not subjected to the distractions of the office. Remote work does have its drawbacks, however. For some, it can be difficult to maintain high levels of productivity when working alone for long periods, and loneliness or lack of colleague connection can cause dissatisfaction. Additionally, remote work means less visibility to management, which can prevent career development.

While some developers’ work is more autonomous and requires less interaction with their coworkers, other teams are affected more. For example, product teams require flexibility and constant interaction and need to stay in touch at all times. This leads to a number of problems with communication, especially in a remote work environment. So, how can companies help developers make their remote work environment more efficient?

Here are 5 in-office tips that employees can implement in their homes:

Adjusting temperature: Studies have actually proven that the temperature of your work environment can affect productivity. For example, once office temperatures reach 27 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit), worker productivity and happiness plummets by 4% for every degree above that.

This affects performance, resulting in more errors, reduced speed and reduced concentration. Additionally, employees become more prone to fatigue and irritability when working in higher temperatures. It’s a small factor that goes a long way and is crucial for efficiency.

It doesn’t always take a huge adjustment. Just a few degrees higher or lower can make a substantial difference to the productivity of a workplace. Though it may seem a relatively small change, it can be the difference between having a team that is comfortable, or one that isn’t going to be able to perform as required.

While office settings usually have ducted air systems or air conditioners, many remote workers do not consider this factor when working from home. So it is crucial to inform them about this to avoid any inconvenience and make their workplace as accommodating as possible.

Work buddy: Effective software development requires ongoing learning and the efficient sharing of knowledge. Studies on the knowledge sharing process have found that the learning process is highly social and relational in nature.. Remote work, which can lead to feelings of isolation and "desocialization," can hinder the sharing of knowledge.

Research also shows that specialized professional knowledge and working alone are the biggest barriers to knowledge sharing. This is why it’s important for managers to understand that the potential gains from remote work could be unintentionally lost if they don’t take steps to keep workers feeling connected and able to easily share expertise.

The best way to do this is through a culture of learning. Learning culture has to be instilled in workers from day one, and it should be supported by all levels of management. Companies employ different practices for empowered knowledge sharing, such as pair programming, professional clubs or chapters, internal talks and meetups and assigning mentors and buddies to new hires.

Offline meetings:

Virtual interactions are great, and remote work has many benefits, but nothing can fully replace an in-person interaction. Face-to-face meetings create a more collaborative environment and foster strong interpersonal connections that Zoom calls and Slack chats can’t replicate.

When workers are in the same room, collaboration is easier, communication can happen more directly and important things like body language and nonverbal cues can be easily picked up. Offline communication helps remote workers feel more engaged and connected to their colleagues, which is crucial for productivity and happiness.

Companies with larger budgets often organize regular in-person meetings by bringing all employees to one location. For example, 1Password holds an annual, week-long meeting where all employees work and play together. Other companies such as Automattic, Dell, Glitch, GitHub, Timely and others sponsor employee travel and arrange for everyone to stay in the same place for at least one day each year.

Ergonomics: Investing in ergonomic office setups is a common practice for many companies. Some companies even use the design of their offices as a public relations message. Many countries also have workplace standards that regulate factors such as the amount of space per person, humidity, and lighting.

A home office that isn’t optimized ergonomically can increase the likelihood of back pain and spinal health issues (stemming from poor posture). Additionally, research has found that poor posture can impact mental health, lower a person’s metabolism and even cause respiratory difficulties.

Companies often fail to invest in or educate employees on the importance of proper home office design and ergonomics, despite their important role in healthy, productive work. However, others invest in their workers’ home office set-up. For instance, companies like Shopify and Basecamp offer $1000 for home office equipment, and GitLab offers even more reimbursement.

Online activities:

Scheduling online activities might seem like a waste of time, but the truth is that they can have long-term benefits that help workers and your company. Giving employees the opportunity to “virtually hang out” via things like a game day, happy hour or movie night can help colleagues get to know each other and create deeper connections with peers and managers.

An effective virtual team-building activity can even boost engagement rates by up to 66%, ensuring your employees work better together as they solve problems, bouncing ideas off each other using effective communication skills toward a common goal.

The number one aim of team bonding sessions is to create an effective team. Encourage employees to build their collaborative skills through fun activities that challenge them to work together to complete tasks. For example; Virtual lunch can replicate cafeteria lunch, casual coffee meetups, video streaming and stress buster games. It helps teams connect personally by bringing human interaction to virtual work.