Modern work: successfully implementing working from home, agility and digitalization

Home office tips for more productivity

The home office has established itself as a permanent form of work in recent years. For many, it means more flexibility and the opportunity to achieve a better work-life balance. However, while working from home offers numerous advantages, it also poses a challenge to productivity. Without the familiar office structure and with the distractions of the home environment, it can be difficult to stay focused and work efficiently. Here are some tips on how to increase your productivity while working from home.

• 1. Create a fixed workspace
  • The most important tip for more productivity when working from home is to set up a fixed workspace. This should be separated from the rest of the apartment or house so that you have a clear division between working time and free time. A dedicated desk, a comfortable chair and good lighting create the ideal basis for focused work. Make sure that your workstation is ergonomic to prevent back and neck problems.
• 2. Set clear working hours
  • When working from home, it can be tempting to keep delaying the working day or to do private things in between. To increase your productivity, you should define fixed working hours and stick to them. Start your working day at the same time as in the office and plan regular breaks. A clear structure not only helps you to stay focused, but also to use the working day efficiently.
• 3. Avoid distractions
  • There are many potential distractions at home, be it your smartphone, housework or other family members. To stay productive, you should try to minimize these distractions. Set your phone to “do not disturb” mode and inform roommates or family members of your working hours so that you can work in peace. Another good method is the Pomodoro technique: work for 25 minutes and then take a short break.
• 4. Use digital tools for collaboration
  • When working from home, it is important to stay in touch with your team and encourage communication. Tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams or Zoom help to make communication and collaboration efficient even at a distance. Use calendars, to-do lists and project management software such as Trello or Asana to organize your tasks and meet deadlines. This will help you keep track of things and use your time wisely.
• 5. Maintain a good work-life balance
  • A major problem when working from home is the blurred relationship between working hours and free time. If you work too long, this can lead to exhaustion, while too many breaks can affect productivity. Make sure you also schedule time for yourself outside of the workspace. Use the flexibility of working from home to organize your working day in a way that suits you, but also ensures you get enough rest.

With these tips, you can get the most out of your home office and stay productive without jeopardizing your work-life balance.

Agile methods: The best approaches for your team

Agile methods are now an integral part of many companies that want to make their work processes more flexible and efficient. They offer a structured yet flexible approach to projects and promote close collaboration within teams. In this article, we present the most important agile methods and explain how they can help your team to implement projects successfully and efficiently.

• 1. Scrum - the agile classic
  • Scrum is one of the best-known and most widely used agile methods. It is based on clear roles and regular meetings to continuously monitor and adjust the progress of a project. The team is divided into so-called “sprints”, which usually last two to four weeks. At the end of each sprint, there is a sprint review to check the outcome of the sprint and a retrospective to reflect on and improve the work process. The most important roles in Scrum are the Product Owner, who defines the requirements and goals of the project, the Scrum Master, who ensures that the team can work effectively, and the development team, which does the actual work.
• 2. Kanban - flexibility and visualization
  • Kanban is another popular agile method that is particularly suitable for teams working on several projects at the same time. Kanban is based on a visual representation of the work process, where tasks are divided into different phases on a Kanban board: “To Do”, “In Progress” and “Done”. This allows team members to track the progress of tasks in real time and react quickly to changes. A central principle of Kanban is the limitation of work-in-progress (WIP), i.e. the number of tasks that are processed simultaneously. This promotes focus and helps to avoid overload and delays.
• 3. Lean - increasing efficiency through continuous improvement
  • The lean method originally comes from production, but has also established itself in software development and other areas. It aims to minimize waste and optimize processes in order to increase efficiency. Lean promotes continuous improvement (Kaizen) and places great emphasis on the involvement of all team members in order to identify potential for improvement. An important method within lean is value stream mapping, in which the entire work process is visualized in order to identify and eliminate unnecessary steps or bottlenecks.
• 4. Extreme programming (XP) - agile development for software teams
  • Extreme Programming (XP) is an agile method that was developed specifically for software development. It promotes close collaboration between developers and customers and places great emphasis on quality and flexibility. A central concept of XP is Test-Driven Development (TDD), where tests are created before the code is written to ensure quality right from the start. XP also promotes pair programming, where two developers work together on one computer to write code while sharing knowledge and best practices.

The right method for your team

Which agile method is best for your team depends on various factors, such as the size of the team, the type of project and the corporate culture. Scrum is a good choice for teams that value clear structures and regular meetings, while Kanban offers more flexibility. Lean is particularly suitable for teams that want to continuously optimize their processes, and XP is the ideal choice for software teams that pursue high quality standards.

Agile methods help your team to work more efficiently, react more quickly to changes and continuously improve. They promote collaboration and create a transparent working environment that ensures the success of projects.

How digitalization succeeds in companies

Digitalization is one of the biggest challenges facing companies of all sizes and in all industries today. It affects not only technology, but also corporate culture, business models and work processes. Successful digitalization can lead to greater efficiency, better customer relationships and a more competitive company. But how can this process succeed? Here are some key steps for a successful digital transformation.

• 1. Understanding digitalization as a holistic process
  • Digitalization is more than just the introduction of new software or tools. It is a holistic process that affects all areas of a company - from production and sales to communication with customers and partners. It is about using the possibilities of technology to optimize work processes, improve customer service and develop new business models.
• 2. Develop a clear digitalization strategy
  • Before companies start digitizing, they should develop a clear strategy that takes into account their goals, priorities and resources. The strategy should not only include technological aspects, but also employee training, adapting the company structure and communicating changes to all stakeholders. A digital roadmap helps to steer the transformation process and ensure that all measures are targeted and coordinated.
• 3. Choosing the right digital tools and technologies
  • Choosing the right technologies is an important part of digitalization. Companies should carefully consider which software and tools are best suited to their business processes. This involves not only modern systems, but also the integration of existing applications and data. Cloud solutions, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and automation tools are just a few examples of technologies that can support the digitalization process.
• 4. Train and involve employees
  • Digitalization requires new skills and abilities. It is important to involve employees in the process at an early stage and promote their further training. Training and workshops on new technologies and the promotion of a digital culture are crucial to the success of digitalization. If employees understand how they can use the new tools, they are more willing to embrace change and actively participate in it.
• 5. Promote agility and flexibility
  • Digitalization is a continuous process that requires constant adjustments and improvements. Companies should promote an agile way of working in order to be able to react flexibly to new challenges and opportunities. Regular feedback loops and the constant review of processes make it possible to react quickly and continuously optimize the digital transformation.
• 6. Put the customer at the center
  • Digitalization should always focus on the customer. It is about improving the customer experience through digital channels, be it through a user-friendly website, efficient customer service or customized offers. The collection and analysis of customer data makes it possible to offer personalized services and increase customer satisfaction.

Seeing digitalization as an opportunity

Digitalization offers companies enormous opportunities to optimise their processes, improve collaboration and tap into new markets. However, in order to take advantage of these opportunities, companies need to see digital transformation as a long-term and holistic process. With a clear strategy, the right technology, well-trained employees and an agile corporate culture, companies can successfully implement digitalization and secure their future.