tips for working remotely – BC Jobs Blog https://www.bcjobs.ca/blog BCjobs Blog Thu, 02 Jan 2025 11:29:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.9 How To Stay Happy Working From Home https://www.bcjobs.ca/blog/how-to-stay-happy-working-from-home/ Fri, 06 Nov 2020 20:41:54 +0000 https://www.bcjobs.ca/blog/?p=7533 Over the last decade, jobs in Vancouver and other regions have become increasingly online-accessible, and the 2020 coronavirus pandemic has only accelerated that growth. As a result, today: 68% of Canadian employers have adopted a flexible workplace structure enabling at least some employees to work from home. About 40% of all jobs in Vancouver are […]

The post How To Stay Happy Working From Home appeared first on BC Jobs Blog.

]]>
Over the last decade, jobs in Vancouver and other regions have become increasingly online-accessible, and the 2020 coronavirus pandemic has only accelerated that growth. As a result, today:

  • 68% of Canadian employers have adopted a flexible workplace structure enabling at least some employees to work from home.
  • About 40% of all jobs in Vancouver are currently full-time remote positions, up from about 8% in 2016 and just 3% in 2011.

Moreover, even before the pandemic, at least 70% of Canadians worked from home at least one day per week (on par with the rest of the global job market). About half of those positions enabled remote work for at least 2.5 days per workweek.

Who Benefits From Working From Home?

The growing body of research showing that remote work is often better for both employees and employers has driven the global trend towards home-based work.

For example, 67%-81% of home-based employees have lower stress levels and higher morale — and also demonstrate improved work engagement, attendance, productivity, and performance — than they did while working in-office.

Consequently, employers offering at least half-week workshifting can save as much as $11,000 in overhead and lost productivity per employee.

The Best Way To Stay Happy While Working From Home? Make It Social & Make It Part-Time

The ugly truth about workshifting is that a home-anchored workspace is not automatically (or guaranteed to be) an improvement, and Canadians often either love or vehemently hate home-based work.

This is especially true for people who transition to remote work suddenly and/or without an option to do otherwise. In these cases, cultivating happiness while working from home can be challenging. That is primarily because:

  1. The isolation of remote work damages their sense of value to and purpose at the company; and
  2. Home workspaces are often distracting and make it difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

That is why just 5% of remote workers see themselves still working with their current employer in five years; 95% are planning or already beginning their job search. Plus, it explains why:

  • Up to 88% of current full-time remote employees long to go back to work outside the house, even if it is only for part of the workweek.
  • Although 77% of Canadians believe flexible workplace arrangements are the “new normal,” only 64% hope to continue doing some home-based work in the future.

What To Do When Working From Home Goes Wrong

Sometimes, team-based and/or partially in-person work is not an option or is not sufficient to make people happy doing home-based work for long periods. Nevertheless, job market experts note that people holding remote jobs in Vancouver or elsewhere are not without other options to reach and sustain happiness, even when times are tough.

Expert- & Science-Backed Strategies To Stay Happy Doing Home-Based Work

If none of the following actions can keep you feeling happy while working from home, that is a sign it may be time to start your job search for a position with greater in-office time and opportunities for teamwork.

  1. Establish a daily routine that parallels an in-person workday. This includes setting specific working hours, wearing professional clothing while working, limiting access to at-home distractions during the workday, and taking timed breaks.
  2. Prioritize tasks to cultivate a “flow” mindset (minimize disruptive task switching and more easily become absorbed in the work at hand).
  3. Maintain a high-efficiency home-anchored workspace. The boundaries around dedicated workspaces tend to disintegrate over time, so intentionally maintaining a separate physical and mental space just for work is a continuous project.
  4. Manage clients’ (and coworkers’/managers’) expectations about your working hours and accessibility while at home.
  5. Reach out to coworkers outside of work activities; build a support system and a social connection to the team/company.
  6. Seek out coworking spaces where doing individual work may not feel so isolating (and things at home will not be distracting).

Recent Posts: How to Find a Fulfilling Career in 5 Simple Steps

10 Questions To Ask Yourself When Choosing A Career

8 Tips to Follow for a Successful Career in 2020

 


About the Author

BCJobs.ca is the largest job board in Western Canada. Listen to our weekly podcast on Spotify, Google Podcast, Apple Podcast, and Stitcher.

The post How To Stay Happy Working From Home appeared first on BC Jobs Blog.

]]>
What You Should Do to Guarantee Your Career Success in 2020 https://www.bcjobs.ca/blog/what-you-should-do-to-guarantee-your-career-success-in-2020/ Wed, 30 Sep 2020 21:18:17 +0000 https://www.bcjobs.ca/blog/?p=7461 This has been a rollercoaster of a year, and you may wonder if it’s better to curl up in bed and Netflix the rest of the year away – or continue to work towards career success. Lucky for you, this year isn’t a complete wash! There are quite a few ways for you to keep […]

The post What You Should Do to Guarantee Your Career Success in 2020 appeared first on BC Jobs Blog.

]]>
This has been a rollercoaster of a year, and you may wonder if it’s better to curl up in bed and Netflix the rest of the year away – or continue to work towards career success. Lucky for you, this year isn’t a complete wash! There are quite a few ways for you to keep your career success on track, even in the chaotic year that is 2020.

Stay Relevant on Media Platforms

The professional world is moving more and more towards digital and social media platforms, so it is imperative that you are up to date and looking fresh online. Make sure your LinkedIn account is up to date and has a professional profile photo.

According to LinkedIn, users with a profile photo have 21 times more views and requests than users without one. Embracing the digital age will do wonders for your resume, career opportunities, and connections.

Resume Etiquette

Handing in an outdated resume is like giving a new friend your old number… it’s just not going to work out. It says a lot to a recruiter if you haven’t put in the basic effort to put in accurate and relevant information.

Make sure you’ve done some research and can address the recruiter or hiring manager by name when you submit your resume. According to zety.com, 84% of hiring managers are likely to reject an impersonal resume submission.

Soft Skills

Though often overlooked in the past, in favour of GPA scores and technical ability, soft skills are now trending. Recruiters want to know if you’ve got self-direction, motivation, leadership or teamwork skills, and whether you can make a good first impression. Look at Careerbuilder’s explanation on why soft skills are so important. Then check in with some friends and colleagues to find out your strengths and include them on your resume.

When you’re applying for a new position, consider which skills will benefit the position the most, and find out if you need to improve any soft skills. Walk into the interview confident that you’ve got what it takes to exceed their expectations.

Learn Pandemic-Friendly Platforms

It will be very important moving forward for you to be familiar with remote-work applications such as Zoom for video conferences or Asana for remote team projects. It will be important for employers and employees to adapt to shifting working conditions and locations.

Some of these platforms are usable even when life is nice and normal, and many companies may continue to use them regularly. Familiarizing yourself with these will be helpful, whether we’re in the middle of a pandemic or not.

Be On The Lookout

Last, but far from least, guaranteeing your career success requires constant vigilance. Always be watching for new opportunities and new relationships. Whether in your current workplace or looking elsewhere, professional contacts can make or break a career. Consider taking on side projects or creating proposals for a new position.

Staying committed to your own career success should be the number one priority. Don’t lose hope, continue to work hard, and your success will be right around the corner.

Job Search Tips: Top 15 Words to Include on Your Resume

Related posts: 8 Tips to Follow for a Successful Career in 2020

5 Go-To Tricks to Writing the Best Executive Resume

How the Market for Remote Work is Growing

These Jobs Will Be in Demand in 2020 in Canada

Top 5 Jobs In The Technology Sector 2020

 

 


About BC Jobs

BCjobs.ca is Western Canada’s largest job board, with majority of the jobs coming from Vancouver. For nearly 20 years, BC Jobs has connected job candidates with companies looking to add talent to their team. Here at BCJobs, we understand that looking for a job is difficult. To support our candidates, we recently launched a podcast to help you stand out during your job application. Listen to weekly episodes on our podcast to hear what recruiters are thinking and what companies look for when considering their next hire.

 

The post What You Should Do to Guarantee Your Career Success in 2020 appeared first on BC Jobs Blog.

]]>
Considerations Before Relocating for a Job https://www.bcjobs.ca/blog/considerations-before-relocating-for-a-job/ Tue, 01 Sep 2020 18:25:12 +0000 https://www.bcjobs.ca/blog/?p=7467 Career changes aren’t uncommon, and people decide to switch for various reasons. But, changing jobs in the same city or community is different than relocating for a job. That’s especially true if you’re planning on going to a completely different province. Table of Contents Cost of Living vs. Salary Settling Into a New City Is […]

The post Considerations Before Relocating for a Job appeared first on BC Jobs Blog.

]]>
Career changes aren’t uncommon, and people decide to switch for various reasons. But, changing jobs in the same city or community is different than relocating for a job. That’s especially true if you’re planning on going to a completely different province.

If a job in a different area looks appealing, you might be tempted to pack up and go right away. But, there are a few considerations you should keep in mind before making a drastic move. In many cases, a career change can be exciting and beneficial. But, when you’re uprooting your life from one location to another, it’s important to make absolutely sure you’re considering every possibility.

With that in mind, let’s dive deeper into some of those considerations, so you can develop more peace of mind on whether relocating for a job is the right decision for you.

Cost of Living vs. Salary

Again, people tend to consider different careers for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common factors include:

  • A poor work-life balance
  • No opportunities for growth
  • A toxic work environment
  • You’re looking for more challenges

Another common reason people look elsewhere is because they feel they aren’t making enough money in their current position. In Canada, some provinces offer more opportunities than others. For example, salaries in Quebec are on the rise, and it’s also the province with the largest job vacancy rate.

 

Financial implications are important to consider when you’re thinking about relocating. You might find a job with a higher salary, but the cost of living in that area could be higher. Think about the current cost of your home and what it would be instead if you moved. Would your new salary be able to cover that cost? (https://duckysonline.com) Other financial factors to consider include:

  • Growth potential
  • Commute time
  • Work schedule
  • Responsibilities

All of those things could either cost more or less money, or could result in you investing more of your time into your job. If a new job opportunity gives you the promise of growth with a salary allows you to live comfortably, it may be something to consider. But, if the cost of living in a new city outweighs whatever pay raise you might get, you’ll have to look at other factors to determine whether a move is right for you.

Settling Into a New City

Another important consideration is to ask yourself if you want to settle in somewhere new. It can be difficult to get acclimated to a neighborhood at first. Thankfully, technology has made it easier to build a network before you officially make a move. You can even set up a remote job interview to get a feel for the position and the company before you make a trip to a different location.

You can also start to build a professional network before you make a decision on whether to relocate. It might require you spending some time in that new place, but events and meetings that are related to your industry can make a big difference. These networking events can give you a feel for whether you’ll fit in or whether you think the environment is right for you.

If you do decide to move, attending these events ahead of time can help you to form relationships from the start, which can make it easier to feel welcome in a new place. Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone to meet new people in a new place. It’s the best way to determine whether you’ll feel at home in a new location whether you’re new to the industry or not.

Is it the Right Time to Make a Change?

The biggest thing to ask yourself before relocating for a job is what you truly want. Who do you want to be, and what do you want to achieve? When you’re able to answer that, deciding whether to relocate can become clearer.

While it’s important to do your research and consider all aspects of relocation, it’s equally important not to overthink things. You could paralyze your thoughts by overanalyzing everything, and may end up talking yourself out of a good opportunity. Many times, ‘going with your gut’ is a smart option, as long as the research you’ve done can back up your instincts.

Related Posts: These Jobs Will Be in Demand in 2020 in Canada

How To Be A Better At-Home Worker

6 Futuristic Jobs in Finance


About the Authors

Jori Hamilton is an experienced freelance writer residing in the Northwestern U.S. She covers a wide range of subjects but takes a particular interest in covering topics related to job/career search, HR, recruitment, and productivity. To learn more about Jori, you can follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Simon Chou is the Vice President of Operations and Growth at BCjobs.ca. Over the course of his career, he carved a niche in brand development, marketing strategy, and online presence for startups. Prior to joining BCJobs.ca, Simon was an advisor for several global blockchain projects including Litecoin, NEM, and Ripple. In the past, he also worked with Fortune 500 companies in the healthcare space through SM Digital—a global marketing agency.

The post Considerations Before Relocating for a Job appeared first on BC Jobs Blog.

]]>