With the global pandemic affecting pretty much every single industry, the property management recruitment sector is no different. As recruiters within the residential sector we have had to implement a certain amount of changes to the way we work individually, as a team and the day to day running of our business.

Working from home full time has its advantages but like with most things in life, there are also disadvantages. I think for many of us, one of the biggest benefits gained by working from home is the amount of time saved from not having to commute daily to and from the office! This means we can wake up more relaxed (hopefully) and use the time we would use commuting in a more productive manner. Some of us use that time to get ahead on our day or prep for meetings, have breakfast/dinner with the family, workout or spend a little longer in bed! Being able to dress a little more ‘relaxed’ and escaping from having to wear a shirt and tie is a bonus too!

Another huge advantage to working from home is being able to spend quality time with family, especially for those of us with children. I’m a proud dad to a little one year old girl and being home with her, watching her grow, being able to be hands on when needed and most importantly, not missing out on any major milestones has made being in lockdown and having to work from home worth it! I get to spend so much more time now with my daughter than I ever could have imagined, compared to when things were ‘normal’. Who knows, maybe her growing up around me in work mode will help mould her for the future and follow her daddy’s footsteps to becoming a super recruiter when she is older. I can retire early, and she can look after me haha! She is already pretending to make business calls on the phone, so we are already halfway there!

Although being home with the family is amazing, this can also come with added stresses especially when speaking with clients/candidates. I know first-hand the challenges that come with being a parent and working from home. In a role where a large chunk of what you do requires you to be on the phone, it makes life extremely difficult when you have a young child trying to pull you away from the phone as they want your undivided attention or they are having ‘a mad half an hour’ and are running around the room shouting at the top of their lungs or crying! I think I would need to count both my fingers and toes, at least twice, for the amount of times I have had to apologise to a client about having a conversation interrupted because a very impatient little girl wants her daddy to rewind Baby Shark so she can listen to her favourite song again! Luckily, most of the clients are also working from home and/or have children so are very understanding. I think we all can relate in one way or another to the ‘new normal’.

That being said I have learned ways to adapt my normal routine and mindset by finding ways to help me make working from home more productive. I have found the following to be particularly useful:

1. Prioritise and Schedule.

With the kids around, you are not going to have as much time to dedicate to work, so it is important to use this time wisely. Make a list of key tasks that you need to get through each day and try thinking about what important tasks you can do during quieter periods.

2. Take advantage of the little one’s nap times.

When my daughter has her nap time in the middle of the day, I find this is usually the best time to spend on tasks that require my full concentration.

3. Get outside and take a break.

Although working from home means juggling a variety of different tasks and you are busier than you normally would be, it is vital to your mental wellbeing to make sure you have a break and get some fresh air to re-energise your brain!

Being a team leader is great! However, not being in the office with your team in person on a day to day basis can make it more difficult to carry out your role. Although we have systems like zoom, teams etc it is definitely not the same as being together in the office especially within such a fast paced, unpredictable industry like ours where no one day is the same. This means having to implement new strategies and ways of working to be as productive as possible and try to keep not only yourself but also you team motivated.

Managing your team and trying to provide support to them depending on their own individual home set ups and home lives is another factor you must consider. Each of us has and will be affected in different ways. This all depends on our home circumstances, living arrangements, productivity levels, and personal motivation. Some of us work better alone, some work better in a team environment. As a good team leader, you must be calm, supportive, give direction when needed and understand for many this situation can be quite overwhelming. I have a young child, but I have a younger colleague in my team who lives at home with 3 siblings, her niece, and a highly active dog!!!!

Because of certain factors as mentioned, when it comes to setting KPI’s and targets for individual team members, a more flexible approach needs to be implemented. It is also my job to try and assist them with structuring their time, so they meet their targets, fulfil expectations and be as successful as possible. I find that regular one to one meetings and catch ups are great tools to ensure success. These help to keep lines of communication and support open and allows you to keep in the loop with what everyone has going on individually. Most importantly it is a chance to check in on the wellbeing of my team member in general and with how they are coping with the demands of their job and working from home.

Although this way of life is not at all what the majority of us are used to (and many of us even a year later are still learning to adjust) it is definitely something we all need to embrace and learn to adapt into our lives. Working from home, albeit part time, looks to remain a firm factor of our future and the ‘new normal’ way of the working world.