Winning the War for Talent in 2021

June 17, 2021 by Aylish DeVore

As the competition heats up among industries to snag the best of the best to fill open roles, it’s becoming more clear we are experiencing a “War for Talent.” The phrase “War for Talent” is not a new term in the recruiting industry, as it was first coined in 1997 by Steven Hankin of McKinsey. In their 2001 book The War for Talent, authors Ed Michaels, Helen Handfield-Jones, and Beth Axelrod predicted that “the make-or-break for firms in the next two decades would be the ability to attract, develop, and retain talent.” In 2021, we’re in the thick of that battle, struggling to beat out the competition and win over top talent. Though there is an uptick in hiring across the board, with a closer look you’ll see just how small the market is when targeting top-tiered talent with niche skills and specialties. With over 7 million jobs recently posted online, the industry is experiencing an abundance of open roles and a lack of qualified candidates to fill them. In light of this sudden and increasing need for talent, job seekers are left with the upper hand. In today’s market, when it comes to winning the war for talent, employers need to take meaningful action by offering unique benefits, remaining flexible, improving branding, and focusing on retention post-hire.

Roll Out the Red Carpet

The current job market is in the hands of the job seekers — so it’s important to get to know your audience. Millennials for example, (who in just five short years will comprise almost 50% of the workforce) have different expectations for jobs than their predecessors did. 86% of Millennials put values, like respect for peers, before salary and 82% prefer to work from home at least one day a week. Now more than ever, hiring managers and companies need to be rolling out the red carpet and concede to the demands of those on the job hunt. Large, leading tech companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook have been perfect examples of this in the past as we’ve seen them building, buying, or rehabbing office spaces to make them attractive and appealing to workers. However, today’s climate calls for a little more creativity as the majority of companies and candidates are switching to the work from home model, making fancy office spaces obsolete. Companies are now branching out, offering new incentives like Peloton bikes, paid time off for mental health, additional vacation days, raises, and bonuses to keep their employees motivated and happy. Unfortunately, if you’re not doing your homework to find out what benefits your employees actually care about, you’ll be taking a shot in the dark.

Poaching and persuading top talent isn’t an altogether new concept but with today’s market, it’s now become a crucial part of everyone’s talent search. The rule of thumb when recruiting for top talent while competing in any industry is to assume there is always another offer on the table. Whether the candidate is actively interviewing for other roles or gets offered a promotion/raise by their current employer when handing in their notice - push your boundaries and dive deep to find what you can offer that no one else will.

Be Flexible & Act Fast

With so many competing offers and employers incentivizing candidates to stay where they are - quick decisions in the hiring process are crucial. Just imagine, while a hiring manager is contemplating possible, better candidates, the perfect candidate they let go cold is accepting another offer. With the majority of talent currently working from home, the process of taking an interview during the day has become a breeze. Candidates can resign from their current position and start a new one with the simple act of shipping back one laptop and receiving another in its place. This simplified and fast-acting turnover is exactly why it is imperative to remain flexible, open, and decisive when recruiting top talent.

The flexibility shouldn’t stop there. Being open to offering a flexible schedule in today’s market is another “must-have” on a majority of applicants’ lists. It’s been reported that “up to half of employees might quit their jobs if remote or hybrid work arrangements are not provided post-pandemic.” Due to this new norm, industries across the board are now competing on a national scale rather than with their local markets. By choosing not to employ remote workers, you are actively limiting your candidate pool. Offering a flexible work schedule is becoming non-negotiable when keeping up with the competition. With job seekers in the driver’s seat and in a position to make demands, hiring managers need to be listening.

Step Up Digital Branding & Awareness

Enticing a candidate to join a new company goes beyond what’s written on an offer. Most potential hires are conducting their own research on companies they’re looking to join, digitally. With the internet as the new marketplace, it is absolutely crucial to have a stellar online reputation and top-notch digital branding in place. As a simple fact of life, first impressions are everything - and more often than not, that introduction doesn’t come straight from a company email.

When a candidate is deciding if they should apply to a company, their first instinct will be to dig up some background information and see if they can picture themselves at the company. Ensuring consistent, clean, and up-to-date branding across all platforms positions you as a well-oiled machine, and instills a sense of confidence - which will result in more applicants.

Beyond consistency and aesthetics in branding, companies should be going above and beyond to create buzz in their industries. PR initiatives and posting exciting company news online can get job seekers’ attention and spark a good impression before they even land on your website/social channels. Another common way candidates look into a potential employer is through their online reviews and testimonials. This goes without saying, but poor reviews are one of the most passive reasons top talent will walk away from a job offer or even an initial interview. Open the door to communication by conducting exit interviews with employees leaving the company to uncover and address issues before they affect your incoming talent. Better yet, encourage satisfied customers to leave a positive review about their experience.

Invest in Training

With the added competition of today’s recruiting market, it’s important to remember that your job isn’t done when a new hire is made. In some cases, this is when the real work begins as your focus shifts to retaining that hire. One of the best ways to ensure retention of new hires is training, training, training! Investing in thorough and continued training programs is crucial in today’s market when the act of making the initial hire is already such an uphill battle. Hiring professionals agree that “in every industry and sector, among companies large and small, a new conversation must occur as upskilling and reskilling become the new norm.” Employers need to be more proactive by providing employees with the resources and time needed to learn the material and skills. Companies can focus on creating their own internal training that’s specific to their processes by including real on-the-job examples. The biggest mistake you can make after landing a top talent hire is to go into their employment blindly. Do your research and leverage tried and true methods to make sure you retain that expertise in-house.

With the intensity of today’s job market, offering unique benefits, remaining flexible and fast-acting, and ensuring retention after a hire is made can give your company the edge it needs to land top talent. Just like this job market overall, the way recruiting is conducted is changing at unprecedented speeds. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, Blue Signal can help. We’re experts in this realm and most importantly, we have the dedicated time to complete the open job searches you need filled. A significant benefit in working with a recruiting firm such as Blue Signal is the ability to target passive candidates, which is a game-changer in this climate. The days of waiting around for candidates to come to you and apply to your job posting on their own are over. According to a LinkedIn study, only 15% of employees say they are completely satisfied with their jobs and would not be open to a change. In the midst of this “War for Talent,” you want to be working with the best. If you’re ready to start a conversation about how you can better target and retain top talent in your field, reach out to us today.

2021 Jobs on the Rise: How 2020 Shaped New Trends and Created a Surge In Demand

April 8, 2021 by Aylish DeVore

As we settle into 2021, it has become evident how much has shifted in the workforce - especially considering what jobs are in demand. 2020, the year of unprecedented times, has brought us a completely new list of roles and industries that are rapidly hiring and ready to be capitalized on. Diversity and inclusion consulting roles, for example, have drastically increased as businesses seek dedicated staff behind these crucial initiatives. Flexible schedules and more positions offering work from home options have also played a big part in the job market further opening up. Big cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. still lead with the majority of open jobs, but there is much more freedom when it comes to job hunting compared to a year ago. The spike in the number of open roles and those looking for work also directly relates to the high amount of layoffs that took place in early 2020. Those who were laid off or took time to be at home with family due to the pandemic are now looking to enter back into the workforce as the vaccine is being adopted and those roles are reopening. In this blog, Blue Signal breaks down specific industry trends to look at what caused such an increased demand in jobs, specifically within D&I, healthcare, E-commerce and marketing, tax roles, and education.

Industry Trends:

Navigating 2020 was new territory for everyone - while some industries and businesses were hit harder than others, everyone was forced to pivot and adjust as best they could. The hospitality industry for example, faced one of the biggest hits across all industries, but it was incredible to see how these entertainment businesses were able to reimagine their brand and service offerings to match the needs of consumers. In a previous blog, we shared how food and beverage companies rose to the challenge, with some global distilleries shifting production from vodka and gin to hand sanitizer. LinkedIn recently created a list of the most in-demand jobs for 2021 and they found that while fields such as aviation and hospitality were affected the most, other areas like healthcare, education, and finance had to drastically ramp up hiring to meet increased demand.

Diversity and Inclusion Jobs

Across all industries, large or small, businesses are recognizing the necessary action they must take when it comes to being vocal and thoughtful about D&I within their own organizations. For a lot of businesses, this is something they are dealing with publically for the first time. After the Black Lives Matter movement and many other global civil rights campaigns that took place last year, companies are speaking to their customers’ and audiences’ interests, and making plans to support these causes internally. To carry out these mission statements, many companies are seeking to hire professionals in new roles and even full departments, to develop and manage these policies and actions surrounding diversity and inclusion. Indeed reported that “Between September 2019 and September 2020, Indeed job postings in diversity, inclusion and belonging have risen 56.3%—from 140 jobs per million to 219. More significantly, after the U.S. economy declined in Spring 2020, the DI&B industry recovered quickly, with job postings rising by an astonishing 123% between May and September.” For examples and actionable advice on how your company can go about D&I initiatives head-on, check out our recent blogs on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Blue Signal and The Importance of Diversity & Inclusion in Recruiting, where we mention what we’re doing to enforce this change both internally and within the recruitment industry as a whole.

Workplace Diversity Experts

- Increased Demand: Last year, companies large and small turned to diversity experts to help bring new voices into their organizations. Hiring for these roles increased more than 90% since 2019.
- Top Job Titles: Common job titles include Diversity Manager, Diversity Officer, Head of Diversity, and Diversity Coordinator.
- Top Locations Hiring: Popular hiring locations include New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago.
- Salary Range: The average salary ranges from $72,900 to about $97,000.

Healthcare Jobs

Not surprisingly, the healthcare industry has completely opened up and still seems to have a never-ending demand for staff, specialists, researchers, and volunteers due to the global health crisis. This has created a huge increase in opportunity and, for those who were contemplating making a career change into the medical field, it could not have come at a better time. Due to such an uptick in urgency for professionals like these, it is the easiest it’s ever been to make this transition, with quicker onboarding processes and more options for accelerated certifications and education programs available. Seaman says, “Many of these roles can be trained for remotely and don’t require a four-year degree.” Though front-line workers such as medical assistants and physicians are always in demand, another newcomer to these highly sought-after positions is in home health. When friends and family members weren’t able to visit their loved ones in nursing homes and assisted living facilities for months at a time, many families sought new plans for their elders’ care. Even though assisted living staff is still in high demand, at-home care workers have quickly grown in need as people would prefer their loved ones to be recovering at a private home rather than in a shared living space in close quarters with others.

Healthcare Supporting Staff

- Increased Demand: Hiring for these positions has increased more than 34% within 25 titles since 2019.
- Top Job Titles: Health Care Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Dental Assistant, and Home Health Aide are among the most common professional titles.
- Top Skills: On average, skills such as Patient Education, Data Entry, and Physician Relations tend to be of the most in-demand within the space.
- Salary Range: The average salary within this field falls between $65,300 and $106,000.

Nurses

- Increased Demand: Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system and through the pandemic have been in demand more than ever, growing nearly 30% since 2019.
- Top Job Titles: Roles such as Registered Nurse, Certified Nursing Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, and Intensive Care Nurse are some of the top positions hiring.
- Top Locations Hiring: New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia have proven to be the most in-demand due to their larger population density.
- Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $73,000 to $111,000.

Mental Health Specialists

- Increased Demand: With last year’s mental health crisis caused by the pandemic, hiring for these roles grew nearly 24% in 2020.
- Top Job Titles: Roles such as Behavior Therapists, Mental Health Specialists, Psychotherapists, and Mental Health Technicians have all increased in demand.
- Top Locations Hiring: Boston, San Francisco, and New York City have seen the largest surge.
- Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $41,600 to $65,000.

E-commerce and Digital Opportunities

As we’ve predicted since the beginning of the internet, the ability to generate online business and establish a digital brand presence proved itself to be not only beneficial, but a necessity, throughout the pandemic. The results were clear, businesses that had already established their E-comm brand online and invested in digital marketing and brand awareness prior to the global shutdown, skyrocketed. Those who were unable to pivot and redirect their business online found it difficult to stay afloat. The new wave of online and virtual communities has also brought in many ideas that led to new entrants to the space. Social media and digital marketing professionals, as well as graphic designers, web developers, and AI engineers are in high demand now more than ever as businesses pivot their focus toward updated and user-friendly websites. With the E-commerce world hitting record numbers - shipping and fulfillment jobs reactively increased in demand, too. Products are being consumed online in never before seen volumes, and as a result businesses are essentially required to order more inventory, invest in larger warehouse space, and hire more staff to support these larger volumes of picking, packing, shipping, returns, and customer service jobs.

Frontline E-commerce Workers
- Increased Demand: Hiring grew 73% YOY — and that demand continues with over 400,000 open jobs today!
- Top Job Titles: Most openings within e-commerce are for professional titles like Driver, Supply Chain Associate, Package Handler, and Personal Shopper.
- Top Locations Hiring: In the bigger cities, the demand seems to be highest with Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. topping the list.
- Salary Range: The average salary for these positions falls between $42,000 and $56,000.

Business Development and Sales Professionals
- Increased Demand: Tasked with quickly adapting to an uncertain world and economy, hiring grew more than 45% between 2020 and 2019.
- Top Job Titles: In-demand professional titles include Sales Consultant, Sales Operations Assistant, Inbound Sales Specialist, and Strategic Advisor.
- Top Locations Hiring: The top locations hiring remain in larger cities such as New York City, Denver, and Atlanta.
- Salary Range: The average salary ranges from $43,300 to $105,000.

Digital Marketing Professionals

- Increased Demand: Hiring for digital marketing roles grew nearly 33% YOY vastly due to the pandemic and increase of people remaining inside and at home.
- Top Job Titles: Digital Marketing Specialist, Social Media Manager, and Search Engine Optimization Specialist are titles commonly looking to hire.
- Top Locations Hiring: Cities such as New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles tend to be hiring hot spots.
- Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $48,000 to $96,0000.

Digital Content Creators

- Increased Demand: From TikTok to YouTube, and blogs to podcasts, the demand for digital content creators grew 49% year-over-year.
- Top Job Titles: Roles such as Content Coordinators, Writing Consultants, Podcasters, and Bloggers have been the most in-demand.
- Top Locations Hiring: New York City, Chicago, and Atlanta have seen the biggest surge.
- Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $46,000 to $62,400.

Specialized Engineers

- Increased Demand: Most business and casual interactions moved online during the height of the pandemic, causing engineering roles to grow by nearly 25%.
- Top Job Titles: Common titles to look for include Web Developer, Full Stack Engineer, Frontend Developer, and Game Developer.
- Top Locations Hiring: San Francisco, New York City, and Washington, D.C. tend to be hiring hot spots though the field has a high remote work availability.
- Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $77,500 to $104,000.

User Experience Professionals

- Increased Demand: Demand for people who specialize in how people interact with these technologies grew 20% between 2019 and 2020.
- Top Job Titles: User Experience Designer, Product Design Consultant, and User Interface Designer roles have seen the biggest spike.
- Top Locations Hiring: Cities such as San Francisco, New York City, and Seattle have been the most in-demand.
- Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $80,000 to $103,000.

Data Scientists

- Increased Demand: Brought on by the pandemic, some businesses leaned more heavily on data scientists with hiring growing nearly 46% since 2019.
- Top Job Titles: Common titles include Data Scientist, Data Science Specialist, and Data Management Analyst.
- Top Locations Hiring: Specific hiring hotspots include Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and New York City.
- Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $100,000 to $130,000.

Artificial Intelligence Engineers

- Increased Demand: The profession of artificial intelligence (AI) was booming well before the pandemic hit but the industry did not slow down last year. Hiring in this area grew 32% between 2019 and 2020.
- Top Job Titles: Titles such as Machine Learning Engineer, Artificial Intelligence Specialist, and Machine Learning Researcher have all seen increased demand.
- Top Locations Hiring: San Francisco, New York City, and Seattle tend to be common hiring locations for this field.
- Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $124,000 to $150,000.

Roles for Tax Professionals

Tax season seems to be a hectic time of year no matter the case, but this year is drastically unique. 2021 has seen a significant increase in people seeking professional help with filing taxes due to all the new and additional steps that have arisen from the pandemic and subsequent housing market. While the year began with a low unemployment rate of 3.5%, by April that figure had soared to 14.7% amid business shutdowns. A staggering number of 70 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since the beginning of the pandemic last year, which creates a whole new tax situation many are unfamiliar with. Small businesses are also finding themselves in new territory after applying for and leveraging SBA loans. Even smaller claims from those who received stimulus checks has caused people who may not usually seek out tax help to reconsider this year. Another big factor playing into the overwhelming need for tax advice and services was the drastic change in the housing market. With interest rates at a record low, people were buying homes like crazy and homeowners were refinancing their properties to get better rates. Both instances caused homeowners, new and old, to search for professional assistance.

Loan and Mortgage Experts

- Increased Demand: From 2019, hiring within this industry increased nearly 59%.
- Top Job Titles: The majority of openings within the Loan and Mortgage space include Underwriter, Mortgage Loan Officer, Escrow Officer, Loan Closer.
- Top Locations Hiring: Cities such as New York City, Dallas, and Chicago tend to be the hiring hot spots.
- Salary Range: The average salary within this field falls between $43,700 and $60,000.

Education & Career Coaching Jobs

In the midst of the pandemic, schools and universities and even coaching professionals were tasked with a major overhaul to quickly rethink their systems and completely reshape the way they operate and educate. This resulted in an increase in demand for the industry as a whole as virtual education and coaching became much more accessible. Many individuals found the time to go back to school during quarantine and those who were laid off realized the benefits of having an advanced degree in their field. Personal and career coaches also saw a major increase in demand when the state of the pandemic caused many people to reevaluate the direction of their careers, lives, and beyond. Professionals who specialize in life coaching and career planning became hot commodities, surging the industry and becoming extremely in demand today. Virtual learning has proved to be increasingly successful and incredibly advanced as those in the space continue to streamline their processes. This new age of coaching and educating will most likely change the way we learn, not just temporarily, but for the future to come.

Education Professionals

- Increased Demand: Within the education industry, overall hiring grew more than 20% between 2019 and 2020.
- Top Job Titles: Common positions include Teaching Assistant, Elementary School Teacher, Mathematics Tutor, and Curriculum Developer.
- Top Locations Hiring: Even with remote options available, top hiring locations remain New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
- Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $46,500 to $63,200.

Personal and Career Coaches

- Increased Demand: Due to the seismic events of 2020, hiring for coaching roles increased more than 51% since 2019.
- Top Job Titles: Titles such as Career Coordinator, Life Coach, Fitness Coach, and Business Coach are all commonly sought after.
- Top Locations Hiring: Cities with an increase in demand include New York City, Houston, and Boston.
- Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $44,300 to $50,000.

With the novel and constantly changing climate of the workforce today, it’s important to adjust and pivot accordingly when it comes to the next steps in your career. Whether you are someone who is looking to make an industry move, or calculate a secure pivot within your existing field, referencing this list can help you dial into a more targeted role and show which skills to highlight. For example, those who have worked in retail will want to hone skills in E-commerce, customer service, and brand marketing to stay competitive in their field. If you have a background in Human Resources, focusing on your skills and experience facilitating D&I initiatives and overcoming challenges in this area could be a smart move. No matter the industry or career path you are on, our recruiters at Blue Signal can help you capitalize on the demand facing your industry. Reach out to us for guidance, or check out our website for tons of helpful resources such as open job boards, industry-specific trends, and blog posts on how to enhance your resume, brand yourself online, or nail an upcoming interview.

Guide to Working from Home with Roommates, Spouse, Kids, or Parents

August 27, 2020 by Aylish DeVore

For many companies that made the switch back in March, working from home is becoming the new normal with over half of Americans going remote. This change - which in the beginning seemed only temporary - is now a much more permanent solution for many businesses nationwide. Since these companies have already implemented so many new technologies and processes to collaborate as a team remotely, they’re realizing they can save money on office and real estate costs while still supporting a high-functioning staff. According to Global Workplace Analytics, employers can save up to $11,000 a year for each employee who works remotely even half the time.

Being able to work from home can be a great perk as far as cutting out your daily commute and knocking out chores around the house on your lunch break. On the other hand, it also means that your spouse, children, and roommates now become your new co-workers who can often be much more distracting. This can be difficult to navigate as you work out a plan and get used to spending a lot more time together. To help you find your new normal, here are some helpful tips and tricks to co-habitating and co-working with all members of your household.

Working from Home with Roommates Graphic

Set Realistic Expectations

With such a big shift in your routine, there are bound to be some kinks that will take time to iron out, and that’s ok! Be upfront and set expectations with not only your housemates, but more importantly your coworkers. Everyone’s situation is anything but normal at the moment and there is no reason you should pretend it is. Whether you have kids being kids, or a roommate with a noisy call center job, it’s important to accept that things might not be 100% professional 100% of the time.

Start a conference call or zoom meeting by explaining your situation; “My kids are playing in the other room and might need my brief attention throughout the call” or “My husband’s on a call in the other room if you hear any background noise.” This sets the tone of understanding from the beginning so if anything does come up, everyone is prepared. Being open and honest about how you’re managing distractions can also be reassuring to your fellow coworkers who may be feeling overwhelmed, and show that they’re not in it alone.

Create Office Hours and Respect Them

Now that there’s no need to worry about commuting in morning traffic, you have the luxury to sleep in later and take your time getting to your desk. That being said, this can make it more difficult to get into a working state of mind and mentally ready for the day. A helpful tip is to wake up a little earlier and get something productive done before you even sit down at your desk. Something simple like unloading the dishwasher, journaling, or getting in a quick workout can wake you up and tell your brain you’re going to have a productive day.

When it comes to multiple people working different jobs under the same roof, getting on a similar schedule can help everyone stay productive and keep the peace. It’s important to set strict start/stop times and communicate those clearly to everyone. This helps to avoid any misunderstandings between significant others, kids, or roommates about when the house needs to function as a working office.

A good tip to communicate this to children is by using visuals to act as a constant reminder that you’re “on the clock”. Put up a gate or hang a sign on the door that requires them to stop and think if it's necessary to interrupt. This can actually be helpful for roommates too as no matter the age, sometimes people need a subtle reminder!

Communicate Your Schedule

Communicating not only your start/stop times but also specific events throughout your day can make the co-working process much more seamless. Take the time to create a shared calendar or plan weekly chats about important meetings, calls, deadlines, etc. you have coming up. Shared calendars are a great tool as you can color code events based on what you need from your roommates. Note events where it is crucial that the room be silent with no interruptions, and video meetings to ensure no one gets caught on camera unexpectedly. This way, each of you can plan your schedules accordingly.

For example, if you know your spouse has a video call late in the morning and needs a quiet room, you could maybe plan to take your lunch a little early that day to create a more relaxed environment. This is a great way to show you’re willing to be flexible and most likely they’ll return the favor for your next big meeting.

Define your Space

Small spaces can mean short tempers. We understand this is often unavoidable, but you can still find ways to define what’s yours and what you’re willing to share. Setting boundaries on things like office equipment may seem slightly petty at first, but when you’re scrambling to get a deadline turned in and your laptop charger is nowhere to be found, tension is bound to boil over. Clearly keep your things separated and in a safe place so you always know where to reach for them.

When it comes to finding your space, get creative while searching for quiet places to work and clear your head. Your car can act as another private room with a door that locks, for short term calls/meetings that you can’t be interrupted during. Taking a walk outside with fresh air can also be helpful when looking to relax or invigorate a new perspective on a project. It’s also a great way to take a call without others listening in from the next room.

When sharing communal spaces, make a plan about where you’re each going to work and when. Maybe one of you gets the living room/dining table to check emails while sipping coffee in peace in the morning and the other gets the space after lunch, or switch off days of the week. There is always some common ground to be found but it’s up to you and your housemates to communicate and work together to find it.

When it comes to working from home with kids, roommates or significant others, it’s important to accept that things aren’t going to be seamless and easy going from the start. Finding what will work for both of you is all about compromise and adjusting. If you decide on things to be one way and you find it’s not working, communicate and try something else! It’s going to take some time to settle into your new routines, but you will.

While navigating all aspects of your new normal, make sure to take the time to regularly check-in on your roommates and family as WFH can often cause some added stress. A simple check-in or a night set aside to enjoy each other and do something out of the ordinary is a great way to boost everyone's mood and create a better work/life balance within your home turned office.

Whether your situation is temporary or going to be a permanent schedule moving forward, being productive at home is achievable! Enjoy the added perks and give yourself and your housemates time to settle into these new roles.