Remote Work Loneliness: How to Protect Your Mental Health When Working Remotely Since the start of the pandemic, working from home has become the new normal for many employees and companies. While working outside the office has its benefits — no more long, gas-guzzling commutes, for instance — there is still one downside many employees face: remote work loneliness. Before the pandemic, it was normal to make friends around the office, crack jokes in the break room, or participate in fun, in-person team-building activities. However, those things aren't possible when you're working from home and your coworkers are scattered around the country. So, working from home can feel isolating. Fortunately, there are strategies you can implement to protect your mental health and feel less lonely as you work from home or remotely. 5 Tips to Avoid Loneliness When Working From Home I asked fellow HubSpotters and professionals across different industries for tips on avoiding work-from-home loneliness. Here is what they had to say: 1. Schedules 'get to know you' calls. Jen Bergren, Head of Operations at Remotish, says "get to know you" calls are an important part of her team's onboarding process. "One of the team's favorite tasks in our onboarding is for the new team member to schedule a short call with every other person on the team, individually, in their first two weeks for a 'get to know you' casual call," she said. "We also make sure the new team members have at least one real-time...

Flexible Schedules: The Pros, Cons, & Surprising Outcomes I'm willing to bet we've all felt stifled by the rigid 9-to-5 work schedule — especially on our productivity both in and out of the office. For many workers, a flexible schedule is the answer. This types of schedule allows you to work when you're most productive and gives you the autonomy you need to create an ideal work-life balance, however that looks to you. Here, we'll cover what a flexible work schedule looks like and explore its pros. cons, and surprising outcomes. It's important to remember that flex hours doesn't equate to less hours. In fact, as you'll read later, employees actually clock in more hours working from home. Further, there is still structure to this type of schedule: employees must work a certain number of hours, or come up with an alternative agreement with their employer regarding office hours versus remote time. There’s plenty of science to suggest flexible work schedules are critical for happier, more productive employees and a more successful company overall. For instance, a recent study by Qualtrics found a whopping 93% of employees feel the way they work has "fundamentally and forever" changed since the pandemic, with the most favorable changes being flexible schedules. According to the same study, 43% of employees feel their work-life balance has increased over the past two years, along with their overall happiness and job satisfaction. Of course, there are pros and cons to flexible schedules, just like there are pros...

Will Marketers Return to Offices in 2021? What Companies Need to Know Back in 2018, I chose to work at HubSpot because I loved HubSpot's content, and its culture. Oh — and the smoothie bar, waffle Wednesdays, and ping pong tables didn't hurt, either. Office space has undeniably seen a change in recent years. Open-floor plans have become increasingly popular, as have standing desks, beer on-tap, game rooms, and even greenhouse spaces. As this decade came to a close, many of my closest friends chose jobs based, at least in part, on office vibe. And yet, it's long been said that remote work is the future. In fact, HubSpot has been touting the benefits of remote work since 2012 in its Culture Code, which states: "Work isn't a place we go, it's a thing we do." In 2020, that premonition became a reality as the pandemic forced an entire global workforce to shift to remote work practically overnight. And now, as the dust settles and employees find new, innovative ways to work productively from home, many businesses are wondering: Do we even need an office, anymore? Let's explore how marketers across the U.S. feel about remote work in 2021, and whether remote work is just a current necessity — or the new long-term reality. Will employees return to the office? To explore whether or not employees will return to the office in 2021 (if they're permitted to do so), I started by surveying 496 marketers and asked the question: If...

17 Fun (Not Cheesy) Ice Breaker Games Your Employees Will Enjoy Asking "How is everyone?" at the beginning of every meeting isn't always the best way to encourage connection and team bonding. Sometimes, you need to take it a step further with an ice breaker. The best ice breakers have the power to strengthen coworker bonds, stimulate better brainstorming sessions, and create an atmosphere of inclusivity. But it's easier said than done, and the wrong ice breaker questions can lead to awkwardness or even increased tension. To get the most value out of your team bonding moments, we've compiled a list of the best ice breaker games for the workplace. Next time you get together with your team, use one of these games instead of asking "How is everyone", and you're sure to hear some better, more insightful responses than "I'm good." Ice Breakers for Meetings 1. One Word Game The One Word ice breaker allows you to provide initial context into a meeting's topic, and get everyone in the right mindset for discussion. To play, you'll want to divide meeting participants into smaller groups. Then, tell them to think for a minute or two, and then share with their group one word that describes X. For instance, let's say you're leading a meeting on culture. Tell the groups to describe work culture, or your office culture in particular, in one word. Once they've shared with their groups, you can invite them to share their word with the entire...

HubSpot's Management & Leadership Development Expert Shares Tips for Staying Productive When You Work From Home One of the best training sessions I've attended for my career was the PeopleFuel®️ program by The Energy Project at HubSpot. Here, I learned that to be most productive at work, I needed to manage my energy, not my time. The training was led by Nick Congelosi, HubSpot's Management and Leadership Development Head. His team is responsible for overseeing global leadership development across HubSpot with workshops, certifications, and trainings like PeopleFuel®️. When I left that workshop, I felt confident that I could revitalize my work day. That's why I decided to grab a virtual coffee with Congelosi and learn all about his best tips for staying productive when you work from home. Below, let's review Congelosi's remote work productivity tips, how to stay productive during remote meetings, and best practices for running a productive remote training session. 1. Place a side table next to your desk. Have you ever worked on a cluttered desk? I know I have, and that's how I know how distracting it can be. To help you stay focused during your day, Congelosi recommends placing a side table next to your desk about an arm's length away. You can place your notebook and to-do list on this table, so whatever you're working on is the only thing on your desk. If it's your computer, only have one tab open (or however many you actually need to get that...