Who says work in Austria is mission impossible? If you are concerned about job satisfaction, you should have planned for a better work life. It is necessary to find solutions to improve the work life of employees in Austria. This of course involves strategies, team-building, but also a whole series of tips that add well-being to office life. Here are 20 work life tips.

Work Life in Austria:

Austria is known for having a limited jobless index. Despite the competition, there is no shortage of opportunities targeting foreign talents. It is known that the Austrian work culture is based on evaluating performance, training and exchanging expertise. It also involves improvement plans for increasing the performance level. That’s why, Austrian employers managed to keep their final hires for an extended period with less turnover, more efficient employees and real team cohesion. So, what can be the secrets of leading a progressive performance at work? Fratres will exclusively reveal the details of the Austrian work life. For more career advice on your target country, sign up to Fratres. Here are the top 20 work life tips in Austria:

1.Having a professional HR Department:

Managing human resources and putting the appropriate profile in its right place is among the work life strategies in Austria. In fact, over the past ten years, recruiting and retaining talent have become two pillars of human resources. Without good human management, companies can no longer grow and develop. An HR department is an essential skeleton to organize, update, filter out the necessary candidates, and evaluate the training and the performance of beginners. This department will help in choosing the right applicants and in improving the company’s strategies.

2. Team Building:

Tasks are always connected with others.  Teamwork is an essential skill for gathering expertise, knowledge, developing new skills, and earning time. For Austrian employers, looking for someone who can professionally engage within their team is one of their priorities.  

3. Optimizing the Workspace

The first and most important step is to create a world where you feel comfortable at working. You need to take steps to avoid outside distractions in order to focus. In your personalized workspace, make sure to have everything at hand, to maximize your efficiency and make your work even better.

4. Adopt a Clear and a Simple Filing System:

It is also important to store all of your papers efficiently.  Organizing documents is good, but you still need to have a suitable filing system to quickly get your hands on a document later. Use sprites for each of your projects and clients. So when a document arrives on your desk, you know where to put it right away. Whatever storage system you use, It is recommended to adopt a single system for all your documents.

5. Use a Single Support to Manage your Tasks

Your to-dos should only be recorded in two places: in a "to do list" or in your notebook. Ban the use of other sticky notes. Never enter the same task in two different registers. Thus, if you have filled in a task in your calendar, there is no need to save it there as well.

6. Immediately perform any task that takes less than 2 minutes

If you think a task will take you less than 2 minutes such as, answering an email, making a call, printing a paper etc…, do it immediately. You do not need to save this task because you would waste more time categorizing, prioritizing, and re-doing simple tasks, while you run out of energy.

7. Make a list of Priorities

Classify your tasks between "To be done ASAP" and "To be done later". There is no need to adopt a more complicated way of working (for example, by numbering your tasks according to their order of priority). You will find that prioritizing your tasks will help you avoid confusion and the trouble of deciding which task you should choose, switch it to the first list, or delete it.

8. Limit Distraction

We are invaded by notifications of all kinds. These interruptions are a real pain in our productivity. Try to unsubscribe from irrelevant mailing lists, unnecessary newsletters, notifications on your phone, and most importantly, turn off the visual alert from your inbox when you receive a new email.

9. Empty your Mailbox Once a Day

In the digital age, one of the biggest challenges remains managing emails. Poor Email management can quickly cause stress. Keep in mind that your mailbox should not be used as a "To-do list" or as a filing system for your documents. Do not hesitate to delete emails that are of no use to you. As soon as an email is processed, you must archive or delete it.

10. Set up a Schedule

Setting schedules to handle recurring tasks such as managing your emails or responding to your customers can improve your work life. Austrians are very known for punctuality, time-management, and serious scheduling. Since time has an important value, it is essential to set up schedules for meetings, projects, reports, etc..

11. Plan for the Day:

Avoid the trivial worries of what to wear the next day, from where you can buy a power bank, by using a planner. With the aim of improving efficiency, do not hesitate to plan the day before going to work. The idea is to save time and become more organized.

12.  Use Management Tools

Don't hesitate to use a digital system to track your tasks. Nowadays, there is a large number of management tools that allow you to centralize your tasks such as:

• Trello: a Team project management software that allows visualization of tasks with different headings.
• Todoist: a Task management software that helps organize and prioritize tasks and projects so you know exactly what to work on next.
• Microsoft To do: a Completely free task management tool that gives you an overview of your day.
• Any.do: a  Task management application known for its labels which allow easy sorting of all its to-do lists.

13. Use Digital Note Alternatives

Taking notes is among the professional tasks that help you write down instant comments, information, or tasks. Nowadays, the technology helps you taking notes through the following tools:

• Easynote: a free task management software that can also be used as a project management tool, notably thanks to its 1 GB file storage capacity.
• Evernote: a note-taking application designed to collect and organize information, whether it's text, images, documents, videos, audio recordings, or web pages.
• OneNote: a digital notepad that offers many features, such as inserting text, images, sounds, handwriting, and even screenshots

14. Avoid Multitasking

Many people think that doing several tasks at the same time is a sign of efficiency, when it is quite the opposite. Doing one thing at a time is more effective than multitasking, as it keeps you from making mistakes. It is better to finish one task before moving on to another. Studies have even shown that after a break, it can take up to 20 minutes for humans to regain their full effectiveness.

15. Take a Break:

Avoid overwork and don’t deprive yourself of short breaks.   Learn to say "no" and don't do more than you can actually do. It is important to know your limits. Remember to take breaks to restore your concentration.

16. Develop Your Network

During breaks, employees will interact with each other. This is an opportunity to build a network of professional acquaintances. In Austria, networking plays a salient role in career change, professional recommendations, and developing teamwork skills. Always work on being known by various professionals, as this will help you improve your work life.

17. Attend Meetings

To improve your knowledge and expertise, it is essential to attend meetings. Employers are periodically gathering the team to set new strategies and suggest future plans. If you are assigned to prepare one of these meetings, go for official PowerPoint presentations. You can also organize discussion groups between employees who are curious to participate. Try also to employ games of general knowledge, personality tests, or quizzes.

18. Plan for a Promotion:

 As an ambitious person, you should set the plans for career development. Try to set professional goals. Learn what it takes to reach a better position and work to escalate in your career path. Do not limit these plans for salary purposes.

19. Respect the Rules:

In Austria all employees are equal with no exception. Breaking the rules at work will not be tackled easily. Try to avoid warnings or any troubles at work, as they will harm your work history and take away positive reviews.

20. Manage Career Gaps/ Breaks:

As an employee, you may go through hard times and situations that prevent you from work. Try not to distance yourself from practicing important skills, as returning to work might include tests and interviews to confirm your eligibility. If your return is impossible after an extended break, go for another job. Learn how to make an impressive CV and a cover letter for your future applications.

These were the top 20 work life hacks in Austria. Which one seems the best for you?