Remote Working in The Time of COVID-19
The impact of COVID-19 in recent weeks has meant that remote working or working from home has become the norm for a lot of us, helping stabilise businesses and enable companies to function as much as possible in these uncertain times and where possible ensure job security.
In recent years, remote working was becoming more common with the boom in the tech sector in Ireland and also seen as an opportunity to alleviate the rent and housing crisis in the cities, offer a great home life balance and has enabled companies to extend their reach in terms of employing highly qualified staff.
The impact of COVID-19 in recent weeks has meant that remote working or working from home has become the norm for a lot of us, helping stabilise businesses and enable companies to function as much as possible in these uncertain times and where possible ensure job security.
We all talk about an agile workplace; remote working is the most agile your workplace can become.
Remote working comes with its own challenges many of which currently centre around technology, management of remote teams and productivity.
There is no doubt that most companies have been positioned to work remotely thanks to the incredible software and cloud-based solutions we have all become used to.
Innovative companies such as Grow Remote and Operate Remote have been offering free online resources to help companies adjust to this change. Their advice is particularly relevant to anyone new to managing their teams remotely.
Thanks to the knowledge and expertise our solutions team have gained from decades of experience in this field, we are currently working with companies to implement enterprise content management systems, managed document solutions or managed print services (MPS) specifically designed to connect teams, regardless of location. In many cases, these solutions were already in place for many staff and simply needed to be enhanced to include greater volumes of staff.
From our perspective, we have been advising clients to adopt the following approach with their staff with the key point being that remote working doesn’t mean isolation, it means a new way of working:
- Create a dedicated office space within your home, that might be in a corner of a room or in a spare room if available
- Ensure good light, be that via a natural source or dedicated task lighting.
- It is important that your home office furniture is as well thought out as the furniture in your office to ensure comfort and wellbeing which in turn promotes successful productivity.
- Maintain your normal working schedule /routine where possible. Start your day as you would if you were commuting to the office.
- Set your own personal goals outside of prescribed quotas/targets – it is easy to get distracted when working from home.
- Take regular breaks, don’t skip lunch and take advantage of your new environment for the betterment of your day by getting outside, even if that is having a coffee in your garden or on your balcony
- Familiarise yourself with software that optimises contact when working remotely (Slack, Zoom, WhatsApp, LinkedIn etc.)
- Remain in contact with your team and managers using the above methods.
- When working from home, it is possible to start your day a little earlier and where possible you can then end it a little earlier.
Like you, our teams are working remotely, and we are in a position to help you with your IT Solutions and home office furniture and equipment. We have been supporting individuals and companies through this new, unchartered territory. We have been delivering home office equipment across Dublin to minimise disruption and have been working closely with companies who want to support their teams in this regard. If you feel we can help you, call our team on 01 217 8000.