All of a sudden, we need to work from home. I’m quit an expert on that as I have been working from home for the last 7 years. Inova Solutions, my employer, has no Office on Aruba and I happen to live there.
Working from home is totally different than going into the office and get stuff done in that location. Expectations employers and employees have for whom working from home, may not come true. My experiences described below hardly take the current crisis into consideration, it will be a lot harder, being at home with your entire families and your work. So, have some compassion with yourselves.
We are heading into week 3 or 4 of the Working from Home era and it is very likely it will be like this for weeks to come. The first signs are here, that people start to get mental issues. Both employers and employees need to be aware of that and show compassion and empathy.
The Rhythm
Rhythm, create rituals and new habits. People will find out very fast that the rhythm and pace while working from home will move away from the 9 to 5 thing with your regular lunch break. I work between 5 AM, when I switch on my PC, and 8.30 PM, when I switch off my PC. Read carefully, I do not work FROM 5 AM till 8.30 PM, I work BETWEEN 5 AM and 8.30 PM. Because other things are also happening in my home, around my home and away from home. Obligations and distractions that are not there in an office. That works the other way around as well, of course, no coffee machine gossip or printer room talk. The main point here is: Do not feel guilty doing what you are doing if it is not work related and it is between 9 and 5. It is a transformation, losing old habits and creating new ones. Get the work done and respect the time of your family members, colleagues and customers. Have agreement on your availability, plan your meetings. There is nothing wrong sharing with employers, colleagues and customers that you have trouble focusing or that you are distracted. You will find the timeslots for your focused work overtime. Please realize, during the day and especially near the end of the day that enough is enough. I am noticing in my mailbox that people are starting to send emails at really weird times, don’t go there. One of my best practices: the first hour, after waking up, NO screens! The last hour, before going to bed, NO screens.
The Workplace
Make sure you have a good physical workplace. The kitchen table is just not good enough for a full-time “work-from-home-experience”. Nor is a kitchen chair. This will not be for just a week or so. Do not compromise on your workplace and its environment: lighting, temperature, fresh air, noise. Make it clear to your employer, colleagues and maybe even customers if you cannot create that “perfect” spot in your house if that is a reality. Again, compassion and empathy.
When you do online meetings a lot, wired connections are preferred: network and headsets. Eliminate anything that can deteriorate quality. Set up a “fair use policy” with family members on your available bandwidth. If you do a lot of video conferencing, make sure your webcam is on the same screen you are watching or sharing, don’t let the other participants look up into your nose or ears. Mute when not talking, for quality you can even switch of your camera when not talking (make sure you have a decent avatar in that case, not just your initials).
The Work
What about The Work? Sure, the show must go on. And, these are uncertain times. Employers must create virtual “hangouts”. Employees should call or virtually meet each other daily, aside from work topics. Normally, I travel a lot and meet lots of peers, nerds and geeks. Not so much now. I call them now, talk about our profession, the technology, how we are coping. Social closeness instead of social distancing. The work, you know what needs to be done, you know what can and cannot be done. Take responsibility and communicate. It is NOT business as usual. It is NOT.
#besafe #stayhome #wfh #behappy