Working From Home: Tips & Technology

In these extraordinary times, more of us are working from home than ever before. Technology has a huge role in ensuring business continuity and helping remote working to be successful. In fact, technology is helping this transition so much that many people predict homeworking is here to stay.

5 Ways That Technology Helps Homeworking

1. Getting Together

Physical meetings are not possible for now, however video calls ensure that meetings carry on. Whether it’s a 1:1 business meeting, a team call or a discussion with a potential client… there is a plethora of solutions available. Skype, Zoom, Hangouts, Meet, Teams… whichever software your organisation uses, there’s a solution for you and your team. Remember that getting together is a great way to check how everyone is doing in our strange new working environment. A 10-minute catch up call is the equivalent of a chat by the kettle – and essential to our mental wellbeing.

2. Working in Comfort

It’s highly likely that you and your team will spend longer on calls than when you were office-based. It’s now the best way to communicate with clients, colleagues and contacts. Creating a workspace conducive to both efficiency and comfort is essential. Think about:

• Desk Phones – a decent desk phone is more comfortable and effective than holding a mobile phone to your ear.
• Headsets – enhance both productivity and morale, helping with posture, mobility and efficiency.
• Laptops – try to position your laptop to help you have good posture.
• Monitors – your monitor should be directly in front of you, about an arm’s length away from you, with your eyes in line with the top of your screen.
• Screen Glare – try to avoid reflection from lighting and sunlight – tilting the monitor(s) down a tiny bit can help.

3. How are you Feeling Today?

Working from home alone requires self-motivation… to get started, to keep going… and to know when to stop! “We’ve introduced a number of ways of checking how people in our team are feeling, both mentally and physically,” says Eric Hughes of EMH Technology. “Each of us checks in every morning with a Mental and Physical health score (10:10). This means that, in the absence of face-to-face contact, we have some indicators of how people are and can offer support as needed.”

Routines are incredibly helpful in adjusting to a new way of working. Our top tips are:

• Get up and get ready each morning as if you’re going to work. Remember that you may still be seeing people albeit via video link. This also helps to give your day some structure.
• Set yourself realistic goals for the day – three is a great number. Remember you are still part of a team even though you can’t always see your colleagues. Calling with any queries or for a quick chat is also an ideal way to have a break from your screen.
• Create a routine in your working day, centred around team calls and other set ‘meetings’. This includes a time to finish work for the day.
• Appreciate that your working environment doesn’t need to be perfect. People will understand that, during the current circumstances, there will be the noise and distraction of children and pets.

4. Cloud Technology

The flexibility, mobility and security of cloud computing has largely facilitated business’ migration to homeworking. Support is available to help employees get up and running, from supplying equipment to remote access for setting up systems and information access.

5. Ongoing IT Support

Although employees are working at home, they are not alone when it comes to resolving technology issues. “We usually treat all support calls equally,” says Eric. “At the moment we sometimes have to prioritise calls, however our team is working extraordinarily hard to ensure we help everyone as soon as possible.”

Step by Step

We’re all getting used to our new way of working. The tools required and frequency of phone and video communication may be new to individuals, however technology exists to support this. If you would welcome an informal discussion about how technology can support homeworking within your organisation, please let us know.