-1.svg "Close Icon (3)-1")
.svg "Close Icon (3)")
- Share
-
The information below has been compiled from various sources which have been written in direct response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The information provides guidance for both employers and employees on how they can work safely, productively and efficiently from home.
Infrastructure
The outbreak of COVID-19 is resulting in record numbers of employees accessing business systems remotely from home. This is putting increased pressure on business IT infrastructure and also creates additional security and business continuity risks.
Questions for employees
- Is the internet speed fast enough to handle uploads and downloads? When subscribing to a service, most users are looking for fast download speeds so they can stream content, but for a work from home scenario, the upload speeds are critical, too.
- What is the bandwidth cap? If one or more parents are working from home, kids are doing online learning because schools have closed (There are several instances of this) and they are still streaming all of their TV and movies. That bandwidth cap can seem very small, and going over it can be costly.
- Is there a good area to work in? A desk for most jobs is optimal, but if both parents are working from home and the kids are doing online learning, then finding enough well-suited quiet places can be a challenge. Is everyone around the kitchen table?
Questions for employers
- Do employees have adequate resources to enable working from home? Laptops, chargers, headsets, remote desktop environments, VPNs, messaging, and phones?
- If all internal assets are over VPN, will it support the entire workforce connected at once?
- Is all internet traffic being forced over the VPN, and will employees be able to access home resources like printers?
- Can employees access hosted cloud-based applications when not on the VPN? Are they able to use shared office suites and cloud storage accounts to share and collaborate on documents?
- For remote workstation setups, can the servers keep up with demand? Is the latency low enough so the system is usable?
- How will employees communicate? Do all employees have access to web and audio conferencing accounts? Are chat programs in place?
- Do you still use printers and need to file hard copies of documents?
- Are you reimbursing any extra costs? What if an employee goes over their internet cap or cell phone usage?
Data security
Most home networks are not secure. It is estimated that most broadband connected homes have over 20 connected devices when you consider phones, laptops, thermostats, cameras, doorbells, Wi-Fi access points, modems, TVs, etc. Many of these are neither secure nor updated regularly.
Security departments need to be on high alert. With more people working remotely, there is a greater risk of a data breach.
Productivity
Workstation
Working from home can sometimes feel lonely. Where possible, replicate your work office at home with the tech and tools you need. If you’re used to working with two screens or using a separate keyboard and mouse rather than your laptop, make sure you have what you need (and if your company will expense it, even better).
If you miss the buzz of the office, put the radio on.
If you find your neighbourhood noise too distracting, wear headphones. Don’t waste time being uncomfortable with your set up thinking you’ll get used to it. You won’t. It’ll only frustrate you and slow you down.
Schedule
Keeping a schedule is important. Wake up at the same time you usually do and stick to your usual morning routine. Start and finish work at the same times you usually would. Don’t fall into the trap of checking emails, taking calls or texts late into the night if it’s not time-sensitive work, thinking you can sleep in the next day now your commute time has gone. Have lunch as you usually would but away from your workstation.
Mindset
It may be tempting to work in PJs all day however, it might be more beneficial to get into your ‘work mindset’ by simply wearing the clothes you’d typically wear to work.
Separating work from play is essential when working from home. Ten minutes here or there on social media, watching the news updates, or online shopping may seem to break up your day, but it only makes your workday longer.
Communicating
Communication is pivotal. Keep your regular meetings and use video. If you have all-team or one-one-one meetings, keep them in your diary. If you don’t, schedule them in regularly. Where possible, make them video calls. Use Zoom or Slack or Teams or Skype or Face Time – whatever video conferencing you have access to so that visual cues are always picked up and things aren’t misinterpreted.
Mental health
Boundaries
In challenging situations and times of change, having boundaries and structure is one way to help prioritise your mental health.
Have one set working space. Don’t allow work to encroach on every part of your home. Choose one spot where work gets done. Your workspace might be the dining room table, your desk, or a particular chair in your lounge room. Everywhere else is out of bounds.
Change the mood when your work time has ended. Change out of your work clothes, alter the lighting to make it softer, put your favourite music on, or light some candles.
Nourish
Try to eat only what you usually would. Depending on what level of self-isolating you’re at, you might be able to go to a café or take your lunch to a park. And if you drink alcohol at night, go easy. A hangover when you’re stuck at home all day on a deadline is way more demoralising than having one at the office, where at least there are other people to distract you and make you laugh. Move
Set times to go for a walk or do any kind of exercise. When you do, your body produces feel-good chemicals such as endorphins, endocannabinoids and oxytocin. These make your brain more resilient to stress, increase your motivation, and make you more optimistic, hopeful and sociable.
Social connection
Studies have shown humans are wired for connection and that, without it, we falter, both physically and mentally. Just because you’re working from home, doesn’t mean you’re working alone.
Maintain your social connections with colleagues where you can. If at the office you’d usually go for a mid-morning coffee run with a colleague, give them a call to check in while you make a coffee at home. If you live alone or need to self-isolate from your family, keeping these social connections will be vital.
If you’d like to discuss adjusting your communication strategy for the current times, please call us or fill out our contact form here.
