The recent outbreak of coronavirus has led to unprecedented measures taken by governments, schools and businesses around the world.
In Ireland and the UK, these measures have brought national attention to the concept of remote working more than ever before.
In the past week, as concerns over Covid-19 have mounted, a huge number of organisations have started encouraging some or all of their staff to work remotely.
With legislation changes and timing differing between the UK and Ireland, we have had to monitor both government responses and directives closely ensuring we as an organisation are taking every precaution to ensure the health and safety of our employees and customers alike.
Here are some things I have noticed since the first restrictions were introduced by Irish and British Governments.
Remote Working isn’t just a Technology Challenge
We have been inundated with orders for laptops, monitors, keyboards and mice, however, when we observed the big challenges of working remotely longer term, it isn’t just a technology obstacle.
Teams still need a social connection: what happens to the water cooler conversation? The chat over coffee in the canteen?
At ActionPoint we are now running virtual coffee at 11am between our teams to catch up, chat informally and even have a gossip.
It’s the human connections that are critical during this disruptive period.
Being Productive at Home is about Mastering the Softer Skills
The sudden onset of a completely new way of doing things can be a little jarring. Not only are people being taken out of your routine but they’re also being asked to work in an environment that they might be totally unfamiliar with working in.
From getting up at the same time to keeping hydrated and getting good exercise, staying motivated during the lockdown is a physical and psychological challenge.
Setting up for Success
All that being said about the challenges being more holistic than technical, there is still a lot to be said for setting up a functioning home office.
It doesn’t need to be expensive, but a web cam, monitor and headset can make those back to back conference calls all the more interactive.
As Remote Working will be the norm for the next few weeks, we are here to help.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any of your queries regarding remote working.
We will be updating our blog regularly and running Q&A sessions regularly on communication, productivity and security in the coming days and weeks, including holding webinars.
For more information on ActionPoint’s remote working services, click here.
David Jeffreys is CEO of ActionPoint, which provides bespoke software development and Managed IT Services to clients across the island of Ireland and UK.
ActionPoint is ISO 27001 certified and has delivered solutions across aviation, agriculture and financial services in both public and private sectors.
ActionPoint are best known for the delivery of the Online passport Renewal System for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the Republic of Ireland.
We count Aperture Debt Solutions, Prestige Holdings, Simon Community and Camlin Technologies as key clients in the UK.
