The New Normal: Working from Home

With everything that’s going on in the world today, working from home is soon to become the new normal. Large companies like Amazon, Google and Twitter are all taking steps to avoid any potential risks of COVID-19 infection by asking staff to start working remotely. While other companies are trialing a work from home day for all their staff to see how their business copes with that style of working. 

But for companies like ours which already have a work from home policy in place, they will be set up to tackle this new challenge. We introduced our policy at the start of the year along with a few other new workplace benefits such as flexible hours. Our policy is that every member of staff is allotted three days a month when they can work from home. These days have to be scheduled with the employee’s line manager at least three days before the work from home day is taken.

So far, this policy has proven to be popular, with many staff members choosing to work from home on days when they have appointments to make or deliveries coming. Digital Designer, Holly Shakleton, has said, ‘I feel like I can have a healthier, more balanced lifestyle’ and that ‘it just gives you a bit more flexibility’.

Our HR Manager, Louisa Richards, also echoed a similar sentiment about flexibility, ‘The improvement of technology and connectivity has improved in such a way that it gives flexibility to employers and employees’. 

Louisa was one of the key people who helped shape this policy in the first place, and she did so in part to help our staff enjoy the benefits that working from home brings. She says, ‘This varies from person to person and generally includes a quieter and less distracting environment, fewer commuting costs, and the potential to benefit from a greater work-life balance’.

But like anything in a professional environment, this policy works best when exercised in good faith on both sides of the agreement. Louisa is keen to emphasise that ‘working from home can enhance the working relationship between employer and employee as it relies on trust and good communication’. 

As professional communicators, we are all for that! Are you?

Create and personalise your workspace

Setting up your workspace can be one of the best ways to get into the mindset to work.

Get ready in the morning

Even when you’re not working in the office, doing your normal self-care routine will help prepare you for work.

Set your work hours
Particularly if the whole office is working from home, being on the same set of hours will help keep people looped in.

Create a soundtrack for your day

I mean, what else are lo-fi beats to study and relax to really for if not for working from home?

Implement a productivity system

You’ve got to be disciplined to work from home, and having your own productivity system will help keep you on track all day.

Now, if you need us, you can find us at our personalised work spaces at home! ?