March 2020

Advice and guidance for working from home

In response to the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus, working from home is becoming an essential choice for many businesses – and an overnight requirement for some. If you are a business that’s facing home working for the first time or an employee that hasn’t worked from home before, to follow are some top tips…

The whole team at Ringwood-based KFA Connect has already embraced working from home since last week.

“Many companies, like us have implemented ‘work from home’ arrangements since the outbreak and this could be the very first time you have done anything like this as a business. This has meant companies have faced ensuring their technology infrastructure is working effectively and that employees are well-equipped to work from home”.

Richard Austin – New Business Director, KFA.

Large companies were some of the first to make the switch, building on pre-existing infrastructure and many companies of all sizes will have Office 365 and will be utilising VPN access and the Internet. There may be a lot of companies that are not aware of other solutions such as Microsoft Teams, which creates a group hub and gives team members an excellent platform to group chat, securely edit files and work effectively together from multiple locations. It’s also an effective way to communicate with wider colleagues and clients in an easy and personal way.

Since the changes, Microsoft, Google, Zoom and many others have already made cloud-based subscriptions free or widened their offering to help companies embrace working from home in case it becomes a UK-wide requirement.

“It’s important companies are set up to deliver their business from home but it’s also about getting the balance right and supporting team members to deliver what they can effectively from home and keeping them informed.

Working from home alone can be quite isolating so it’s key for us that we have daily team catch-ups on video and voice chats to keep everyone involved in what’s going on within the business.“

Richard Austin – New Business Director, KFA

It’s no doubt that working from home will be a cultural shift for many team members and KFA Connect has prepared some top tips for how to manage your working life from home too:

• Prepare the working day as if you are getting ready for work – resist the need to stay in your PJ’s all day as this could set you up for an unproductive day.
• Set a schedule for your day and stick to it.
• Try and set up a dedicated workspace with good connectivity, light and a comfortable position that aids good posture.
• Communicate with your colleagues – let them know what you are working on or when you’ve reached the end of a project or if you are on conference calls or virtual meetings.
• Take breaks away from your screen – make yourself a cup of coffee or get some fresh air just like you would during your office working day.
• Avoid distractions like housework or preparing dinner and make clear rules with anyone at home that you are not to be disturbed outside of breaks.
• Try and avoid the biscuit tin and opt for healthy food in the fridge instead of convenience.