Many people are having to adjust to working remotely due to government lockdown measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19. 

As a cloud-based business that specialises in workplace experience, we thought we’d share our tips on working remotely. We have also included some insight from Pete Hallett, District’s CTO on managing remote teams.

Set up a specific area for work

It’s important to set aside a specific area for working that ideally isn’t your bed or sofa. If you can, set up an area on a table for your laptop. If you don’t have a desk, you can buy laptop stands which are handy for working on the sofa.

Get up and get ready

Even if you’re not going out, it’s important to get up and dressed to signify the start of the day. Have your morning coffee, brush your teeth, and all the other usual things you would do to get ready for work if you were heading out. (except this time in comfier bottoms.)

Communicate

When working remote, communication is key. You miss the day-to-day office experience of being able to have spontaneous conversations. Although this can have its benefits – in terms of fewer distractions – it can also mean you lack the flow of communication that you had before. You can no longer ask a question on the fly and get an immediate answer. So, be proactive and reach out when appropriate, via your digital communication platform. Perhaps you’re using slack, or have a workplace app. 

Watch your posture

At home, it may be likely that you aren’t equipped with ergonomic office chairs or have a screen for your laptop. Therefore you need to be even more mindful about your posture. A screen should typically be at eye level while working. If you’re working on a laptop, consider a stand to raise it to the appropriate height. This reduces neck and back pain. While sitting, your back should be straight and shoulders back with both feet uncrossed on the floor. Take regular breaks and stretch to reduce discomfort. For full information on correct posture, check out this guide by the NHS.

Strike the right balance

It can be easy to overwork yourself when you’re working from home. With many people now working remotely during this lockdown period, striking the right work/life balance can be hard when you’re confined to the same space. Set clear times for working and make sure to give yourself a proper lunch break. Decide when the work day finishes, and stick to it. Perhaps go for a walk or run to signify the end of your shift.

Get to grips with tech

People have been utilising technology to adapt to a new way of living during lockdown. Our work life is one of them, with technology fundamental to working remotely and communicating with clients and colleagues. Get to grips with video conferencing and communication tools like Zoom or Google Hangouts, which you’ll be likely using daily to communicate with fellow colleagues and clients.

A note from our CTO for those managing remote teams

“We found moving from office-based to home/remote-based working not too much of an issue logistically as we have been set up to allow working from any location since incorporation in 2017. I have spent the last couple of weeks ensuring that our team all have the tools to work from their homes (desks, monitors, whiteboards etc). Now that they have the tools, we need to make sure everyone is comfortable working in a new environment. This has been by virtually dropping by for 1-2-1s or coffee catch-ups or by just wearing something ridiculous on camera at stand-up to see people smile. The team have all been fantastic during this very difficult period and as a thank you for sticking with it we are also giving extra time back for wellbeing activities. The team has also put together a team-spirit Slack channel where lots of health, fitness and learning material is being collected every day for people to use when it is time to switch off from the daily grind. Having worked in a number businesses that are not as far along their digital transformation journeys, we know that just turning a computer on when it is not physically connected to a network has not historically been a viable option. So, we just wanted to give a massive congrats to all the tech teams out there that have managed to move some more traditional business and people to remote during this time.”

Pete Hallett, CTO District Technologies

 

Once the dust has settled on Covid-19, attitudes to work will likely be changed forever, with companies offering more flexibility to their employees. Plus, there will be a newfound focus on communication, health and safety within buildings. Now’s the time to start investing in a tech-enabled engagement strategy for the future of workspaces to keep employees and tenants informed, safe and engaged. 

District Tech is a leading provider of workplace experience software, offering both plug & play and completely white-labelled apps. 

Get in touch to start your journey with District, optimising your tenant and employee experiences.