We’ve done check-ins on all levels – and across – of the company to make sure things are moving. Teams have gone through projects to anticipate problems, work things out and plan for the future. In some teams, weekly stand-ups are done twice a week now. Others use WhatsApp groups and Skype chats.
We already had multiple smart tools in place, from Slack to Teams to UserBit, a user research tool and Miro, an on-cloud tool like an illustrator for multiple people to collaborate. Some of them were initially adapted to collaborate with our clients. Now, they help us work together. In addition, we use an app called Tandem to replicate the social life of an office and encourage some of those informal conversations, like those in the corridor or around the coffee machine.
This applies to most things in life, and is relevant here as well. We’ve found that some people don’t mind being alone and easily self-direct and self-initiate, while others function best in teams. Know how you (and your team) create your best work, so you can help each other get there.
Even during a lockdown such as this, it’s completely possible to reach out to all continents in one day from the corner of your own living room. Doing so, however, may not be wise. Just like too many meetings, days full of conference calls most likely aren’t, either.
Working from remote obviously means losing some of the richness of the social interaction, but done right, there can be a greater sense of efficiency in concentrated work – and even meetings, as people won’t talk over each other, and you must really concentrate in order to hear the other party properly on a call.
Generally, we’ve found it easiest to replicate the office hours when working from home. As the schools in Italy are closed too, parents may need to be creative in adjusting their schedules accordingly. This may mean work shifts during naps or taking turns with the partner.
Working from home has taught us how adaptable we are to whatever comes. Surprisingly, the little routines that get you ready for the day – make up, getting dressed – are very important to many of us, even if the office means the kitchen table.
The workspace plays a role too. A calm place for concentration and good ergonomics are important, of course. Luckily, the Italian climate also allows us to also work from the balcony to get some fresher-than-usual air.
We love what we do and have noticed that it’s not uncommon to linger by the computer later than usual. The commute from office to home is a clear ‘switch-off’, and for many of us, also a brief moment for ourselves. When the home is the office, this doesn’t occur naturally. Turn off the computer at the end of the workday.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.