Working from Home: Andy E and Andy S
To help prevent the spread of coronavirus and keep our workforce safe, our colleagues have been working from home for the last few weeks. As a company we’ve delivered useful advice, resources and support to help everyone to not only remain productive, but also stay in touch. Good examples are meetings through Microsoft Teams and regular Virtual Coffee Breaks, which encourage team members to have a chat with each other through video calls.
We’ve been asking colleagues about their home office setups to see what they’ve done to make their surroundings efficient and welcoming. Andy Ennis and Andy Stephens sent us some details about theirs, which are very different but both designed for a hard day’s work without any interruptions.
Andy Ennis's office is pictured above: “There have been no real challenges to my working day so far as everything is running smoothly. I miss my lunchtime walks but I do enjoy catching up with a Netflix show during my lunch break. I also try to get a run in either before or after work to look after my mental health, making sure to social distance the entire way. In the picture you may spot a Commodore 64 but I promise it doesn’t get switched on during work hours.”
Meanwhile, Andy Stephens lives in a three-storey town house, so he uses the loft as a home office. This gives him a wonderful view, which is a great way to keep his spirits up and maintain a healthy mental wellbeing.
“I've set up a radio for company,” says Andy S. “I find this better than just listening to music because you do get some chat but it doesn't answer back. The only disadvantage of this office location is that I have to go down two flights of stairs to get to the kitchen. The upside of this is that by the time I've run up and down the stairs a few times I don't feel so bad raiding the fridge.”
“I guess what I miss most is the banter with my work colleagues, but we have a daily Teams conference so we all get to see each other's faces, plus we’ve set up a WhatsApp group so that we can have a laugh outside of work hours. This is a good setup because it means we can continue to socialise whilst working remotely.”
Andy S also says that he finds working from home an easy process, especially while the sun is shining. He goes out for a bike ride every day, either before or after work for around twenty miles: “This is the perfect time for me to put the day in order, plan my next steps and de-stress at the same time as staying fit. It’s also easy to keep my distance by choosing quiet areas for my ride. My only concern is what my hair is going to look like at the end of all this!”
We love hearing about how our colleagues are adapting to new ways of working during this difficult time. We’re also very proud that everyone is staying positive, doing their bit to keep themselves and others safe, and staying on top of projects from their home workspaces.
Remember that self-isolation doesn’t mean that you should feel isolated, so if you ever get lonely simply invite a team member to a video chat and have a catch-up over a coffee.
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