Tips and tricks for working from home

Stay in the game when working from home

We’ve got tips and tricks to help keep you and your employees motivated and productive if the office isn’t an option.

As an employee, staying motivated when you’re working from home can feel daunting. Here are some easy steps to stay connected and productive:

1. Stay connected. Check your organization’s Remote Access Policy to understand the expectations for working from home. If you have an HR or security team, they are a great place to start.

2. Stay secure. If your company offers Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) or a two-factor authentication process, make sure ensure you are enrolled. We recommend testing this before you leave the office to ensure everything works.

3. Keep your routine. Begin and end your day at the same time you would if you were going to the office.

4. Stay present. Conference calls aren't the best time to catch up on your inbox. They require even more attention than meeting face-to-face since you can't pick up on visual cues. Ask for a meeting recap if you think you missed something. Oh, and don’t forget to take yourself off mute.

5. Create a space. Dedicate a workspace at a desk or table. Avoid working from your bed and other areas of your home where you usually unwind – psychologically, you’ll be more inclined to start relaxing than getting down to work.

6. Keep moving. Make sure to get up and move around throughout the day. It’s easy to stay sedentary when you don’t have to commute or aren’t moving between meeting rooms.

As an employer, keeping people engaged and connected while they’re working remotely is important. Here’s what you can do:

1. Communicate. Create a Remote Access Policy and clearly communicate it so employees understand your expectations.

2. Stay secure. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for employees and ensure they are enrolled. Two-factor authentication supplements the traditional username and password by providing a second form of authentication to the login process. This helps keep your business safe from different cyber threats.

3. Think cloud. Make sure your teams know how to access work documents, email, and other collaboration resources from home through a safe and secure source.

4. Be flexible. Identify and implement social distancing options for employees. Assess and provide technological capabilities and requirements to support remote working solutions.

5. Collaborate. Encourage employees to stay connected to each other via video chat to keep a simulation of your workplace environment.

Even when working from home, it is important to stay connected with our teammates and co-workers to ensure everyone feels supported. We may not have hallway run-ins, but with today’s technology, we can still work as a team and support each other.