The Teleworker's Toolbox

These are special times, to say the least: The coronavirus pandemic, a virus born in China that is particularly contagious, is currently spreading throughout Europe. Exceptional societal circumstances, of course, but they are no less difficult to live with, especially when we are not prepared to deal with them.

In a previous article, we took the time to give you some tips on how to process to effectively deal with a crisis situation. But as you know, we don’t like to do things by halves at Jamespot, and that’s why we have decided to gig a little deeper with the Teleworker’s Toolbox, a set of best practices entirely dedicated to teleworking. As the current situation in France forces the majority of the population to work from home, we thought that sharing some of our practices to help you manage your teleworking dat would not be unwelcome. Especially since some of you may not be used to working from home.

Equipement, working conditions and best practices : we give you all the right advices to make your teleworking day, a day rhyming with efficiency, productivity but also well-being !

Ready? Let’s go !

Include Teleworking in the Scope of Possibilities

If you have never telework before, you're probably one of those people who think that teleworking is all about using your computer at home for work, no more and no less. If you are not wrong in principle, however, it is important to prepare well in advance to reduce the chances of unpleasant surprises.

Let me explain : there are two possibles scenarios for teleworking. Either it is imposed the same day because of an event impossible for you to anticipate (a train accident that prevents you from going to work, for example). Or it is possible for you to determine which day of the week you will work from home (you know that it will be difficult for you to go to work on Thursday because, again, for example, the transportation strike begins on the same day).

Obviously, in the first scenario, it will be difficult for you to prepare since you will be forced, unexpectedly, to telework. It’s therefore important to prepare the groundwork, or at the very least to leave yourself an escape route in case teleworking is unavoidable (ans sometimes unexpected): make sure you have a working computer at home, or always take your work equipment with you when you return home. Personally, I opt for the second option: at the end of each day, I take care to take with me the pack of the teleworker’s package, namely: my work computer, the dedicated charger and a headset to be able to communicate with my colleagues. You can of course push the thing further by taking with you a mouse and a SD card for example. But with these 3 basic elements, you are sure to have the minimum at your disposal to telework without problem whatever the situation!

Location and Layout

Now that you are sure to have the right equipment ready, it is time to take a look at your workplace. The advantage with your workplace is that it is (normally) organizes so that you can work in the best conditions: desk, telephone, chair… Everything is there to allow you to evolve in an environment suitable for work and performance. The problem is that you are now cut off from such a well-prepared place and find yourself in a place where, conversely, you are not used to work.

Here are a few tips for reproducing your work atmosphere: isolate yourself in a quiet room so you are not distracted by your personal environment (except for obligations such as custody of the children of course). Then, stand in front of a desk with a comfortable chair and lay out your equipment. I know what you are thinking : the couch looks particularly tempting and pleasant. But it’s not the ideal place to work. All you are going to get, is just a big urge to take a nap (trust me, your humble servant has already gone trough this experience). Finally, make sure you have something to drink and a snack, so you can get trough the off-peak hours.

The Right Practices

Teleworking is not just a matter of equipment and locations, quite the contrary. Using the same tools as at work in one thing, but keep in mind that the conditions will be radically different from what you are used to. At home, no exchanges with your team, no off breaks with your colleagues, no global meetings… You got it: teleworking also means being must more alone than usual. Which is why it is important to put in place a few tips to boost your motivation and to stay on track.

First interesting practices (that we have already set it up at Jamespot): say hello every morning. At the beginning of the day, bring together all the members of your organization in a videoconference room to greet each other and discuss the hot topics that concern your organization. Morning greetings are a excellent way to start your day with a regular group event, to keep in touch with your colleagues despite the distance and to share importantes informations in real time! You will see, taking 30 minutes of your time each morning to greet et chat with your colleagues will help you reduce the feeling of loneliness and work more efficiently right from the start of the day.

Don’t hesitate either to repeat this practice at the end of the day, to take stock of the progress of your team’s projects and to mark the end of the day with your colleagues.

Second practice: set clear objectives. This will help you get a clear views of the tacks you need to perform during the day. And if you find it difficult to set up a schedule on your own, the morning meeting with you team is just the thing to help you do it.

Third practice: don’t hesitate to take break. Obviously, you have your missions to accomplish and your goals to reach but you are alone, I would like to remind you. The fact that your colleagues are not there means that you no longer have the opportunity to change your mind by having a coffee break with a colleague, for example. So, if someones is at home with you, don’ hesitate to take a break and tack to him or even go ou for somme fresh air (not too far away, remember the rules). You cans also use the videoconference to take your break at the same time that one of your colleagues and spend some time with him! In any cas, take time to breathe a little at certain moments: it will allow you to start better afterwards!

So, we hope you enjoyed this article and that these few tips will help you make teleworking a less difficult time to spend in these confined times. And if you are currently looking for a tool that can help you to work better from a distance, don't hesitate to contact the Jamespot teams directly! We will explain how the Jamespot platform can help you to work more efficiently while keeping in touch with your colleagues. And if you want to test the solution yourself, then don't hesitate!

See you soon for a new article!