COVID-19: How do I implement working from home?

March 23, 2020 | By Vanessa Wilson, Vitil People Solutions

We are all in the same boat across the globe and we all need to plan to get through this unprecedented period of time with our team and our business still in tact.

Working from home is one way to combat the Coronavirus and minimise the spread, but it also assists those employees who may be facing challenges with children or older parents to care for. We therefore need to embrace working from home arrangements not only for Perth businesses but also for the health of our teams.

Here are some tips to follow and some resources you can use:

Set up a working form home policy to ensure you put in place clear guidelines for working remotely and safely. Include:
- work times
- availability
- timesheets to be kept up to date
- access to secure wifi
- access to essential equipment
- work outcomes and expectations
Ensure each team member knows their role and responsibilities
Encourage your team to set up a ‘work station’ from home so that they do not blur the lines between family time and work time. Remember being able to switch off at the end of the day is important for both physical and mental health
Use collaborative tools to communicate with your employees. There are many available and you can video conference easily with your team
Keep your team informed of how long the working from home arrangements will continue. I recommend assessing fortnightly and providing an update
LinkedIn has an abundance of resources that are FREE. You can check out The Learning Pathway. Highlights below:

However working from home can leave your team feeling socially and professionally isolated. So we need to help our employees remain engaged and productive during this time. Some suggestions include:

Check-in regularly
Have team lunches over video conference to maintain social connection
Make sure your team feel comfortable picking up the phone and calling each other
Set up group messaging to share information

With no end in sight to COVID-19, if employees and employers can get the balance right, remote work arrangements will work for everyone.

Vitil Outsourced HR Support

Vitil People Solutions is a boutique Human Resources consulting firm based across Perth, who offer flexible, reliable and affordable outsourced HR support, people solutions and recruitment services, where your team is the key focus. Talk to the experts in these trying times. Our experienced professionals can objectively assess your environment and help with change implementation.

Back to news headlines