Communication
Communicating with employees whilst working remotely is very important, using mobile phones or creating a standard way to contact team members such as through Zoom or Microsoft Teams can keep teams connected whilst working remotely. We recommend having a quick catch up with close team members once a day and a wider meeting with other employees weekly. Keeping in regular contact with colleagues helps make sure that employees are working towards a common goal and everyone is made aware of team updates.
Create a designated workspace
Separating your work life from your home life can be difficult when your home becomes your office. The current Covid-19 rules and rising cases are an indication that home working is here to stay for some time. Creating a designated working area, a separate office room (if space allows) or a portion of a room can really help distinguish between the hours you are working and the hours you spend in your home not working. This area should be kept quiet and only be used for working, this might be difficult in busier households but can make the difference between a productive and not so productive day of working.
Equipment
Having all of the equipment you need to hand when working from home will not only make working from home easier but will increase productivity. Prepare your working from home set up by acquiring all of the equipment you need. You might be able to borrow equipment from your office if you are no longer required attend your place of work. Failing that your company may help with contributions towards getting you the equipment you need to successfully work from home.
Schedule breaks
When working from home it can be easy to keep working through the day without taking your allocated breaks. Creating a scheduled break time is important to keep you motivated and to avoid burning out. Getting out of the house during your break can help improve your mood, fresh air, natural light and movement are all good for your mind and body. The same applies if you work in an office environment, taking a walk outside in natural light can improve productivity and be very beneficial to your wellbeing.
Plan for absences
Planning ahead for potential driver or staff absences is especially important during the current pandemic. Having plans in place to cover essential work if one or more of your drivers is required to self-isolate will make this situation (if it does occur) easier to manage. Sharing your plans and creating a clear filing structure of information to pass over to colleagues if they need to take over your role is also something to consider in the event that you need to take some time away from work. When from home daily conversations between colleagues become much less frequent, therefore it is important that your colleagues have knowledge of the plans you have in place and how to manage your drivers effectively.
Plan for vehicle downtime
Although planning for vehicle downtime is not directly related to working from home it’s still especially important when you are not there to have regular conversations with drivers and do manual inspections on vehicles. Making sure all vehicles are checked and in good working condition can help save money on potential unexpected downtime. Garage capacities may be limited, and it could therefore take longer for a vehicle to be fixed which may cause business operation issues if vehicles become unexpectedly out of action.
