Considering Working from Home? Some Tips | by Brian Gallagher

I must confess. I was a working-from-home (WFH) sceptic. How could one work from home? There would be distractions such as TV, people delivering things, and so on. What if there is a tech issue? The IT people are hardly close by. And so on.

Along came Covid-19 and the lockdown and those of us in the information economy had no choice but to work from home. That was a situation that did not work for everyone. However, after a while, I got used to it, and I have continued to WFH after the lockdown ended. And I must admit I find it most congenial.

This is not the place to discuss whether WFH is a great wonder or if it damages the economy etc. I only wish to share some tips and thoughts for those thinking of trying it. WFH should not be considered some kind of ideological or political issue. It's about whether it works well for you or not.

First, you must establish your organisation’s policy on WFH. How often do they want you in the office, what hours are you expected to be available, and so on? Very important is equipment – will they provide you with a laptop/desktop to work with? Or chairs if you need one? It would be inadvisable to use your private computer – your employer should provide you with one. It's also worth looking at ACAS guidance on WFH/Hybrid working.

What are the advantages for you to take this step? First, no travelling to work. This will save on transport costs, and more importantly saves your valuable time, in my case around two hours a day. It also can mean more efficient use of time for matters such as medical appointments. Rather than having to take time off, you can pop out for things like an eye check-up at the local opticians, simply informing your manager that you will be away for a short time. House-related matters such as people coming around for maintenance or repairs can be dealt with in the same way.

How then are you to keep in contact with your manager and colleagues? Modern technology provides the answer. I attend weekly team meetings over Teams and also use that app for contact with my manager and other staff. Email is also used. Communication is quite effective with these methods. IT issues don’t seem to have been a serious problem, with some matters having been dealt with remotely. For effective communication, I would advise making contact as soon as an issue arises. Remember, your colleagues will also be doing other things, and so may not be able to get back to you immediately. 

What about not wanting to be stuck at home all day working? Perhaps working elsewhere with a pleasant beverage at hand? That’s where WFC comes in. That’s what I term – as of now –working from cafés.
I would advise finding a café that is nearby – you don’t want to be lugging your laptop around too much. If it's not one you know already, check it out. Do they encourage people with laptops? Are there enough charging points?  Some places have few and you don’t want to go in only to find they are all taken – although this provides a good reason to keep your laptop battery charged.

WFC does need a bit of vigilance due to the criminal element – they do target such establishments.  I would advise not sitting too near to the exit and beware of anyone trying to distract you. Keep your mobile out of sight and never leave your laptop unattended, not for even a minute. Don’t ask someone to keep an eye on your stuff while you head to the facilities or the till – aside from the fact they may have to leave, it's not a given they would make an effort in the event someone does try to make off with your property. Worse still, they may run off with your laptop themselves!

I wouldn’t make too much of a habit of WFC. I do it perhaps a couple of times a week and for only two hours or so.

The thing about WFH is that it's easy to try. You can see how it goes, and if it's not for you, you can head back to the office. Or you may decide on hybrid working – a few days in the home, a few in the office. It's worth a try if you are interested. Who knows – you may gain more quality of life for yourself without affecting your workflow.

Brian Gallagher is a Media Analyst based in London, England, and is writing for the Apprentice Lens. Here's more about him:

'Brian is a Multiverse Data Literacy alumnus. He is keen to develop his data skills from his apprenticeship and is highly intrigued by Artificial Intelligence.'