Working From Home - How To Do It Well

Due to Government restrictions on public movement a lot of us are now working from home. Let's talk about how to make the most of it.

Of course, not all of us actually can work from home. There was a debate on Linked In about whether or not Facilities Managers are "essential workers" who actually need to be on site. I argue that we are; since the buck stops with us we have to be there to supervise even if our team members are good at their jobs simply because they don't think the way we do; their minds are on their own jobs. That's a moot point when you're on lockdown due to showing symptoms. What then? These are things we can do from home:

• Admin
• Taking and processing customer calls, including assigning engineers
• Meetings
• Planning
• Scheduling
• Coursework

Anything you could usually do at the office can be done from home, as I pointed out in Working From Home — Pros And Cons:

Admin work is easy enough to do from home if you only need a PC, a phone, and a connection to the internet. Access to the company intranet shouldn't be that hard to arrange, but when you're working via multiple servers using VPNs, etc., security becomes an issue.

Security

McAfee has a great post on staying secure while working online from home. While all the links post to adverts for their products and services the principles are sound:

• Utilize a VPN
• Be aware of phishing emails
• Regularly change cloud passwords with two-factor authentication
• Use strong, unique passwords
• Browse with security protection

Let's take a closer look at each of these.

VPN

Your employers should provide a VPN but if they don't, here are the best ones on the market:

Express VPN - Recommended by CNet, PC Magazine, and Wired
Cyberghost - Recommended by CNet, PC Magazine, and Wired
Private Internet Access - Recommended by CNet, PC Magazine, and Wired
NordVPN - Recommended by CNet, PC Magazine, and Wired

In the simplest terms, a VPN creates a secure, encrypted connection—which can be thought of as a tunnel—between your computer and a server operated by the VPN service. In a professional setting, this tunnel effectively makes you part of the company's network, as if you were physically sitting in the office. - The Best VPN Services for 2020, by Max Eddy for PC Magazine

If you are handling company business at home, you need a VPN. Ask your IT department about setting one up if you haven't already got one.

Phishing

Phishing is essentially an online con game, and phishers are nothing more than tech-savvy con artists and identity thieves. They use spam, malicious websites, email messages, and instant messages to trick people into divulging sensitive information. Banking information, credit card accounts, usernames, and passwords are just some of the information phishers seek to exploit. - How to help protect against 5 types of phishing scams - Norton blog post

It's easy to be caught out by phishers so be careful. The basics:

• Don't click on links or images from unfamiliar sources - or if the name is misspelled
• Don't download files from unfamiliar sources.
• Turn off Javascript on PDFs. This also stops them automatically bringing up the print menu
• Ignore attempts to scare you from websites purporting to save you from scammers, malware, etc.
• Use a secure website (indicated by https:// and a security “lock” icon in the browser’s address bar).

There are excellent resources online that will tell you more about how to protect yourself. I rely on tech blogs Wired, Ars Technica, CNet, PC Magazine, and Techdirt for information on internet threats.

Wired has more tips for protecting yourself here:

Resist Phishing Attacks with Three Golden Rules
Phishing Scams Even Fool Tech Nerds—Here’s How to Avoid Them
The White House just got scammed. Here’s how to avoid phishing scams

One thing these articles have in common is that the main vector of attack is via yourself. That one time when you're not paying attention is when the phishers get in and cause havoc.

Productivity

There's a great post on Linked In on how to maximise efficiency while working from home.

Let's take a closer look at each point.

Routine

The BBC adds that following the same routine as the one you had when at work in the office helps to psychologically move you from slobbing around at home to being a working professional. This means getting up and clocking in (where possible), taking regular breaks, and keeping in touch with colleagues and managers.

Environment

Ideally, you want an office space to work in. I use our spare room for this but not everyone has one. Can you cordon off a part of your living room or kitchen for working from home? 

The desktop and computer equipment should be set out ergonomically to reduce the risk of RSI, etc. 

Communication

Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts are among the most favoured commercial communications technologies. Which one to choose depends on the mail client used by the company; Interserve used Google before it switched to Office 365. Microsoft products are designed to interact with each other.

It's important to be able to communicate with managers and colleagues even if it's only via WhatsApp, text, or calls. Loneliness is a big problem for remote workers, as is lack of supervision and guidance. Ideally, managers should have a daily call with their subordinates. A conference call using video technology or a shared WhatsApp is ideal for this. Interpersonal contact helps to keep people feeling that they're part of a team. It also enables managers to keep an eye on the worker's productivity. If they're logging jobs on a CAFM system it should be possible to check on their activity via the number of jobs logged, calls taken, and updates noted.

Eliminate distractions

Can you reduce distraction from kids, etc? One man was hilariously interrupted by his kids while on live TV. Give them something to do to keep them busy — if they don't have a routine, neither do you. There's a wealth of educational and entertainment programmes online and on TV to keep them out of your hair if you're on your own with them.

Remove shortcuts to your favourite social media sites. They're a massive time suck. If you live with other people, particularly if they're young and small, you're not going to get a lot of "me" time. I'd recommend taking short breaks so you're on your own for a little while, if only for five minutes. Otherwise, you'll have no safety valve to let off steam.

Get outside

Establishing a healthy home/work balance is essential to continuing productivity. Get outside, if only for a few minutes, if you can. If you have symptoms, stay indoors but if you don't, have a nice walk in the park where possible. Even a few minutes in the garden can be that alone time you're craving. A bit of sunlight, a glimpse of green — it all helps to enhance your wellbeing.

I hope this helps. In the meantime, stay safe.