Working from home has possibly surprised many in terms of its effectiveness. Business owners have for a long time shrunk away from this concept but now it is forced upon us it is remarkable how effective it can be. This concept has been encouraged in other cities for some time in order to take pressure off transport systems and the like. Not so much whole offices but individuals within the organisations have had that freedom.
Zoom meetings are proving to be quite effective, with everyone having equal opportunity, visibility, and those more quietly spoken people projecting clearly to all. And screen sharing makes all graphic presentations come alive, CM+ Director Bill Morrison observed.
For Architect Gilbert Ho, the transition to working from home was smooth. The ease of accessing materials, files and colleagues remotely makes it feel like he never left the office.
Working from home also taught Di Wu, Urban Designer how to balance her time amidst the distractions one can have while working away from the office. For her, the morning catch up meetings via Zoom are crucial in setting a plan and goal for the day.
The zero commute is a positive. The occasional internet dropouts and technical issues are unavoidable but manageable. With all the distractions from WFH, maintaining a routine is key to managing tasks and deadlines, Rene Glover Graphics Manager writes.
The challenges of isolation are inevitable. Some companies are offering online workout classes, hobby classes, painting sessions and the like. For Bill, the main challenge is to differentiate one day from the next. As Maggie Smith said in Downton Abbey – “what’s a weekend?”