Crisis remote working: real experiences and practical advice

*pseudonyms.

With lockdown in force, remote working has exploded. You only have to look at the drop in traffic on our motorways and trains (estimated at 65% (1)) to picture the number of employees now working from home.

This, however, is not the usual remote working pattern of one or two days a week for those who are used to it. It is a "crisis" home-working set-up: full-time, with children at home and equipment that is not always suited to the task. We wanted to find out how working from home is going during this period, so we put the question to a few people forced into remote working across different fields. Here is a brief overview of their experiences.

Alizée*, watchmaking.

For Alizée, who holds a position of responsibility in the watchmaking industry, remote working is a revolution. Until the Covid-19 crisis, her employer would not even consider it. Everything is laid on at the workplace to promote well-being, so why work from home? seemed to be the company's motto.

Already equipped with a VPN (remote connection) and a laptop, she was able to adapt quickly. "In a week, everyone was set up, sometimes on their own personal device. What impresses me most is the trust that management has placed in us," she adds.

What hasn't changed: Alizée remains in constant contact with her colleagues and managers. Their internal communication tool works very well, and meetings are held by video conference. Management has asked everyone to keep to their usual working hours: to be connected via VPN between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. "It helps you structure your day and avoid blurring the line between work and home life too much," Alizée adds.

What has changed : "We find it harder to be productive because we don't always have the right equipment at home," she says, adding that she misses the two screens and the comfortable chair at the office. Alizée and her colleagues apply good cybersecurity practices: "You have to stay alert and not do anything careless. It means taking on individual responsibility and being even more vigilant."

What she recommends : "You need to be able to find a spot where you are neither disturbed nor uncomfortably set up," Alizée suggests. And, more importantly, she encourages everyone to block out working hours and stick to them scrupulously. "At first you may welcome the chance to work flexible hours, but I think that is dangerous in the long run. You end up working all the time and blurring everything together. Some constraint is necessary, and it is even better if it comes from your manager."

Mégane*, clinical psychology

For Mégane, who works as a psychologist in a hospital, remote working is also new. "In therapy, we are used to meeting patients face to face, so doing everything by phone is very strange." But it is going well for someone who has also realised that "reading, entering information and studying cases" is often more pleasant and more productive from home.

What hasn't changed : Appointments with patients are being kept, but they take place by phone. Supervision sessions and network meetings are held by video conference. "We are still following our patients and remaining available, perhaps even more so, because they don't hesitate to call when they feel anxious, which is fairly common at the moment."

What has changed : A therapy session conducted over the phone has very different effects depending on the patient. "Some open up more readily, feeling that the phone protects them, while others find it harder." A number of conferences and training sessions that are very important for ensuring good practice have been suspended. "But it's temporary. We hope to soon rebuild that close connection between everyone so we can keep exchanging ideas and coaching one another." She concludes: "That is perhaps the hardest part: this lack of a guiding presence, the fact that we can no longer have a quick debrief in passing."

What she recommends : "Everyone has different needs, depending on where they live, their personal situation and their experiences." The only real piece of advice that can be given is "listen to yourself". If you feel the need to be in contact with your colleagues and your manager, to be closely supported, say so. If, on the contrary, you are coping well with this period of autonomy, so much the better. "People need to know that they are allowed to feel low, to be less productive, to be anxious. We are living through an unprecedented situation and we have to accept its effects on us. The key is to keep in mind that we are surrounded by people who can support us, in both our personal and professional lives, and that we can call on them."

Alain*, SME management

For Alain, who manages an SME, the lockdown situation is pushing us to look for solutions that until now seemed secondary. "Remote working, yes, we did a little of it, but never seriously or in a very organised way." Following the Federal Council's recommendations, Alain's SME switched to "remote" mode within a few days.

What hasn't changed : "We try to keep a team spirit and hold regular video conferences." Projects continue to be led by the project managers, and everyone knows what they have to do. "We take the view that people should be as available as they were at the office, so we don't hesitate to call."

What has changed : Beyond the economic concerns affecting every SME and plunging them into uncertainty, it is the family spirit that takes a hit. "We are used to shaking hands in the morning and sorting things out around a table, and that is no longer possible. On the other hand, we inevitably get a slightly closer glimpse into people's private lives: we see what colour they chose for their walls and how noisy their children are," he adds playfully.

What he recommends : "Roll up your sleeves." In a situation like this, where everyone finds themselves at home having to work for their company, "individual goodwill is what counts most". If everyone plays the game, exercises self-discipline and manages to turn this situation into an opportunity, then "we can come out of it as winners". "You have to know how to make the most of this freedom and be there for your loved ones, while at the same time taking seriously your responsibilities towards the company that employs you, trying to balance the two." ​​

A few recommendations

​At Valeur Plus we too have switched to remote working. We are used to this practice, but it has intensified greatly over the past few weeks. Everyone experiences remote working very differently, as Mégane pointed out, and it is difficult to provide an exhaustive list of recommendations. But drawing on our own experience and the press review we have carried out, we can at least remind you of a few principles:

1. Be careful to separate working hours from non-working hours. International SOS, as well as Alizée in her account, encourage us to clearly separate what belongs to our professional sphere from what belongs to our private sphere. This is also the advice of Nathalie Bourquenoud, HR Director at La Mobilière.

2. The video conferences held by Valeur Plus always begin with a few questions about how everyone is doing. This is a way of taking the pulse of the group and thinking about each person's health before turning to professional tasks and objectives. We are far from the only ones to do this, and it is important for maintaining good cohesion.

3. The practice of giving feedback is even more important when working remotely, to prevent everyone from working in isolation. But how do you give and receive feedback at a distance? According to Todd Dewett, good feedback is always specific, considerate, open to counter-feedback, and delivered by video conference rather than in writing. We would add that management must put in place communication tools that enable this kind of practice; it is important that everyone is able to gauge the quality of their work remotely.

4. Every component of your new workplace at home will matter. From natural light to the chair you sit on, the type of screen, as Alizée mentioned, and the noise level, everything will have an impact on the quality of your work and your enjoyment of it. As every situation is different, it is hard to give definitive advice, but at the very least keep this in mind: if you do not feel able to work because you are too disturbed, uncomfortably set up or poorly equipped, your employer should be a resource and provide you with solutions to improve the situation.

5. We encourage you to embrace the informal side of work with open arms. Your colleagues have ditched the tie? You catch sight of a little blonde head peeking at the screen? You find your manager's Japanese décor a little busy? So much the better! So-called "remote" working has the ability to reduce, paradoxically, the distance between people by leading them to discover their colleagues' homes and ways of life. Without ever overstepping the other person's freedom and while respecting their privacy, you can learn more about them and forge new bonds.

6. The cards have been reshuffled, and this is a chance to change perspective. Our clients often ask us to help them see things from a different angle, to think outside the box. Remote working is the ideal situation for this. Certain personalities will come to the fore. More introverted people may suddenly feel at ease in this setting, while others who are more analytical may suddenly strike you as highly effective.

7. Avoid distractions. Our home is a place for relaxation and leisure. It is only natural that it is full of books, films, sports gear and playful children. It is important to keep all of that at bay during working hours so that you can enjoy it more afterwards. To do this, draw up a list of work tasks and personal wishes, and force yourself to finish the work tasks before moving on to the personal ones. And wherever you work, remove all distractions and sources of disturbance. You will feel less frustrated.

8. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Others cannot know whether you are very busy or available. Use your WhatsApp or Chatter status to let them know, or send your immediate colleagues an email in the morning to tell them whether you are available or only to be reached in an emergency. It is the same as putting a "do not disturb" sign on your office door or keeping it closed to signal that you are unavailable. Being connected should not mean being available immediately.

9. Finally, we join Nathalie Bourquenoud in advising that we "take care of ourselves". In this unprecedented situation, let us not forget to get some fresh air (when it is possible and permitted), to walk and to do ourselves some good. Nothing is more important than keeping a healthy mind in a healthy body.

Additional advice for managers

1. If you are responsible for a team, map out your team members. Each one has different needs, as Mégane reminded us. Ask yourself: "Who has which personality, and therefore who needs what kind of relationship with me?" Some like daily contact, others prefer a weekly check-in. Some prefer text messages, others phone calls. Try to adapt to them as you do day to day, choosing the right means of communication and the right frequency.

2. As a manager, accept uncertainty. You are not expected to know everything about the health situation and its impact on society. Your role is to accept that element of the unknown while reassuring your team about the well-known part of their day: the tasks that are theirs to carry out. So be clear about your expectations and the objectives you set. "Roll up your sleeves", as Alain puts it, and invite others to do so with you. And if some of your team members are facing significant personal difficulties or struggling to cope with the situation, be sure to keep to your role and direct them to the right external support resources.