Woes of Working from home – we’re right there with you.

We at CM like many organisations in this past year have had to react quickly to changes including implementing and adapt to remote working practices. In February 2020 Zoom was unheard of by many, but now we use it, along with other videoconferencing platforms, multiple times a day.

Working from home brings its’ challenges of course; not all have the space for an office set up at home, and we are so proud of our team members who have worked faithfully from their kitchens, bedrooms, even the sofa or bed; using laptops and tablets when they have been accustom to ample desk space and the luxury of dual screens in the office. We have all had our internet wobbles, our issues with kids, animals and other halves as we have adjusted to new routines, but we did it and we are doing it again!

Looking back to March of last year, we had to adapt so quickly, setting up remote access to our system, providing laptops and headsets to those who needed them, and penning guided instructions  so that everyone could continue their work relatively uninterrupted – enabling our hard working contractors to continue to receive their payments on time.

January is a tough month at the best of times, and working remotely has provided extra challenges for many. However, our team continues to make the most of their situation in order to provide an unwavering service to our clients and candidates. Some have learned from the previous lockdown experience and have made adjustments to their setup; investing in a decent chair or desk, clearing space in the spare room, or moving the table near the window for better light.

To keep us motivated, we have a Whatsapp group with weekly exercise challenges to keep us moving and promote a little healthy competition. We have a ‘virtual cuppa’ with different colleagues to keep us connected and inject a little fun into the day (we all like a bit of banter!). Team Zoom meetings are good to keep everyone up to speed with business on-goings, and it’s nice to see friendly faces too.

Whatever challenges you may be facing whilst working from home, please know that you are not alone! Communication is key, so reach out to a colleague or friend and break up the day. Remind yourself to move away from the computer and stretch. Set a good routine and remember to have time away from work also, no matter how tempting it is to switch on in the evening or on the weekend (this is the hardest aspect for me personally!).

Regarding your office setup and use of DSE (display screen equipment), there is some sound advice on the HSE website, which in part states:

There are some simple steps people can take to reduce the risks from display screen work:

•  – breaking up long spells of DSE work with rest breaks (at least 5 minutes every hour) or changes in activity
•  – avoiding awkward, static postures by regularly changing position
•  – getting up and moving or doing stretching exercises
•  – avoiding eye fatigue by changing focus or blinking from time to time
•  

You can find more details here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/workers/home.htm

Whether you are a recruiter or a contractor, please let us reassure you that we will continue to work with you and for you, whether it be from the office or from home. We are here to ensure that our loyal contractors are paid on time, and accurately – without fail.

If you call our number, you will always hear a friendly voice and we’ll be happy to assist you. If we should get cut off for any reason, we will call you back asap.

Though we have a way to go and the battle is yet to be won we’d like to remind everyone to stay positive, keep smiling and be kind to one another.