Coronavirus, or how remote working gets organised

March 21, 2020· Michel Aguilera

In these times of lockdown, restrictions on travel and social distancing, everyone is discovering that the measures to protect ourselves from this virus are going to make us drastically change the way we work. With this in mind, and trying to be as broad as possible, I am going to try to review the possibilities, both for users and for those who set up the solutions. An overview of the technological possibilities currently available for remote working.

Safety… keep your distance!

So yes, remote working does not apply to every profession (a very big well done and lots of courage to those who keep our society running). Living in Switzerland, I am one of those privileged people who work in the service sector (IT) and can work from anywhere. Many media outlets are talking about this way of working, which is appealing to more and more people (a very interesting article here). The advantages are obvious cost reductions (less travel, no need to rent offices or open spaces, less infrastructure in general). To do it, I need a computer, a phone and an internet connection. We will see below which tools are best suited to each situation.

But apart from hardware or logistical questions, there is also an essential point: mindset. Many people will think that if you have to work from home, you can allow yourself certain liberties. Personally, I have set myself some rules:

I stick to working hours, as if I had to be at the office (with more freedom to organise my breaks, though, and no need to go out)
Explain to those around you that if you are working remotely, you are not available for anything else: you are working! This kind of message can sometimes be hard to understand, especially for young children, who don’t understand why Mum or Dad is there but can’t look after them.
Have a “real” workspace (this can be more difficult for some people, especially if you live in a flat or have children). To keep the children busy, there are some very inventive websites; here is one: https://taleming.com/occuper-enfants-maison-coronavirus/
When you need to communicate, make sure you can do so in peace and quiet (this too needs to be planned carefully)
Make sure your IT environment is sufficiently secure and that you are not at risk (antivirus, firewall)
Make sure you manage your tasks well during the day and divide your working time properly (do some time tracking to help you and avoid procrastination).

Of course, in the current state of mind, there will be a drop in motivation or energy, and that is completely normal. All companies know that even if we have the tools to communicate and collaborate, some situations are not exactly appealing and that lockdown will take its toll on morale and motivation. Lightening the workload or adapting it according to what is essential will remain a point to discuss carefully within teams.

As for collaborative tools, each vendor comes with its own solutions. Many have recently started offering free access to their products for a while. In my case, I mainly work with Office 365 and the flagship collaboration tool: Microsoft Teams. A short introduction (in English):

There is a paid version, included in the Office 365 Business Premium plan, but there is also a free version (which is set to replace the Skype product shortly).

As for the competition, there are all kinds of solutions, such as Zoom (a multi-platform environment), which you can discover on this YouTube channel.

To compete with Office 365, Zoho also offers SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions, to work from any device (PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone).

Overview (in English):

We have covered some of the collaboration solutions, but you also need to communicate by phone, and for that, so-called “traditional” telephony remains an essential part of everything to do with exchanges between people. Microsoft Teams offers integrated voice over IP (VOIP solutions), but if you don’t have Teams (or don’t want to tie yourself to a single provider), there are solutions to set up IP telephony in your own environment, at lower cost. One solution I set up easily is the 3CX platform.

A short introductory video on how to get started with 3CX (in English):

Now that we have seen the “software” tools, let’s talk about which device will be the most suitable. If you are in “non-collaborative consultation” mode, i.e. answering emails, browsing web pages or just making audio calls, the PC or, better still, a tablet will be your best weapon. Indeed, the format lets you work from any corner of the house (yes, really, anywhere!). If you need to work on documents, take remote control of other machines or be seen in a video conference, then go for a computer (PC or Mac). Remember that if you are going to be seen, don’t neglect your appearance (your clothing). The smartphone will also be your ally, especially for quick tasks (replying to messages or just making a call), in all sorts of corners of the house.

For some companies, using a private PC, or even the company PC, outside the authorised network can be a problem. There is a solution for this: the virtual desktop or Desktop as a Service (DaaS). There are many ways of having your PC or work environment available “remotely”, without the need for major installations. One example is the offering from Swisscom.

In short, stay at home

Yes, remote working is possible and, despite preconceived ideas, it may help some companies realise that it is possible to operate differently without being less productive. We must keep in mind that we are living through an exceptional situation and that it will greatly affect the way we see things. Everyone needs to be made aware of the risks of not protecting themselves. We must all work together on this approach. The many tools available (let’s also mention Slack, Trello, or office suites such as Apple’s iWork) are there to enable us to keep working and remain active for our companies. Don’t forget that our health is our most precious asset. For those who need more information on precautionary measures, the official FOPH website: https://ofsp-coronavirus.ch/.

Take care of yourselves and your loved ones, and see you very soon!