Making your at home office feel like an at work office
We’ve all been WFH for a little while. Here’s how Becki is making it an office away from the office.
There are loads of wonderful blogs flying around about #wfh tips (just like this one from our very own Olivia, here) and we are all very much nailing our new life at home (mostly.) However one thing here at OneFifty that we pride ourselves on is that we, whilst doing the most excellent work, also have fun. That shift to an online workplace, made us realise how many “little moments” we all enjoyed in the office so we’ve been discussing how to make your office a bit more “real” during lockdown.
Video call, always
If like me you are struggling to see through your fringe, and actually really like wearing joggers to work, this one can be a bit of a toughy, but honestly, a video call over a phone call makes all the difference in these times.
A little chat never hurt anyone
Sometimes (only sometimes) I interrupt the office, to chat some serious celeb gossip, or laugh at something in the media, or even just to talk about the best water cooler conversation I’ve heard. This can still be done on Slack (or however your company is operating remotely) – we’ve had some absolute crackers on our #random channel and they make it all feel a little more normal.
Just checking in
For everyone, at some point, during this time, it’s going to feel a bit rubbish, and it shouldn’t just be down to someone’s line manager to check they are okay. Just dropping a Hi, or a link to something they love or will find funny can make all the difference to their day.
The message box
When you have a normal team meeting, there is always someone gobby saying something at some point (not looking at myself here 👀) and that doesn’t need to stop now. Behold the message box. We aren’t suggesting you heckle your manager whilst they are doing an important update, but when your boss turns up with the most interesting wallpaper you’ve ever seen, be vocal in the message box (you have to see it to believe it here) it can bring a lot of light relief.
The coffee break
We work at a WeWork, and amongst other perks, the best one (IMHO) is the free barista coffee. We are even starting to miss the 30-minute queue at around 9:30am. However, that doesn’t mean we aren’t partaking. Book a call, invite your office and just hangout. Talk about nothing, and enjoy your coffee just like you would in the office.
The fun stuff
99% of the population has done a “virtual pub quiz” recently (us included) but there are lots of other fun things you can do as a team. We’ve had a virtual book club, we have mini food challenges and we’ve even done presentations of our niche knowledge. Find something random and do it as a team.
Whilst this time doesn’t have a set end date, we know it will pass. But for now, utilising these tips you can really seize the day and enjoy #wfh even if it’s not really your thing.
