Forward Staff have been working from home since the 16th March and it has been an eventful 7 weeks, to say the least! Everyday has been different and far from repetitive. Our working day starts with a team video call to discuss ongoing work and ensuring everyone is kept up to date and ensure effective communication is maintained.
Microsoft team ‘chats’ have replaced the quiet brainstorming moments that you get in an office. This makes working from home feel less isolated from colleagues than it really is. We have been working to ensure all companies remain in good standing, filing all necessary forms and keeping clients informed with any relevant changes of government policies in response to Covid-19. We have also been working hard to ensure that all our compliance obligations with the regulator are being met, reviewing companies and following up with clients on outstanding matters as normal. It has been very convenient that Forward has been setup to allow remote working for several years and the transition was a relatively straight forward affair with only a few minor hiccups.
Working from home does have its perks. I have enjoyed the fresh, home-cooked lunches and I tend to take more regular breaks, even if it is just to have a walk around the garden with a coffee to enjoy the sun and clear aircraft-free blue skies!
We have all had to find new ways to stay in touch with friends and family and I have had great fun organising on-line quiz nights and a poker evening. I have learnt a few more recipes so now can cook at least three things now……… oh and have caught up on a few box sets. Our garden has seen more attention in the last 7 weeks than it probably has had in the last 2 years. I can now add making cement to fix a path to my skill-set (although it is anyone’s guess how long it stays put!). All those jobs that have been put off for a while are suddenly getting taken care of, which proves my point to my partner that things will get done eventually………….so there really is no need to continually remind me!
When she is not busy pressing me to do odd jobs my partner has been filling the house and garden with flowers to promote a calm, positive home environment and covering my workspace with fresh flowers from our newly bountiful garden too.
I will definitely miss some aspects of working from home when this is all over, but equally I will be glad when that distinction between home and work life is restored, but, having never been particularly green fingered I am curious to see how my tomatoes turn out……
