With a pandemic or a natural disaster, it is important for employers and employees to have conversations about how the company will continue to function if their staff remains healthy.
Not all companies may need to shut down completely, but there are still things that need to be considered when trying to stay afloat during an outbreak.
In many cases, businesses will allow employees to work remotely.
This article discusses tips for working remotely during a pandemic.
1. Have a plan for how to handle if you get sick
Even if you’re working remotely there is a chance that you’ll get sick, whether it’s by catching the virus from others in the home or by getting it from a trip to the office.
If you do get sick, immediately quarantine yourself and let your coworkers know what is going on.
Keep in touch with them regularly to make sure that your work is being taken care of while you are out, this may include forwarding emails to another coworker or keeping them updated on your status/quarantine.
Also, be aware of how payment and billing would work.
If you’re working remotely and plan on continuing to stay sick for a while, then your employer may need to stop paying you if they don’t want to continue financially supporting you, or at least reduce payment enough that it wouldn’t cover the cost of living.
2. Make sure you have access to all your work files, passwords, and other important information
If you’re not going to be using a work computer, it’s important to make sure that you have access to all of your work files, passwords, and other important information.
This may mean setting up a shared drive on any cloud services you use.
Additionally, if using a personal computer for work, make sure that it is properly protected.
3. Stay connected with co-workers through email or social media
“It can be difficult to stay involved at work when you’re remote, but it’s important to stay connected with co-workers”, says Maxim Gorin.
You can do this through email, social media, or making a conference call once in a while.
4. Keep an eye out for updates from your employer
In some cases, employers may not tell their employees that they are suspending office hours until they have already done so.
It’s important to keep an eye out for updates from your employer, whether it be through social media or email updates.
5. Don’t forget to stay healthy!
Just because you’re now working from home, it doesn’t mean you should neglect your health.
Stay healthy by eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep.
Make sure to also follow any advice from public health agencies or your doctor/pharmacist.
Lastly, make sure to keep up your handwashing and sanitizing routine, just like you would at the office.
Conclusion
There are many ways to stay involved while working remotely during a pandemic or natural disaster.
Keep in mind that the pandemic won’t last forever and while you may change your behavior while it lasts, ultimately we all want to feel healthy and normal again.
