While many professional services jobs can be done remotely, the social aspects of those roles are hard to replace. One year into lockdown, It’s almost easy to forget that this is a new and strange way of working in our homes that we hadn’t planned for.  

In our small team, we’ve put in a few measures to try replicate some of the social aspects of the working environment and ease some of the fatigue that comes with working from home.  

Breakfast Club: A half-hour window every morning from 9.15 – 9.45am. There is no obligation to turn up, and no agenda – just a check in while getting that first cup of coffee. Sometimes these meetings turn into discussing tasks that need done, but more often than not, it’s a relaxed space to talk about things outside of work.  

No contact lunch break: Between 12 and 2pm, you have contact-free time where no-one will expect you to respond to emails. This time can be used to catch up on work that needs a bit of focus, to take a longer lunch break, or to get outside and stretch your legs. Since being implemented by CDCS Manager Lisa, I’ve found it really energises my day – even if I end up only taking an hour break, knowing that those 2 hours are more relaxed helps break up the day.

Monthly meet-ups: When restrictions allowed, we would meet up once a month and take a walk around the meadows (with coffees or hot chocolates). We could discuss how we felt the past month had gone, and what we’d like to do in the next. Stepping outside of your home office really does give you a bit of headspace and makes it easier to reflect, as well as getting to actually see colleagues face to face! 

Pizza night: Not the same as eating in a restaurant, but build your own pizzas kits are pretty great – we each chose our own toppings, and chatted through Zoom in our kitchens while we prepared, cooked and ate together.  

While nothing can replace being able to be in the same space as colleagues, these things have all made that remote from work home set up feel a little less isolating.

(Mug and Laptop Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash )

(Image copyright of University of Edinburgh.)

(Mug and Laptop Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash )

Remote Social Events / Data, Culture & Society by blogadmin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0

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