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Published on -
April 7, 2020
Written by:
Steven Mak

BlogChained - Working from Home

To stem the Covid-19 transmission, governments around the world have issued advisories to allow employees to work from home.

Curvegrid Virtuali-Tea remote team catch-up

To stem the Covid-19 transmission, governments around the world have issued advisories to allow employees to work from home.  This is also the current arrangement at Curvegrid.

I found out during one of our company’s ‘All Hands’ that remote working was already quite pervasive and Automattic, the company behind the popular WordPress blogging website, was a strong advocate.

There are some merits of working from home, we save time commuting while minimizing office distractions.  On the flip side, you do lose socializing with your colleagues and being able to collaborate face to face. Worst is that one can easily lose their sense of mental wellness, being ‘locked up’ with limited social interaction.

At our company, we have recently adopted simple measures to the WFH policy:

  • Mid-day Check-in: A simple update on the day’s activities with a reminder sent by our chatroom reminder bot.  This is also the time where we can reach out to get our colleagues attention on any issues.
  • Virtual Tea Time (“Virtuali-Tea”): At the end of the day, an entirely optional virtual tea time where group members go on a Hangout call to chat on non work related topics.  It’s a great way to have a mental break from work, relieving the day’s stress while winding down the day with a drink.

On a personal note, I have placed specific work tasks and hours when I plan my weekly calendar.  It has allowed me to be more structured and productive.

Meanwhile, this WFH and social distancing will only help combat the Covid-19 spread.  Stay safe and mentally healthy.


What’s currently playing on my Spotify:
Out of Touch - Hall & Oates