Many of us have worked remotely at some time, whether maintaining ties with the corporate office while we visited distant customers or working from home on a limited basis. Now, stay-at-home policies applied across the country are redefining virtually every aspect of our lives, from how we work to how we travel, socialize and perform routine errands. The coronavirus that has necessitated these policies has even affected the way we interact with our family members, our friends and our coworkers.
Working from home is no longer individual choice or department policy. It is a requirement, not only of the government but also of our company, for all non-essential employees. Maintaining social distance by working at home is one of the few tools proven effective in reducing the personal risk of contracting COVID-19 and preventing the spread of this novel, often-deadly virus. This disease has had a terrible personal cost for too many people and calls on all of us to take the stay at home policies seriously.
This new at-home working environment requires a different approach to how we work. Numerous studies have addressed the pressures related to working remotely. These pressures are entirely understandable and may require new techniques for how we maintain our productivity, our working relationships and even our corporate culture. One of the most important techniques is maintaining relationships among working groups, whether departmental or based on individual projects. Our company has expanded our technology resources to support tools like teleconferencing, rapid access to research and productivity programs, and the availability of company-issued devices. We will provide regular updates about any changes in policy or resources. Just as important, all company offices – HR, finance, compliance and IT – will remain accessible for all employees. Our IT department in particular can help remote workers ensure the integrity of their technology systems and safeguarding our intellectual property as well as the private information of our employees, customers and third parties.
We are bound together – company, community, country – as we work to fight this disease. Our collective condolences go to those who have suffered the tragic loss of family or friends. For our entire organization, we are committed to providing the help and support you need to tackle the challenge of remaining productive while working at home.
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