Working from home used to be exclusively the reality of freelancers and small business owners. 

Today, the shift to teleworking affects everyone. Technology keeps you connected to your managers and team, but small steps are required to ensure a smooth to move your operations from the office to your home.

Before you order a new coffee machine or you bring plants from your living room to your home office, make sure to reach out to your IT team to make sure you have all the hardware and software necessary to complete your tasks. Does your company offer the right cloud infrastructure to make it easy to work from home? Do you have all the login credentials to sign in to the messaging or videoconference systems? Can your home internet package accommodate a higher level of traffic? Is some customization of your ERP required to streamline the workflow away from the office?

Whether this is your first time working from home or you’re a seasoned veteran looking for new tips to improve your setup, our GURUS share their insight from their past experiences to help you make this transition seamless.

Don’t forget to ask your colleagues for tips over coffee during a virtual coffee break and to gather everyone for an online happy hour on Friday afternoon as a reward for a productive week!

Martin McNicoll, CEO

Don’t watch the news 24/7. You can find the highlights of important guidelines in other media or during the first minutes of the news bulletin.

Develop your own routine and stick to it. Exercise, eat well and stay hydrated!

Don’t forget to take breaks and to get out of your home office.

Dave Birdsall, Business Development Executive

I reward myself for completed tasks with a short walk outside or a snack. It keeps me from being locked to my desk and it encourages me to finish tasks. 

You can let the kids scream a little. I make sure to schedule a time for family and decompression.

François Thibault, Lead Solutions Architect

My home office is in a room with good natural light and I only use that space for work. I follow the same schedule as to when I’m in the GURUS office, except my commute is much shorter!

Don’t be shy to use videoconference platforms to talk with your colleagues!

Ianic Brisson, Team Lead & Senior ERP Functional Consultant

Establish clear boundaries with your family. Explain to everyone that while you are working, they should consider that you are away at the office.

Set up a wired connection to your router to ensure a reliable network. A choppy video conversation is frustrating. If you’re used to working with multiple monitors at work, set these up at home if possible. A webcam is mandatory when you contact other people. Body language is an important part of communication. Therefore, you should consider your working environment and how you dress. 

Amber Lepage, Finance Manager

I don’t normally work from home and it would be really easy to start feeling overwhelmed. I planned breaks with walks, coffee and workouts are helping.

Put a lock on your kitchen cabinets and fridge, and then lose the combination!

Sonia Riahi, ERP Specialist

Get out of your pajamas first thing in the morning! A minimum bar to pass is to ask yourself if you can open the door and not be embarrassed.

What are your own tricks to working from home? We’d love to hear from you!