Thanks to ever-faster data connections, many employees have already grown used to remote work. Despite this familiarity, however, the novel coronavirus pandemic has created an unprecedented situation for many, as remote work has become the default in companies around the world. On top of that, for many families, the closure of schools has meant that both the office and school are now located under the same roof.
Like in countless other companies, the employees of AA Sakatti Mining Oy have largely worked from home since mid-March, when the Finnish government issued guidelines recommending remote work wherever possible. Since then, we have had to grow accustomed to a world where work and interaction with colleagues take place online.
Three of our employees, Janne, Riikka and Olli shared their experiences over working remotely.
Importance of timetabling
Senior project geologist Janne was already accustomed with working from his home office and hence shifting to long-term remote work was not a big challenge for him. Janne feels that having a well-organized workday is more important than ever to ensure that work gets done when not at the office.
“There are a lot more meetings nowadays, so it is very important to plan your workday in advance. In the past, my job was maybe more physically demanding, but now it has become more mentally demanding,” Janne says.
Janne stresses also the importance of taking breaks and sticking to one’s regular working hours. Breaks are particularly important in order to maintain the focus on work.
Closing of the schools created a new challenge for many families. For Janne, this meant supporting his three children in their remote education. Janne states that the shift to remote schooling had its hiccups in the beginning but has improved along the way. Scheduling makes possible that the school day runs smoothly.
Remote working includes some negative aspects, too. Janne states that the one thing he misses from the office is the sense of community, and the feeling of belonging that comes from being surrounded by the colleagues. “In the long run, you really miss having chats in the coffee room and seeing your colleagues,” Janne says.
“Tools like Skype and Teams work well, and these enable you to stay in touch with colleagues. Sometimes we call each other just to talk about how we are doing,” Janne says.
Fresh air during breaks
Thanks to the fact that most of the company’s financial administration takes place online, Riikka’s shift to remote work has gone smoothly. Riikka who works as a financial administration specialist has noticed one clear change in the work content.
“Working at the office often included sudden requests but nowadays my workdays are more filled with routine tasks. At the same time, the novel coronavirus epidemic has created some additional work, since there is a need to draft new guidelines and instructions,” Riikka says.
Working from home has brought a certain calmness to Riikka’s life mainly due to lack of travelling. Riikka says that she has been surprised by how psychologically demanding long-term remote work can be. However, Riikka adds that the epidemic and the uncertain circumstances has created a stronger sense of community among her colleagues.
For Riikka, the importance of sports has grown, and exercising outdoors has become regular part of her day. “Skiing is an important hobby for me, but I have also come to realize the value of going out for a run or a walk. Getting fresh air is really important also for the lungs,” says Riikka.
Few tips for successful remote working: “You need to make sure that your internet connection and tools work well in order to avoid unnecessary stress technical problems might cause. Also, it is a good idea to change your chair and posture and remember to maintain a good sitting position -and don’t forget to take breaks!” Riikka concludes.
Like Janne and Riikka, also Geologist Olli has had a good start to remote work. As test drillings had just been completed before the transition to remote work happened. For Olli this meant analyzing the data from home.
“Our children are small, so staying at home is normal for my family. Our oldest daughter has taken part to play activities organized by the municipality few times a week, but these activities have now been cancelled for the spring,” Olli says.
The structure of Olli’s workdays has remained mostly unchanged, and he sticks to his usual working hours. When taking breaks, Olli goes outside and plays with his children. “Going outside for a break also helps in problem solving. I can just go to the yard, get my mind off the work for a while come back feeling refreshed,” Olli explains.
He also underlines the importance of having a clear timetable and structure for the workday when working from home. “Keep the breaks normally and try not to let your work take over your evening hours so that you have time for yourself and your family,” Olli advises. “Personally, listening to music helps me focus on work, but this might not be appropriate for all kinds of work,” Olli says.
Read more about our operations during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus epidemic