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DSI challenges IT Decision-makers

IT Pros: How to Get Ready for 2021

IT Pros: How to Get Ready for 2021
If one thing can be said about 2020 is that it caught most of us completely by surprise. Here are a few steps that will help you to get ready for 2021.

If one thing can be said about 2020 is that it caught most of us completely by surprise. Sure, epidemiologists had been warning us for ages of an imminent virus outbreak that would put us all up against the ropes. But, as it’s usually the case with visionary doomsayers, they were ignored. Get ready for 2021.

Well, now we have no excuse. As 2020 draws to an end, all of us should take a deep breath and evaluate where we are in relation to where we’d like to get in the upcoming year. It’s time to do some soul-searching and make some plans. And that involves accounting for both the expected and the unexpected. Especially if you are an IT professional.  

The pandemic has made even more evident something that people in the industry had known all along: technology is vital to the success of the modern enterprise. Yet, if something is true about technology, that is that it is constantly changing. Whether you are a front-line support engineer or a CIO whose role is evolving faster than it has over the last 10 years, you will want to make some contingencies to ensure you emerge on top of the wave once the storm is over.  

Here are a few steps that will help you get there.  

Get ready for 2021 – Step 1: Know your tech 

You probably noticed the recent spike in 2021 tech prediction articles cluttering your feeds and inboxes. Yes, it’s that time of the year, and everyone is getting on board. 

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay attention to these proverbial revelations. There’s definitely more truth than hype in—well—most of them. But we get it: you’re busy and don’t necessarily have the time to comb through lists of similar-sounding headlines during your coffee breaks. Well, we did it for you. And here’s our winner. 

When it comes to technology, few institutions can be as trusted as the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). The world’s largest tech association, IEEE’s sole goal is to literally dedicate themselves to “advancing technology for the benefit of humanity”. They recently conducted a survey of CIOs and CTOs at major companies around the world and put numbers to what we already suspected: 

AI and machine learning lead the way as the technologies set to shape the year ahead, with 5G solutions and IoT in second and third position. The main organisational tech challenge, of course, will be coping with the effects of Covid-19.  

Step 2: Conduct an honest self-assessment 

Now that you’re all caught up with the news about the future in general, it’s probably a good time to start thinking about your own future. How are your professional and personal lives compared to what you thought they’d be a year ago? Is what you thought a year ago even applicable anymore? A thorough and honest self-assessment is due. 

Such review includes everything from career development goals to how you manage your time. Is perhaps 2021 the year to go freelance as an It pro? Or perhaps the year to get a prem job? Are you already your own boss and should conduct an audit of your freelance business? How about exploring a career change? There are tons of rewarding opportunities in booming areas like SAP S/4HANA or Microsoft technologies.  

Speculation is key, as sometimes it’s more about the question than the answer. A chat with colleagues and other members of the tech community can also be very beneficial. Helping you broaden your horizons and giving you some food for thought. 

Step 3: Skill up 

Once you have a clearer picture of your current situation, it’s time to work towards your desired one. Holiday downtime is the perfect excuse to do some upskilling. Yes, Netflix and chill sounds more like the holidays, but no one ever got anywhere without a bit of extra effort. The investment will pay in time. 

Take a look at your goals and see what skills you are lacking to achieve them. If you’d like to future-proof your CV or get into a rising career field, you might want to try a crash course to get up-to-speed with AI. Or maybe it’s about time you got certified as a Microsoft professional. How about the top tech skills every IT pro should have? How many of them can you check off your list? 

Don’t forget your soft skills. From working more effectively to strengthening your business skills, it’s these nuances that will give you a competitive edge over other tech professionals. In the fast-moving, ever-changing world of today, knowing your tech is simply not enough. 

Get ready for 2021 – Step 4: Set your targets and go get them 

Last but not least to get ready for 2021, it’s time to polish your image and go after the jobs and missions that will get you to where you want to be. Even if you are currently happy with your job, things like improving your online visibility or optimising your LinkedIn profile can help you a great deal from a professional perspective.  

It might also be a good idea to work on your interview skills.

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DSI challenges IT Decision-makers

IT Careers: These Business Skills Become Priority Amidst Pandemic

IT Careers: These Business Skills Become Priority Amidst Pandemic
Companies now require be nimble, act fast and keep a big-picture mentality. Discover these business skills that become priority amidst pandemic.

Making it through uncertain and changing times requires companies to be nimble, act fast and keep a big-picture mentality. At the organisational level, that means implementing smarter resource management and allocation; cutting down fat and focusing on the most future-proof lines of business. Discover these business skills that become priority amidst pandemic.

Although it might seem counterintuitive to a business world that has grown accustomed to laying off personnel whenever there is a crisis. Doubling down on human capital is key to the success of this strategy.  

Companies need the best talent when venturing into uncharted territory and, as we have discussed before, having a strong IT department is vital for the post-COVID enterprise. But what makes a strong IT department? 

Business Skills: The importance of business acumen  

Soft skills like communication and creativity have become a must-have for IT professionals. Now, InformationWeek’s analysis of a recent study by training firm Degreed suggests that IT pros should look to acquire business-related abilities as well.  

According to Degreed, in the December-March period, the number of clients who searched for business-related trainings to upskill their workforce increased. On the other hand, queries for IT-specific trainings took a considerable dive.  

The change of focus makes sense. As higher-level business and management skills can help a great deal in navigating change and identifying new opportunities. For IT professionals and technical profiles, making a lateral career move to become more business-savvy can prove very beneficial.  

The most coveted business skills 

Based on Degreed’s data, these are the business-related skills for which demand has increased the most since the start of the pandemic, from least to most:  

Leadership 

This one is a no-brainer. Now more than ever, senior IT experts must know how to effectively take the lead to ensure the proper innovations are implemented across the board. Team management, setting goals and tracking progress, spearheading interdepartmental cooperation. These skills often make the difference between an IT expert and an IT leader.   

Compliance 

What used to be something for lawyers to worry about is becoming part of everyone’s work life. Especially in areas like IT or marketing, where data privacy regulations keep getting stricter; there is a clear advantage to having specialists who know how to avoid legal minefields in their day-to-day.  

In data science and analytics, for example, countless hours of legal review can be saved if those building the models know exactly what they can and cannot do.  

Data analytics 

Speak of the devil… as we have discussed above, not everything in data analysis is about data acumen. In fact, successful data analysts and scientists possess a combination of complementary skills. For technical profiles, being fluent in the business domain where they operate is key to delivering better and more actionable data insights.  

Microsoft Power BI 

One of the most prevalent and accessible data visualisation tools out there. Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence platform that caters to business users. As an IT professional, knowing your way around MS Power BI will make you a great asset in today’s enterprise. There is always going to be someone in need of an expert to help them set up the environment, train end-users and troubleshoot.  

Coaching 

Helping others succeed should be every coach’s main goal. This is achieved through motivational support, understanding and the potentiation of individual and collective strengths. Being able to help in that regard makes for a great addition to the team.  

In IT, the emergence of new standards of working and team organisation; like Agile or Scrum; is making the figure of the coach an even more important one.   

Six Sigma 

Devised by Motorola engineer Bill Smith in 1986, Six Sigma is a set of tools for process improvement. Its focus: to streamline business processes while minimising the probability of errors. Six Sigma is now standard for many companies, so it can be worth picking it up.   

Change Management 

As this whole crisis is demonstrating, managing change is no easy task. One of today’s most repeated business terms, change management refers to the series of processes involved in helping an organisation or industry transition to a new reality. Change management takes into account all stakeholders involved in and necessary for this transition; employing a mix of communication; training and restructuring to effect change.   

Design Thinking 

Based on how designers are taught to approach problems, design thinking is a way of looking at the world as much as it is a method for developing better and more efficient solutions. The strategy parts from putting oneself in the shoes of the end-user, designing the product for what it needs to be in addition to what we want to be. Clearly, a useful methodology when designing apps and platforms.   

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3 Reasons to Call on IT Freelancers in this Crisis Period

3 Reasons to Call on IT Freelancers in this Crisis Period

A few weeks ago, Syntec Numérique and Tech in France made a diagnosis of the impact of the crisis on the digital sector. It made 75 recommendations aimed at reviving IT activity after the health crisis caused by COVID-19. Among these proposals, there was supporting “the development of self-employment” by facilitating collaboration between companies and freelancers. Enter IT freelancers.

“It is necessary to reinvent professional practices thanks to digital technology, to encourage new working methods throughout the economy, support the development of self-employment, support new professional uses,” can be read on the Syntec Numérique website. 

This plebiscite for the use of independent consultants is not new. Even less in the IT sector. But it is currently being reinforced by the crisis. 

And for good reason. In addition to the many advantages of recruiting freelance in normal times, the use of IT consultants is particularly advantageous in the period of instability that we are currently experiencing. 

Focus on these three reasons to use the services of an IT freelancer during this period of health and economic crisis. 

Favour IT freelancers to better juggle uncertainty 

In these troubled times, you and your teams may need more agility than ever. 

The COVID-19 crisis has forced organizations to be flexible and pragmatic in order to maintain their operations. The world has become volatile, complex and extremely uncertain. And this trend should continue. 

In this context, companies that succeed have a strong capacity for adaptation. 

This adaptability is often based on the ability to work in project mode and to mobilise the best skills on key projects. 

With this in mind, if you are looking for IT talent to join your team, it may be better to turn to a freelancer rather than to a permanent employee. This type of contract is less engaging and less risky if the situation of the company were to deteriorate.

Another argument in favour of freelancers: they generally demonstrate greater autonomy and capacity for adaptation. They are used to evolve in changing and fast environments. In addition, most IT freelancers have already carried out telework assignments. Many of them have mastered and often appreciate this way of working. 

Mobilise the skills of an IT expert to manage current emergencies 

The confinement and all the consequences of the pandemic have put IT departments to the test: remote work, boom in security threats, over-demand on servers… The demands on IT support teams have increased tenfold, and most of the adjustments and projects are a matter of urgency. 

Faced with this situation, IT departments must be increasingly responsive. And the level of challenge is high: it is the continuity of business activities that is at stake. 

Here again, calling on one or more specialised, independent consultants in their area of expertise can be beneficial. They can intervene very quickly by bringing in cutting-edge skills and thus allow you to provide an effective solution to a given problem. 

The use of IT freelancers makes it possible to absorb a temporary work overload on tasks for which it is necessary to acquire strong skills very quickly. 

Signing a contract with a freelancer has the advantage of having few administrative constraints. Plus, you are able to do so within very short deadlines. 

IT freelancers to accelerate strategic projects 

The individuals and organisations that are most resilient to crises are those who are best prepared and best suited. 

In terms of IT, it is the same story. The transformation of organisations requires transformative technological projects and the implementation of new IT architectures. Always adapted to the needs of the company in this changing context. 

The teams working on these projects is therefore essential. Hence the need to make sure you are mobilising the right skills. 

Calling on an experienced specialist on a niche topic can help you avoid certain errors and really speed up your work. That is crucial in this period of crisis. The possibility of leveraging these experts over well-defined periods gives you much greater budgetary and project management flexibility than if you had to incorporate these skills into your existing teams. 

Because of the contractual relationship with their clients, IT freelancers often have pressure to perform well. This makes them commit to higher levels of quality compared to a regular employee. 

Of course, your decision to use this or that profile, internally or externally, must be part of a global talent strategy. But more than ever, this strategy for managing your talent must be done with a view to agility and pragmatism — a fundamental in times of crisis. 

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DSI challenges IT Decision-makers

Evolving Role of the CIO After COVID-19

Evolving Role of the CIO After COVID-19
Discover the evolving role of the CIO. There was no need to know how everything works, the details, as long as it did work. That’s until COVID-19 showed up.

Discover the evolving role of the CIO after Covid-19. Chief Information Officers (CIOs) have always been aware of the key role they play in their organisation’s success. Others were not so convinced. No matter how commonplace concepts like digital transformation have become, a sizeable portion of today’s business world still regarded IT as a bare necessity, one of the many cogs and wheels that keep the enterprise moving forward. There was no need to know how everything works, the details, as long as it did work. That’s until COVID-19 showed up.

Evolving Role of the CIO

The sudden shift in paradigm has left companies scrambling to come up with solutions to new logistical and business model issues. Adapting normal operations to a fully remote workforce. Devising alternative ways of conducting normal operations while cutting down costs. Identifying new revenue streams. In this climate of uncertainty, a realisation has hit uninterested board members: technology is not just one of the many parts of the behemoth that is the modern enterprise – it’s the engine propelling it into the future.

IT has never been more critical to a company’s prosperity than it is now. And, as the person in charge of designing and bringing to life corporate digital strategy, the figure of the CIO is finally receiving the spotlight it deserves. But CIOs are not only facing the greatest practical challenge of their careers – their role is fundamentally changing, and it will keep on doing so.

From saving the day to ruling it

The pandemic took many organisations by surprise, forcing IT leaders to adapt company infrastructure to support remote work and comply with safety regulations. That was the first of three stages that CIOs will have to navigate to see this crisis through. A mighty task as it is.

Some companies are still ultimating work on this initial step. Together with the C-suite and division managers, CIOs have had to take a deep look at all available resources — not only at the digital transformation strategies and tools already in place, but also at the existing talent within their team.

Covering the holes is not easy in times of dwindling budgets and company-wide cuts. CIOs have had to resort to a mix of ingenuity, agility and adaptability to find creative and efficient ways to save everyone’s day.

When it comes to talent, IT leaders have continued hiring for the most business-critical digital transformation projects: cloud, cybersecurity, digital payments, shipping logistics, etc. In addition to permanent hires, CIOs are enlisting external IT consultants as a great way of upskilling their teams.

Once the fire is out, the second step for CIOs to take is to consolidate the new measures, protocols and ways of working. CIOs are working together with HR to develop online training programs and tools that live on beyond the current crisis. They also have an important part to play in the return to the office, advising the larger organisation on how to best use digital resources to implement a process that is both safe and seamless.

A larger role moving forward

As the world slowly starts going back to normal, the lessons learned from this health emergency will have severe implications on how IT is approached in the future. Rather than supporting business decisions, CIOs will have a bigger say in how companies are run — from helping companies develop a more adaptable work culture, to being a decisive factor in defining new business strategies.

This is the third and last stage in the journey towards a more relevant and recognised CIO. The novel coronavirus has only sped up what was already bound to happen. IT leaders are now in the driver’s seat. Godspeed.

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IT’s Pivotal Role in a Post-Pandemic World

IT's Pivotal Role in a Post-Pandemic World
IT's Pivotal Role in a Post-Pandemic World. This struggle has further highlighted the strategic importance of one particular department – IT.

IT’s Pivotal Role in a Post-Pandemic WorldOne of the few positive outcomes of this global health and economic crisis will be the collective realisation of what really matters. Overnight, the world stopped. Our lives were stripped of all the fluff, forcing us to re-evaluate priorities and hold onto the essentials. A stable income, health, human contact.  

The same is true for the enterprise world. Businesses had to scrap their 2020 roadmap and start anew, trimming down costs and adjusting short- and mid-term goals. Those lucky enough to be in an industry where remote work makes sense have done their best to stay operational. This struggle, in turn, has further highlighted the strategic importance of one particular department – IT.  

IT’s Pivotal Role in a Post-Pandemic World

Accelerating digital transformation 

For some, the road to digital transformation has been a shorter and bumpier ride than expected. The sudden need for company-wide telework has caught them unprepared, without the necessary infrastructure or processes in place. But the surge in demand for IT services has put a strain on even the best-prepared organisations.  

Collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams and cloud services have experienced lag and other issues. Forcing providers to implement new measures and double down on personnel. Traditional retailers have turned to online sales, whereas pure e-commerce players and multichannel operators are expanding their overall organisational structure.  

All of this is only made possible by technology investments and the development of IT teams. Furthermore, the current situation offers a good reminder of technology’s key role in ensuring companies can quickly adapt to changing circumstances.  

Ensuring cybersecurity  

As we have discussed in the past, a home-based workforce has made it easier for attackers to exploit weaknesses in enterprise networks. Not to say that business leaders were unaware of the dangers of cyberthreats before. Cybersecurity has long been in the top list of worries for CIOs. 

However, the risks — and stakes — are now higher than ever. Companies are putting a renewed focus on the importance of implementing appropriate protocols and tools, from VPNs to cloud security. The push to guarantee business continuity is making organisations compete for the best security specialists. Accentuating an already pervasive shortage of skilled talent.  

Navigating uncharted waters 

But not all challenges that businesses face are as straightforward. New regulatory landscapes; like the ones brought forth by GPDR and the UK’s upcoming IR35; can be difficult for companies to figure out.  

For example, those speeding up digital transformation might not be fully aware of the ins and outs of data privacy laws and inadvertently commit malpractice. Again, technological tools like enterprise automation can be decisive in helping organisations manage the unknown and limit exposure. IT departments can employ digital workers to comb through data sets or carry out other time-consuming tasks to ensure compliance with current regulations.  

Additionally, IT can greatly help enterprises deal with evolving economic and market scenarios. Machine learning and other types of AI software are great allies in the search of new areas of business. Helping sales teams identify leads and allowing for more accurate predictions. 

IT’s Pivotal Role in a Post-Pandemic World : Numbers don’t lie 

Recent studies suggest that business leaders know perfectly well that IT is set to play a pivotal role in the COVID-19 aftermath. Yes — IDC expects a 2.7% decline in worldwide IT spending this year. But this data must not be taken out of context.  

All seems to indicate that CFOs are, as usual, exercising caution and limiting overall spending across the organisation. However, it looks like most companies recognise the strategic importance of technology by prioritising IT spending over other areas. This sentiment was echoed in a recent poll by Imperial College Business School, which revealed that 48% of businesses were planning to prioritise the hiring of IT professionals in the coming months.  

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Industry Snapshot: Cloud’s Winning Proposition

Cloud momentum

Some businesses are thriving amid the global turmoil caused by the spread of COVID-19. Whereas whole economic sectors are falling victim to the effects of a quarantined population and the fall in demand, others find themselves in a privileged position to face this once-in-a-century crisis. This competitive advantage is particularly noticeable in areas like technology.

U.S. oil prices have turned negative for the first time in history. Traditional retailers are struggling to stay afloat, drastically cutting down expected profits for the second half of the year while delivering disappointing first-quarter results. At the same time, online retail moguls like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos have seen their net worth skyrocket since the lockdown began.

With the surge in remote work and internet traffic, businesses need IT now more than ever. Videoconferencing services and other collaboration tools are booming, while the rise in digital operations has multiplied the number of cyber threats and accentuated the cybersecurity skills shortage.

But that’s not all.

Facing a new reality

Many organisations were not ready for the sudden shift to digital and decentralised ways of working. For some, digital transformation went overnight from being a mid-term goal to a bare necessity. They were either relying too much on on-premise storage and computing, or perhaps they were simply not ready to have most of their employees working from home at the same time. This change in demand has propelled cloud services forward, with more and more clients signing up for access to IaaS and PaaS solutions.

The big winners

There are no clearer signs of the cloud’s buoyant momentum that the good results the top industry players have achieved during the first quarter. Even if overall company performance is not as strong.

IBM has seen the pandemic thwart what otherwise would have been a solid quarter of growth. However, the company claims hybrid cloud adoption has spiked as a direct result of the pandemic. IBM’s (and by extension Red Hat’s) platform and containerization offerings allow companies to quickly deploy and easily escalate business-critical applications – a major advantage in today’s everchanging situation.

German ERP powerhouse SAP has also managed to maintain strong cloud bookings. The company even managed to increase overall revenue. SAP S/4HANA gained an additional 300 customers in Q1, bringing the total up to 14,100 accounts. That’s a 23% increase from the same time last year. The results further demonstrate S/4HANA’s growing momentum and as the deadline to migrate to the newer ERP system approaches.

Additionally, and in what is another tell-tale sign of the health of the industry, Alibaba announced it will be investing $28 billion to expand its cloud infrastructure and semiconductor business. That’s over half of its revenue for the past fiscal year.  

Cloud providers and their customers are betting big on the cloud’s potential to protect company operations and speed up the recovery process once the crisis is over.

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Finding security experts in the COVID-19 crisis: a major challenge for IT departments

Finding security experts in the COVID-19 crisis: a major challenge for IT departments
Find and assembling the right security experts & security team is proving even more difficult than it usually is already.

How to find the good security experts? About a third of the world’s population is estimated to be currently under confinement to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. As a result, businesses across the globe are resorting to remote work to continue operations in those areas where that is possible. This is adding unprecedented amounts of stress to already understaffed IT departments. 

CIOs and other IT leaders find themselves racing against the clock to adapt the whole company’s infrastructure to a work-from-home scenario while tackling their biggest concern: cybersecurity. And for good reason – threats are increasing exponentially. 

But assembling the right security experts & security team is proving even more difficult than it usually is already. 

Security threats give no quarter  

Hackers are certainly not going to close shop because of a tiny microorganism. If anything, they are using it to their benefit. For instance; phishing emails; were already the most common form of attack experienced by organisations. But the past days have seen a great surge in attacks trying to lure employees into clicking on an email sent by “their boss” or containing virus-related information.  

Among the most reprehensible of attacks are those being experienced by health and medical institutions. Not even the World Health Organisation was spared, targeted earlier last month by a false-domain attack aimed at stealing passwords from agency staffers. The situation is so dire that a group of 400 security experts from international giants like Microsoft and Amazon has volunteered to fight hacking tied to the coronavirus.  

Yet that is not the main issue. The pressure being put on enterprise networks is quickly revealing system vulnerabilities. And especially for those companies least used to distributed work and that rely too much on local networks. In short, the soaring numbers of employees working from home are finally making most decision-makers aware of what IT leaders have been warning us for a while. The business world’s generalised lack of a comprehensive security policy and employee awareness training.    

Although effective measures like VPNs have gained adoption in recent years, problems generated by shadow IT and BYOD remain largely unresolved. Many staffers will be accessing company resources through their personal devices and networks in the coming weeks. Multiplying exponentially the potential points of entry for attackers.  

Experts are becoming even harder to find 

In turn, this increase in cyberthreats is exacerbating the skill and personnel shortages the security sector was already experiencing. According to a recent study by ISC, the global security industry lacks more than 4 million security professionals. The world’s security workforce would need to grow 145% yearly just to meet the demand for skilled talent.  

The shortage of skills impacts some of the most critical roles within IT security. Such as those related to identifying threats or patching and updating vulnerable systems. However, the deficit is more acute in areas tied to rapidly emerging or evolving technologies. For instance, and in this WFH crisis more than ever, security in multi-cloud environments is key. Unfortunately, few organisations have dedicated cloud security experts or proper encryption protocols for their data in the cloud.   

Not surprisingly, the cost of security expertise has also become a problem as the lack of skilled talent drives wages up. And so the vicious circle goes.   

Hire or outsource? 

With everyone battling over the same security experts. Defining a solid talent strategy and identifying the right partners can make the difference; between a multi-million breach and your department’s success.  

Regarding your talent strategy, you first need to decide whether you want to expand your team or rely on the temporary help of consultants. If you had been planning on bringing more people on board for some time, this might be the perfect time to create new permanent positions or fill vacant ones.  

On the other hand, calling on a freelancer will most likely allow you to speed up the selection process and provide a quicker response to the crisis. Working with an independent contractor can also help you secure exactly the skills you need at a more competitive cost. As the freelance talent market tends to be more agile and flexible. 

No matter which option you are leaning towards, don’t hesitate to seek the guidance and help of talent experts. Time is of the essence in the cybersecurity wars. Partnering up with the right IT staffing specialists will not only allow you to access the best talent; it will help you secure it before another company closes the deal.  

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How to Work from Home in Times of COVID-19

How to Work from Home in Times of COVID-19
Business activity is going remote as countries across the globe step up measures to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus. Accordingly, companies in economic sectors that allow for telework have turned to remote collaboration tools to protect the health of both their employees and operations. How to work from home in this period?

Business activity is going remote as countries across the globe step up measures to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus. Accordingly, companies in economic sectors that allow for telework have turned to remote collaboration tools to protect the health of both their employees and operations. How to work from home in this period?

In today’s digital age, we have plenty of resources to coordinate effectively without the need to be in the same physical location. In fact, remote work has been part of people’s lives for quite a while now.  

Whether it is to facilitate the cooperation between teams in different offices and countries. Or to allow us to work while we are on the move, technology offers us more flexibility than ever before. Some firms are even starting to allow their employees to work from home one or two days per week if they choose to do so. While remote work is common amongst the quickly growing freelance community.  

However, never before so many people have had to work remotely at the same time. Some of us are simply not used to working outside of an office or would like to know how to do it more effectively.  

Well, we have put together a quick guide to help you get the most of your time at home and remain productive in the days or weeks to come. And remember — it will all be over soon. Stay positive. We will make it through all together.  

How to work from home: Take care of yourself 

First things first. It goes without saying, but – stay safe and take care of yourself. Your health and that of those around you is the key priority in moments like these. Follow at all times the safety guidelines outlined by the World Health Organization and act responsibly if you start showing symptoms.  

Maintain a good level of hygiene – wash your hands often, avoid cross-contamination – and make sure to eat healthy and get enough rest. Consider daily physical exercise to boost your immune system and stay in shape. Check out this list of free online resources if you are looking for some inspiration.  

Additionally, stay informed. Check the news at least a couple of times a day to make sure you are aware of the latest developments and official measures. Avoid checking the news constantly or obsessively, as this will only increase your stress levels.  

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Establish a daily routine 

Mental health and self-organization are equally important. Routine plays a key role in our lives, helping us structure our day and giving us a sense of being in control. You should not abandon your usual routines just because you are working from home. Adapt your usual schedule to this new environment, and even come up with different ways of organizing your day to help you be more productive.  

Wake up early, have a proper breakfast. Perhaps read a bit or have a chat with your flatmates or family before starting your day. Take breaks during the day to exercise or clear your head. Practice your cooking skills now that you have more time.  

It might be tempting to work in your pyjamas, but showering and dressing up as if you were going into the office will help you get in working mode. If you can’t avoid putting on your comfy pants, accompany them with something like a button-up shirt or blouse.  

Define limits 

Compartmentalize. One of the trickiest aspects of working from home is keeping your professional and personal lives separate, whether you live alone or with relatives or roommates. You need to delimitate the space and set up a working space that feels different from the rest of the house. You might not have a lot of space, but a simple, organized table will do the trick.  

Try installing your home office in a room with enough natural light and as far away from recreational areas as possible. Avoid working from the couch or bed, and only resort to these spaces when your working day is over. Turn off the TV while you are working and avoid unnecessary distractions. Make sure your family and friends are aware of your schedule to minimize disruption.  

Communicate 

Now more than ever, communication is vital. Working in an office provides a sense of community without requiring constant interaction. With its lack of physical presence, teleworking demands some extra effort to keep teams connected and cohesive.  

Make sure to check in periodically with your manager and colleagues to let them know what you are working on. Take a moment to ask them about their day and how they are dealing with remote work. Set up regular video calls and meetings to get some face time. Share an interesting or funny article. 

 Basically, do what you would normally do by the coffee machine or water cooler. Nurture those social bonds.   

The same applies to your clients and other stakeholders. It is important to let them know that you are still there and ready to assist them in everything that you can. When in doubt if you are communicating too much or not enough, remember – it is always safer to overcommunicate.  

Set goals and stay positive 

Finally, last point about how to work from home, is to establish some short- and mid-term goals that you would like to achieve in these upcoming days. It is the thought of the finish line that keeps the marathon runner going.  

As days go by and being constantly at home becomes harder, having clear goals in mind becomes very important. What would you like to achieve in the next weeks, both professionally and in your personal life? Would you like to get in better shape, finish a project at work, learn a new language? The clearer those goals are, the more focused you will be.  

Think about setting up shared targets for your whole team or department. Sharing a goal helps get everyone on the same page, increasing productivity and reinforcing the connection between coworkers.  

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