Telecommuting in the Time of COVID-19

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

After three days of COVID-19-induced self-containment, many of us by now have gotten remote access to our companies’ networks and are getting into our work-from-home groove. We may have already had the family meeting and made a valid attempt to set schedules ensuring that all family members can be productive at what we’re supposed to be doing. So how’s it going?

I’m a person who has worked at home intermittently for years, but never before with the restrictions we’re facing now. These days, I’m thinking about what I may not have considered in my haste to transfer my center of operations. Here’s what’s on my mind:

Photo by Alina Grubnyak on Unsplash

Internet Speed

Our household internet may not be sufficient to handle everyone working remotely, doing online classes, and kids gaming and streaming all at once. A call to Comcast today revealed that we are on the 200 mps plan. For another $20/25/30 per month, I can upgrade to 300/600/1,000 mps, respectively. But these are download speeds. The corresponding upload speed for the midrange deal is only 35 mps. It’s hard to know if my current upload speed is sufficient to provide low latency for video conferencing while all these other activities are going on in the house, and the rep couldn’t answer those questions.

I put a call into a local IT friend who convinced me that it’s complicated: attending a video conference wouldn’t require as much upload speed as presenting on one; there could be strains on the provider network outside our home; other factors like capacity allocation could be in play in these unusual times. It’s hard for a layperson to pinpoint the cause of slow speeds, but I tried this speed test for my home setup just for fun. The results relative to what I’m paying for? Let’s just say I’m way jealous of my FiOS friends who allegedly have fast and symmetrical upload and download speeds that cost close to what I pay — i.e. 200 mps in each direction, or gigabit speeds (940 down and 890 up) for less than $80/month. Good news: my test results page included troubleshooting tips that could help speed things up.

Interruptions and Distractions

If your home doesn’t have the luxury of quiet space allocated to a home office, you may be experiencing a lot of “interference.” Partners, kids, dogs, TV and music of other household members may make it tougher to focus on your business at hand. A noise-canceling headset can block it out and also acts as a visual “Do Not Disturb” signal keeping other household members from approaching you when you ‘re trying to think. Let them know about that rule in your next family meeting. CNet just published some headset recommendations two weeks ago that you can check out here.

Juan Garzon / CNET

Not in the market for a pricey headset? A bottle of 32 dB foam earplugs can do the job for a tiny fraction of the cost. I’ve been using them regularly for years when working at home (and on planes, trains, and automobiles), appreciating their ability to sufficiently muffle local sound. Surprisingly, I’ve found that my subconscious is able to identify emergency sounds, pulling me back to reality if necessary. Earplugs are way better on your hearing than blasting your earbuds to drown out the other stuff.

The Corporate Supply Closet

If you’re a person who likes to print out a report or Power Point deck to make edits, one of the worst things is to unexpectedly be unable to print because you ran out of something. My rule of thumb on ink and toner is to have one in the machine and one on the shelf. Paper depends on your own usage, just don’t suddenly realize you’re out and you don’t have the corporate supply closet at your disposal. Check your levels and add stock, if needed.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Staples is now offering free delivery on all orders and waiving the minimum order sizes. They’re also waiving the requirement for signatures on delivery, enabling the contactless receipt of goods. That’s a good thing. Details are here.

And speaking of supplies, check that you have note pads and pens on hand, especially if you’re a note-taker on calls, as I am. If you can’t think without graph paper, check your supplies. In fact, if you haven’t taken time to set up a workspace for yourself at home yet, think about your desktop essentials: stapler and staples, tape, paperclips, and file folders. Does your wireless mouse or keyboard use batteries? The idea is not to stockpile or create a fortress but to remain productive. You want to be sure you aren’t shut down for a couple of days waiting for a delivery that helps you function professionally.

In the interest of the retailers and delivery folks who are trying to make this tough situation more manageable for all of us, place fewer orders with more items, rather than doing a bunch of smallish orders and clogging up an increasingly taxed delivery network. While you’re managing to stay productive and not miss a beat, this could be a great opportunity to finally get more virtual about files and such. Find new ways.

Mailing Letters or Shipping Packages

I use the mail and shipping services fairly often. Envelopes, note cards, stamps, packaging tape, and boxes are all on my checklist. Maybe your company has a FedEx or UPS account. Be sure you know how to access it for printed labels. If shipping with a certain carrier is something you might do frequently, grab a supply of their shipping materials (envelopes, pouches, labels, boxes) to hold you over. The US Postal Service can handle your Priority Mail or Express Mail needs online using any kind of box. Open an account at USPS.com, enter your credit card number, and generate a shipping label.

If using your own box, you’ll need an accurate weight. I use this scale from the USPS at my office. There are cheaper ones than $36, for sure, but this one flips up to hold a pouch or heavy envelope hands-free, it has a 25-lb. capacity, and it can connect via USB to download the weight to your computer. Honestly, I’ve been using a kitchen scale at home for years. It measures from an ounce up to several pounds and I’ve never had the post office tell me the package weight was off. For heavier stuff that’s measured in pounds, not ounces, I stand on the bathroom scale with the package, then stand on it again without the package, then subtract the second number from the first to get the package weight. Imprecise, to be sure, so I round up to be on the safe side.

You can also use the USPS’s flat-rate packaging that ships at a set rate for whatever you can fit into the package. No need to weigh it. Just follow the rules on their website. Grab a supply of these boxes at your local post office or go online to request a delivery of them -- free! Once your shipment is prepared, request a package pickup at your location or drop your items off at any USPS counter. If your packages are ready to drop and go, you won’t have to wait in line and worry about social distancing.

Sorry, but the USPS can’t print your first class postage online. For that, you’ll likely need plain old stamps. If your supply is low, order your stamps at USPS.com and have them delivered to you postage free.

Quality Video Conferencing

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Covid is spurring a rash of home-based video conferencing, from Zoom newbies to professional sportscasters and newsroom folks. And that’s creating another whole set of discussion topics. Check back for another installment when I’ll have some helpful video conferencing tips. This stuff is timely.

Meanwhile, stay safe, stay healthy, and stay productive.

--Linda

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