Coronavirus: Considering a Remote Work Strategy? This Checklist Might Help You Prepare

Effective today, all our PAN staff will be working from home across our five offices in Boston, San Francisco, New York, Orlando and London.

We’ve taken this step to safeguard our employees, their families and our clients.

Remote work has always been part of our culture and we’re fortunate to have the right technology in place to ensure our team stays connected and productive. However, quickly implementing an entirely remote workforce for a prolonged period is unprecedented for our organization – it’s required some additional thinking.

If you’re considering taking a similar step, the checklist below is a useful starting point as you determine what’s right for your business:

Communicate throughout the decision-making process

1. Appoint a team/task force responsible for making business decisions and day-to-day communication
2. Schedule all staff meeting or one-on-ones to discuss any concerns about WFH in advance
3. Share working from home best practice tips with all staff (there are some great examples here). And for those with pets, these are great tips too.
4. Create a communication to all clients and partners for additional transparency
5. Draft social posts to communicate to stakeholders more widely
6. Ask staff to reschedule planned face-to-face meetings

Review what tools you have available

7. Quickly audit staff access to remote working software
8. Run top-up training on remote working solutions
9. Consider a one day all staff remote working test
10. Arrange for essential kits (e.g. large screens, laptops etc.) to be delivered to homes of employees, if necessary
11. Ensure you have enough video conferencing licenses for everyone to stay productive, or let staff know about available free video conferencing options
12. Agree which communications channels should be used for what – email, Slack, WhatsApp, 8×8, Teams, phone, video conferencing, etc.
13. Divert central office numbers or set up virtual phones

Prepare to stay in touch

14. Schedule regular team video meetings – we’re doing quick check-ins every day
15. Think of ways to share WFH experiences regularly to stay connected as one team
16. Consider a weekly ‘virtual office drinks’ to celebrate successes and achievements of the week

Arrange necessary operations

17. Pause deliveries, subscriptions and on-site cleaning services (given the office will be empty)
18. Distribute relevant group health plan benefit information, including telemedicine services, employee assistance programs and wellness program services
19. Communicate policy on isolation policy and sick pay, should anyone become infected
20. Communicate policy on reimbursing any additional expenses incurred by staff working from home (e.g. extra mobile phone costs paid)

Remain mindful of staff wellbeing

21. Share guidance on how to manage a period of isolation should they become infected
22. Keep channels of communication open, keeping staff creative and inspired during long periods of isolation
23. Remind people that this is temporary and of positive side impacts (e.g. spending more time with loved ones)