WORKING FROM HOME BEST PRACTICE, TIPS & TRICKS
Although many of us have worked at home during our time at KCA Deutag we may not be
used to operating like this for a prolonged period of time. Equally, some of us may usually
prefer to work in the office and find working at home difficult.
We have prepared this quick guide to help us all work and feel our best while we work
remotely. This guide contains tips and tricks on working at home in the following areas. Click
on each image to jump to the relevant page:
INCREASE YOUR COMMUNICATION ACCOUNTABILITY
SETTING UP YOUR WORKDAY SOCIAL & BELONGING
TIPS FOR MANAGERS HOMEWORKING GUIDANCE
INCREASE YOUR COMMUNICATION
At times like this, the level of effort required to engage and keep connected will be higher,
but we need more communication and everyone to focus on ramping it up!
Tips:
• Over communicate! Talk to people more! Reach out and don’t wait to ask a question
or for a meeting to raise a point.
• Check in more frequently with your teammates.
• Have brief five-minute skype calls: it’s better (and usually easier) to talk to someone
for a few minutes to try to solve problems on email. Text communication can only go
so far.
• There are 2 options for calling, 1:1 internally and another for internal group
conversations.
• Calling a single person: find the contact you want to call within Skype for Business
app, double click on their name. Instead of typing a message, click on the person’s
name and press the […] icon before pressing CALL.
• If calling multiple people: It is simplest to enter your Outlook calendar, select New
Skype Meeting icon. Finally add the recipients and press Send.
• Be available through multiple forms of communication - skype, email, team
meetings, phone and other ways your team communicate.
• Turn your camera on for skype meetings where possible - connect on a human level.
Take your privacy and that of others into consideration.
• Be open about scheduling requirements and offline with your manager and
teammates.
• Let people know if you are away from your workstation through Skype status e.g. for
lunch, running long errand. Let people know when you will not be reachable.
ACCOUNTABILITY
We are all still accountable for our work, responsibilities and deadlines. We need to all
remain accountable and focused if we are going to achieve our business goals and success!
Tips:
• Commit and follow through on work responsibilities regardless of location.
• Be clear on deadlines and expectations of your work.
• Be up front if deadlines are going to move or if you encounter problems.
• Avoid and minimise distractions you would not have in the office environment e.g.,
friends/family dropping in, non-work responsibilities, TV on in the background, etc.
• Take/make time to focus (but don’t be unavailable too often - you will cut yourself
off).
• Don’t be a chat addict: silence email or skype notification when you need to get work
done (but don’t always be in this mode).
SETTING UP YOUR WORKDAY
Structuring your workday, focus and attention can be a challenge for some if they are
working at home. Your need to find the right way for you to protect your time and let yourself
get into the work zone. Equally, you need to protect your health (physical and mental) and
productivity.
Tips:
Setting up your Space
• Find a space at home that is comfortable, practical and distraction-free for working
in. Everyone’s living situation is different but find what works for you.
• Be Open to switching it up - Subtly different environments provide different stimuli
and can help with creativity and productivity!
• Plan and structure your workday - as far as possible keep your work hours like you
would in the office. However, we appreciate that in these circumstances flexibility
maybe required to suit home working. Discuss and agree with your line manager
your working hours and any variances required to your normal working day in order
to maintain required deliverables. We all must work extra hours from time to time but
be mindful of when you do this.
• Consider our security and data protection policies and ensure that whilst working at
home the required levels of confidentiality are maintained electronically and within
your working place.
Your Boundaries
• Create boundaries for your working space - if you frequently work from an area of
rest time, you may find it difficult to switch off and rest.
• Be clear around expectations with those that you share the space with - let people
you are living with know you are working from home and what this means/does not
mean. Be clear on how you are happy to interact and what you need from them.
Your work time should not include increased non-work responsibilities.
Your Health
• Stand up, stretch, walk around and take a break. It’s easy to lose track of time with
usual office distractions.
• Take regular breaks - go for a walk as a break. Set a timer or alarm for yourself if
you find you are missing breaks.
SOCIAL & BELONGING
As well as focusing on our productivity and getting things done, we also have to take care
of ourselves. Part of that is maintaining the social aspect of our work. Just because we aren’t
physically with each other doesn’t mean we need to lose that! We just need to try a bit
harder to maintain it and ensure we stay connected.
We are setting up an alert system that will advise you when a new story has been posted
to KOMPASS. This means you will be able to keep in touch with updates from the company
without always having to check the homepage. This alert will be mailed to your work email
account.
Tips:
• Say good morning and goodbye to your team on skype, chat, etc.
• Have more conversations: the level of effort is higher to talk to people. Reach out
and see how people are doing.
• Virtual “happy hours” or “coffee breaks” for teams: make time to talk to your co-
workers as you would in the kitchen.
TIPS FOR MANAGERS
While the advice above is for everyone, people managers may be wondering what the best
ways are to manage and engage a now remote team, particularly if you are all not used to
working remotely.
Tips:
• Remember your team will react differently to this situation. Some folks may feel
isolated, some may be excited about the opportunity to skip the commute. Check in
regularly, ask questions, listen.
• Ensure your team focuses on business-critical work and be vigilant that you are not
creating more workload for others.
• Establish ground rules with your team and determine how you will communicate and
interact.
• Consider setting up daily or weekly team calls if don’t have these in place already.
• Check in with your team / people more regularly than you would before, even over
skype.
• 121s have more importance now: it’s one of their few opportunities to connect with
people. Set these in your calendar and keep the agreed dates and time, ensure you
talk to your people about how they are finding this change.
• Ensure you are available and reachable through multiple forms of communication.
• Make extra effort for new people joining the team while you are working remotely.
Introduce them virtually to the team through email or skype, get them set up with
121s with the team and connect with them.
• Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. Context is king in a remote world.
• Keep an eye on your ‘over achievers’: whilst we don’t want to advocate clock
watching keep an eye out for those in your team who may be working
unrealistic/unsustainable hours.
• Trust your team: working from home doesn’t necessarily mean lower productivity.
But ensure your expectations are crystal clear.
HOMEWORKING GUIDANCE
Tips:
• Keep in regular contact with your Manager/Supervisor and work colleagues.
• Check your laptop charger & cables are in good condition, report them and do not
use, if they are damaged.
• Keep your work area clear from any trip hazards.
• Take regular breaks.
• Try and emulate your office workspace as much as possible with regards to lighting,
distractions etc.
KCAD-IT Home working guidance:
• It should be noted that you should not expect performance to be the same as working
in the office.
• KCAD-IT will not be able to assist with any wireless or broadband issues you might
have at home.
• KCAD-IT service desk remains available through the normal contact method;
itservicedesk@[Link]
• Lastly, everyone needs to be extra vigilant with regard to phishing emails.
For staff using corporate laptops:
• Everyone that has been issued with a company laptop should use that to connect to
company systems - access to all systems and files will be the same as when working
in the office.
• Please adhere to the KCA Deutag guidelines regarding use and care of company
equipment.
• There should be no reason to use access to Citrix from a company laptop.
Note: Due to the unprecedented demand on the remote access systems for laptops there
might be occasional delays in connecting. In the event that the laptop does not automatically
connect please apply a little patience and try again slightly later.
For staff without access to corporate laptops:
Access to email:
For people that require access to email only and an alternative way to access email access
is available as follows:
• From any mobile phone – download and install the Microsoft Outlook App and login
with your company username and password
• When log in, you might be asked for an additional code – if you haven’t set up Multi
Factor Authentication (MFA) yet follow the steps explained in this document on
Kompass
• From any internet enabled device using a browser: [Link]
Access to specific systems:
As per the list of systems below, if access to any of these systems is the only requirement
then please use any internet connected device and use a browser to use the URLs listed:
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
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[Link]
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[Link]
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[Link]
[Link]
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Access to SAP and other company systems:
Using the Citrix remote access system available at [Link] and using
your company username and password you will gain access to these applications
Access to Remote Desktop for engineering applications, etc:
Again, Using the Citrix remote access system available at [Link]
and using your company username and password you will gain access to your desktop.
Use the “Remote Desktop Connection” icon, you will need to know the name of your
machine.
Note1: it important that you do not shut down your device in the office, as desktops that are
not powered on are inaccessible.
Note2: in the event the device that is remotely accessed becomes unresponsive it might
require a physical reboot - Offices should take precautions to ensure someone is on hand
to do so, KCAD-IT cannot provide any remote assistance in this case.
When using a laptop for extended periods:
It is important that you set it up correctly with a keyboard and a mouse (take the ones from
your desk home if required). Without setting up the laptop correctly, long-term neck and
shoulder injuries are common. Do not crouch over a laptop screen.
Below is some guidance on how to use your laptop correctly at your workstation at home:
Balanced head, not leaning forward Arms relaxed by your side
Forearms parallel to desk Sit back in chair ensuring good back support
Top of screen about eye level, you might have
Laptop or monitor screen approximately arm’s
to raise the laptop to achieve the correct
length from you
posture. Use a PC monitor where possible.
Space behind knee Feet flat on the floor or on a footrest
