Thread by @EdPomfret

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth Good question! For me (based on15 years of my total working life working from home so just from a personal perspective) chat apps are key - Skype, Teams, WhatsApp whatever team members are happiest with. That's how I communicate with people IRL anyway, so it's not a stretch 1/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth I'm becoming a fan of Teams as it develops - video on as much as possible is key. To do this you need v good internet (4G is fine), organising regular, short-sharp team meetings so people can understand what each other are up to & make connections that you would otherwise miss 2/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth Don't let flexible working become a driver of working excessive hours & being available at all times: set an end point to the day where you turn off all work related stuff. Take lunch. Take coffee breaks. Go for a walk (if possible)
Encourage team members to do the same 3/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth Don't forget the fun - have a joke have a coffee together virtually, spend time understanding what's happening in your team-mates lives. Don't make everything about day to day drudgery 4/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth The key thing is that all your teammates understand you're all in the same position. It can be a great leveller which is a good thing for team work, it can create new & interesting interactions & spaces to connect. It can also lead to a feeling of extreme disconnection... 5/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth ....staying aware of this, reaching out, checking in, and just sending a hilarious gif are all vital ways of helping people not feel completely alone. I enjoy working from home, but I'm used to it, & listening to what people are saying it can feel very disruptive (& hilarious) 6/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth Above all else I do think if you're disciplined about it, & do your best to keep and broaden those social connections it's so much more productive than being in an office. 7/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth Just one more thing. Zoom is a great tool for bigger meetings. The breakout rooms if you add a joint note taking platform (we have Box notes but there are a bunch out there) gives you the chance to have a lot of the benefits of smaller groups & back to plenary of face to face 7/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth Another thing, that is more important now than usual working from home/remotely arrangements,is making the effort to find out a bit more than you might otherwise have about your colleague's lives. Who do you stay with/is there anyone keeping an eye on your wellbeing at home?...8/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth ...Do you know you should let us know if you're on your own & feeling sick, feeling like you need some support with your mental health?
Uncomfortable for people with "British" attitudes which don't encourage over-sharing but important(other cultural awkwardness is available)...9/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth ...Unfortunately in some cases encouraging team members to let you know if they're in an abusive or potentially abusive situation which could be worse as a result of quarantine & isolation. And working out plans of how you can support your colleague in these scenarios. 10/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth //It's worth remembering as I said in 1/ a LOT of esp younger people don't see a yawning chasm between being connected on & offline. It's not a huge mental leap to have close relationships with people online or offline & there's not that divide. Worth learning from this! 11/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth Colleagues will also tell you, I do LOVE Workplace. It's got the ease of the FB tools with the ability to keep that side of things walled off from any other social media.
[Ahem & last anyone produced stats I did have the second most followers in the org on that platform..] 12/

@KimM_C @stevept @FionnaCSmyth @tannerruth By far the best Working From Home gif thanks @paperbeatstweet 13/