The IBM Work From Home Pledge During times of COVID-19

I would like to draw the attention of all who can make a difference! All who can take the pledge along with me. Whether you are an IBMer or not, you are a human at work (home) after all.

I pledge to be Family Sensitive. - I want everyone on a video call with me to know that if they have to put a call on hold to handle a household issue, it is 100% OK. No one wants a loved one getting hurt, falling, or breaking something because you were on video.

I pledge to support Flexibility for Personal Needs. - I acknowledge we are all balancing our work and personal lives in new circumstances. I encourage those homeschooling, providing care to others, or addressing other personal needs to block time on their calendar during the day to be able to focus on those activities, as needed. And, I pledge to respect those boundaries when scheduling meetings. - Helpful ask - Please make sure those you work with know that you are away during specified times so they can plan accordingly.

I pledge to support “Not Camera Ready” times. - I will not ask people to turn their cameras on while on video calls. While I encourage the use of video during meetings so we can feel more connected, there will naturally be times when it’s just not feasible given home circumstances. During these times, I want everyone to feel comfortable that they can simply turn the video off as needed. Again it’s 100% ok. - Helpful Ask - Try to have a profile picture so people aren't just staring at your initials. It allows people to "see" you without seeing you.

I pledge to Be Kind. - I will keep in mind that I am “showing up” in others’ homes for the first time and want to be a good guest. - I will not make people feel bad about interruptions or make someone feel self-conscious about their surroundings. - As I meet members of my extended work family, I’ll roll with it with empathy. It is totally fine if children make noise or jump on camera, or pets make an appearance or say hello – they’re family too! - I will show personal interest in a positive way, i.e. if I notice something interesting, I’ll ask about its personal significance - I will not comment on someone’s video quality, lighting, background, wall décor (or lack thereof), workspace size, etc.

I pledge to Set Boundaries and Prevent Video Fatigue. - I will use new time limit boundaries for meetings, recognizing video fatigue is real and a new phenomenon for all of us. - I will shift to 20 and 45-minute meetings to replace our normal 30 minute and 1-hour calls as much as possible - I will avoid setting up any full day or ? _day meetings. If a long meeting is required, I will ensure we take short breaks every hour, that no session is longer than two hours and every two hours there is a 30-minute break. 

I pledge to Take Care of Myself. - I will make it a priority to take care of my physical and mental health. - I will stand up frequently, stay hydrated, and try to get the sleep I need. - I will block out time on my calendar to have lunch and dinner AWAY from my workspace. - Where possible I will get outside each day. I’ll look for opportunities to change my routine while ensuring social distancing.

I pledge to Frequently Check In on people. - I will frequently check in on the physical and mental health of my co-workers, friends, family, and neighbors, while respecting people's privacy. - I will create space for connection by asking people about their and their loved ones’ health & safety in 1:1 settings. - I will send simple text/slack message to just say “Hi, just checking in to see if you and your family are ok” and I’ll offer to help if needed (in a genuine way).

I pledge to Be Connected. - I pledge to create social interactions virtually, with my co-workers. Whether it is a coffee break, happy hour, game night or karaoke party, or something else, I will find ways to stay connected.