What if remote work is here to stay?
We cannot deny that the Covid-19 pandemic had caused a paradigm shift in the way we work.??This unforeseen event has somehow become a global catalyst to expose weaknesses in outdated work systems, accelerated the need to make changes to stay relevant, and remain competitive for almost all industries globally.??
I have been hearing mixed reviews from people whom I have had the opportunity to touch base with from 2020 to date. I feel blessed to have this work-from-home privilege. This mode of work does not seem to be everyone's cup of tea.??
My first job: Working for a startup
I am currently attached to CI Agile which is a Malaysian Based Startup that started operating amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
CI Agile has been a fully remote workforce and has employees based in different states.?The Scrum Framework has been our team and management go-to vehicle to stay connected with the corporate vision, business goals, and ongoing project delivery status.
Guess what??I am enjoying it and hope it stays the same in the future!??Working from home, I can sleep in later, skip make-up (Thanks to the ZOOM filter, no more make-up is needed to look perfect.), and get to escape from peak hours traffic.
Bidding goodbye to rental, petrol, toll, and eating out that would burn a hole in my pocket have helped me saved a lot financially!?
All in all, the best thing is getting to spend more time with my loved ones by simply sharing an extra mealtime together.?I only get to have lunch with my family members which would not happen if I were to work from an office.
My three simple hacks to stay productive WFH
# 1?Create a productive zone
Create a productive zone where interruption is minimal while we are doing work.?For me, a corner in my bedroom has been transformed into my?workstation ever since I started working from home.
#2 Make work fun!
Our teams use Miro Board to brainstorm ideas, track work delivery status in real-time and collaborate among teams.?Making work progress transparent and visible helps everyone to stay focus on the top priority items.??
Source: Miro
#3 Communication is important
I value open communication a lot.?There was once when our team was doing our bi-weekly Sprint Retrospective, I raised some technical issues that I have been facing with my work computer.?My superior noted down every matter highlighted by all team members.
A week later, I received the news from my superior saying that he will?arrange a brand new iMac for me to better support me for content creation.?He even asked me to choose my preferred color for the iMac.
Such unexpected news got me pumped up!?Seriously,?I did not expect my feedback to be taken seriously.?I am glad and really blessed to have a superior that listens and equipped me with the best tools for work.
Events that I went to in August?
It was a two-part event.
Part 1 - A Connected Workforce that Performs
Starting from a simple story of making dinner, Ethan Soo brought us through how traditional planning leaves no room for changes.?However, that could be changed by practicing Agile that emphasized adaptability.
?Part 2 - Forming Connected Teams that Performs with Scrum@Scale
The sharing focused on utilizing Scrum Framework to build a hyper-performing team that could deliver results even when working from home or remotely.?This part of the sharing provides social proof on why and how Scrum@Scale should be adopted in organizations.??
Scrum@Scale is a natural extension of Scrum and designed to enable teams to retain their focus to complete the most valuable work to meet organizational goals.??
If you are interested please click on the recording below to?hear it from two guests speakers that share their transformation journey using Scrum@Scale with you.
What has caught my attention?
APAC Train the Trainer Program Fall Intake
This is a one to two years program designed to develop Scrum Trainers who believe in True Scrum and aspire to become a distinguished and highly-regarded Scrum Trainer.
Get structured advancement initiatives and mentorship opportunities by elite Scrum practitioners.??
Good Housekeeping by Scrum Mastery Community
When work starts to pile up, we often forget about the importance of good housekeeping.
This article suggests that having a lightweight maintenance structure that requires the minimum effort in maintenance allowed us to?optimize routine work to be as efficient as possible.
Find out more >>
What I referred to my friends?
Scrum@Scale Fundamentals is officially launched in CI Agile!
Scrum@Scale Framework is the extension of Scrum created by the co-creator of Scrum - Dr. Jeff Sutherland.?
If you want to scale Scrum in a way that does not introduce extra overheads but builds connected teams that perform.?This 1-day only program is a condensed precursor to the Scrum at Scale Practitioner Training?
The program is suitable for C-suites, Decision Makers, PMOs,?and Business Users, to get an overview of Scrum@Scale to test it out before committing fully.?
? Affordable - Concise - Accessible
Disclaimer:
This is my own sharing. All the materials are publicly available on Linkedin or other freely available sources. Please let me know if I've made a mistake, I'll be happy to rectify it.