Whistling For The Choir

Not too long ago, we would meet up over lunch, exchange ideas in the hallway, gossip during social hour – these were just few of the perks of working in the office. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, AT&T Chairman Randall Stephenson advised our employees worldwide who can work from home should plan to do so. Our Integration Services staff supports customers across 38 countries. From Argentina to Canada, from Singapore to India, and from Italy to UK, our staff stepped up to the challenge and ensured that AT&T continues to provide the best in class support to our valued customers, while keeping ourselves safe.

We realized that one can’t whistle alone in a choir. Each of us needs to play our part to produce the symphony. Four weeks into supporting customers worldwide remotely, we are able to maintain our high level of productivity. We also learned a few amazing things along the way.

Laugh with Colleagues – being stuck at home could easily lead to stress and anxiety. Make each meeting a fun engagement – wear your favorite team jersey, introduce your pets to colleagues, invite the kids to meet everyone occasionally, brag about the delicious sandwich you made yourself. Milton Berle once said, “Laughter is an instant vacation”. Therefore, have laugh with your colleagues at every opportunity you get.

Embrace New Co-Workers – You are now dealing with a new cast of characters who would interrupt you during a critical meeting. Ignore the loud television that is desperately trying to get your attention, give a caring look at the dog who’s just looking for a casual stroke, embrace the doorbell that announces its existence in wrong hours of the day, smile at your in-laws who just want to “see how you work at home” – these are now your new co-workers. Treat them well.

Corner Window Office – Here is the opportunity to fulfill your lifelong dream. This might be the first time in your career you got the “right to choose the view”, choose it thoughtfully. Avoid camping on that cozy living-room sofa on your way to the new office. Control the temptation to be closer to the refrigerator as it will be calling you like a wailing siren. Establish a formal workspace at home.

Binging Is Medicine – Over 60% of the employee state that they are burned out on the job (CareerBuilder). Take a break in-between meeting. Browse through the catalog of Friends, WestWorld, Insecure, Veep, A Black Lady Sketch Show – you really can’t go wrong with any of these shows. Staying home can be overwhelming. Schedule an hour of virtual tennis with your kid to deal with the fatigue. Arrange for a play date with Murphy (the dog) and fight back on the mounting anxiety.

Reward Yourself – Get the ergonomic desk-chair that you wanted for so long. This is the time to invest on the classy webcam. Order those noise-canceling headphones to block out the untimely barking of the neighborhood dog. Increase the Wi-Fi bandwidth, so the kids can keep themselves entertained, while you and your spouse work.

Meeting Madness – Over 60% of the managers said that meetings keep them from completing their own work (HBR). Ask yourself whether the next meeting is really needed. Give your employees an hour back to invest in the time to recharge. 

In-House Marathon – Think about how many steps you used to take daily while in office. Don’t give up on the habit of walking, rather adjust the route. Count the steps in between rooms. Chalk out the walking trail that you can take while on calls. Take care of your health.

My Last Thought

Take genuine interest in integrating your employees’ work-life. A Stanford research study shows that productivity per hour declines sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours. Now is a good time to start “walking the talk”. Show the team that you truly care.

Higher employee engagement leads to higher productivity. During this global pandemic, our customers can sleep soundly knowing that they are not only on the most secured network in the world, but also, their global operations support team has their back, while staying safe.