COVID-19 and working from home as a startup.
Why you should act fast in the corona crisis and how working remotely can eventually increase motivation.
On December 31st, 2019, the World Health Organization reported a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan City, China. ‘Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2’ (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed as the causative agent of what we now know as Coronavirus Disease 2019, or most commonly: “COVID-19”. Since then, the virus has spread to more than 100 countries and has infected more than 180.000 people worldwide.
This global crisis has affected almost every industry — for better or worse. It’s something most of us never thought possible, let alone experienced before. To combat the spread of COVID-19, drastic measures are already being enforced in many countries and companies, one of them being the implementation of a strict “work from home” regulation.
But… how can this be put smoothly into action in our day to day?
In times like these, we all have to give our best to adapt to the new situation, unite our forces and grow from it — together. This is the mentality we follow at Mapify. That is why, after almost a week of a company-wide “home office” work structure, we want to share with you our favorite tools and best practices to make working remotely easier, and to help you connect with your team members, even when you are apart!
TOP 7 TOOLS FOR WORKING REMOTE AS A TEAM
Slack.
Slack is the ideal communication hub for your company. It serves as a real-time messaging platform that brings all team members together, ensuring seamless and quick teamwork. Lili, our Product Manager mentions: “Right now, I could not be working without slack. Being able to directly ask important questions to my colleagues, receive quick updates or organize check-in meetings, are key in times of home office”
Zoom.
This fantastic tool is our go-to-solution for large group video conferences, such as our daily stand-ups. “Zoom enables us to continue working as one united team every morning” — says Sales Intern Luis — “Even if you do not have your colleagues physically sitting right next to you, it feels just like they actually were!”
Google Docs.
This is one of the classics. Google docs allows users to create online files, which then can be edited collaboratively and in real-time. Whatever you modify, add or correct, the other person can see. It’s a no-brainer!
Google Calendar.
To organize your remote workday, we recommend using Google Calendar. It allows you to organize your busy schedule, create or edit events and invite team members to meetings.
Notion.
Notion is one of the best all-in-one workspace applications for note-taking, knowledge gathering, data collection and project managment. Like all other platforms, it is collaborative and gets updated in real time. “ Notion lets me be creative while working on any type of project ”- says Lis, Community Manager.
Sunsama.
To manage and distribute all your daily tasks, Sunsama is the tool we decided to use in remote times! It’s simple, easy to use and what is most important: it lets you arrange your own to-do’s, but also see your team member’s tasks and tackle projects collaboratively. As Lili states: “Sunsama helps me be productive and stay up to date with the to-do’s of my team, even without a regular office surrounding.”
Tandem.
Our most recent discovery! Tandem works as a virtual office for remote teams, as it lets you “hang out” online with your colleagues. “The most difficult thing about working remotely for me is the lack of exchange with my team members and those little things like a smile, a hug or a funny joke” — is what Catherine and many of our Mapify team members miss the most in a remote setting. No wonder! Co-founder Tobi explains: “A team is formed when there’s an actual connection between the individuals. Only then you can get the best out of yourself and your teammates. So virtually hanging out for lunch or a quick coffee during a “work from home” structure is not wasted time, but will actually improve productivity and motivation”. Tandem is ideal for this!
Obviously, there are many more tools out there that can be helpful, but these are definitely the ones we believe are most valuable for the start. Maintain your daily routines and continue with existing management structures — but from home. When you feel lonely, try to use video calls to talk to your co-workers rather than chats, and, as we mentioned in our previous article, communication is key! Have as many touchpoints and ask as many questions as you need, to feel confident about your tasks. If necessary, even over-communicate to make sure everything is clear! Let your colleagues know when you take a break, have lunch or go for a coffee… Remember: they can’t just guess when you are or aren’t available if you don’t share it with them.
And remember: let’s all stay positive!
As hard as this situation is, there are also beneficial outcomes from this global crisis. We all have seen the emotive videos of neighbors in Italy singing along with each other, the many generous gestures happening worldwide or the expression of gratefulness towards all doctors and nurses helping worldwide. Who knows… this might even be a global opportunity to develop towards a more united, strong and mindful society.
From a business perspective, working from home will definitely bring new challenges every day, but let’s not forget that obstacles can also be seen as opportunities to improve, develop and learn. Lushane, our Entrepreneur in Residence, strongly believes in this. “Remote work could potentially be a blessing for companies across the globe. A new beginning, where we have a chance to optimize internal processes, focus on creative problem-solving and be more united than ever. Not only as a company but as a big family.”
True words. So let’s embrace hard times and concentrate on how we can all contribute towards a positive common end-result. Let’s be there for each other.
The fact that COVID-19 is a major threat to the tourism and travel industry as a whole is undeniable, but at Mapify, we are sticking together to face it. “With every major crisis, comes also a major chance to grow as a company” — Our Design Lead, Felix, is convinced about this — “It’s incredible to see how the entire Mapify team sticks together during a crisis like this. Even though we are facing a very dark time, everyone — without exception — is proactively supporting each other wherever needed. This makes us incredibly strong-looking into the future.”
And yes, we are confident that Mapify can, and will, come out of this crisis. Why? Well,
“Over the last week, I have seen the tremendous belief in what Mapify has created in the world and the enormous adaptability of our team. The incredible speed in which we have reacted to the changing circumstances is fascinating to me and I believe that it is going to be these very particular talents of all people at Mapify that will help us focus on the things that are most relevant in this phase and prepare Mapify for a time in which travel will be the number one wish of people around the globe again.” — Captain of the boat, CEO Patrick Haede.
Good luck, and if you want more insights on working remotely, don’t hesitate do click below and head straight to our last article!
