As part of theICEway ecosystem of companies, ICE Technology Services has worked together for decades with IT teams from sectors including healthcare, the cruise industry, travel and retail, with one common objective; to deliver results. As we speak, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause unprecedented disruption around the world, and our teams have reacted by working together even harder, with one common objective; to stay safe while delivering results. Read on to see how we are achieving this…
There can be little or no doubt about the fact that we are facing one of the most challenging periods in modern history, with the Coronavirus pandemic impacting the entire globe. During this difficult time, all of us at theICEway have made a conscious decision to work together even harder to stay safe, something we feel much better placed to achieve with the switch to remote working for all staff. This change has been relatively straightforward given the fact that we are a technology company with a team comprising of IT and cyber security experts, but what about the more natural, ‘human’ elements involved in such a development?
We spoke with Lois Patient, Executive Assistant to the Founders, about her own initial experiences with working from home…
Lois, before we get onto yourself and remote working, how do you think the team overall has taken to working from home?
The entire team at theICEway have always embraced a philosophy of working together, and even though we are now all working some distance apart, I’d suggest we are actually closer than ever before. Given what is going on, everybody is working ever so hard to make an adjustment because even though most of us have worked remotely before, it has never been under such circumstances. We are all 100% determined not to let anything stop us from delivering the high standards we have always set for ourselves, but all of us are very clear on one thing above all else; the most important thing right now is for us to try to remain safe and well, and to look out for others.
You are based in theICEway’s UK office but how do you think the other offices around the world are coping?
They are doing as well as we are despite the very trying times; we all keep in regular contact via MS Teams and Skype, so the UK team are always sharing feedback and ideas with the teams throughout Europe, in Australia and in the US. We as a company are making a huge collective effort to not only keep working as normal but to really try and defy this virus. Besides working from home, we are also encouraging our team members to stay away from public gatherings of any sort to stay healthy and safe. Most of us know someone who is in the ‘at risk’ category, so even if we ourselves can beat COVID-19, other people that we know and care for might not be able to.
Now the key question; how are you finding the home-working experience?
I’d say that when I am working on something, a project perhaps, then my own environment is not particularly important. When I am ‘in the zone’, as it were, then as long as my PC or laptop is fine and the connection is good, I might just as well be in the office! The challenge is to pick up the phone and speak to someone if you need certain information or help, it is so easy to message someone but in the office environment you wouldn’t do that, you would get up from your desk to speak to someone.
Do you have a routine as yet?
Almost, I’m getting there! Not only do I need to get into a routine, but I have to help my teenage son to get into one with remote school working – this is proving to be a little more difficult than I thought!
Could you share your routine with us?
As I said it’s not quite a normal routine yet and I will probably keep adjusting it during the course of the next couple of weeks but the one thing that I have started doing is during my normal commute time to and from the office I am going for a walk, on average a 20 minute walk is 2,000 steps.
After hearing the news last night that we are on lockdown for the next three weeks a new routine will be starting in the next few days starting with only one walk a day. I would like to start keeping fit with the whole family, not sure how they will take this!
There are a great many considerations to go over on this topic, but hopefully this will give you some ideas on how to build your own daily routine; on that note, keep an eye out for social media posts and blog pieces with a similar theme from us in the weeks ahead…
Glossary
theICEway ecosystem of companies – a collection of IT brands with different specialist areas, which when combined, provide the complete digital solution for clients in healthcare, the cruise and travel industry and retail:
ICE Technology Services (Consultancy, managed cloud services, innovation & future tech, rapid development)
CRIBB Cyber Security (Governance, certification, data protection)
eTestware (Quality testing by the experts)
COVID-19 – A new illness affecting lungs and airways that is caused by a virus named coronavirus. Symptoms are a cough, high temperature and shortness of breath. Taking simple steps such as washing your hands frequently with soap and water can help stop the virus from spreading
Top Tip
Throughout all of this period, please remember to keep in mind the updated core messages to stay safe:
- Stay at home
- Only go out for essential shopping / medical needs or one form of exercise per day
- Only travel to work if absolutely necessary
- Do not engage in public gatherings of more than two people
- Police can issue fines if you do not follow this guidance
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