The coronavirus pandemic has meant that many of us have had to rethink, reorganise and reshape our daily lives. Lockdowns, quarantining and self-isolating have meant that regular routines have been disrupted and new, adaptable ways of doing things have had to be found. Working from home is just one of the many “new normals” we had to get used to. 

Covid-19 has changed the way we work

For most of 2020, millions of people around the world have been working from home. Many employees have been working remotely for the first time in their career and often in jobs that have never before been conducted outside of an office setting.

For many employees, working from home has been a new, and largely positive, experience. Remote working has meant less commuting, a better work-life balance and even increased productivity.

But for all its positives, working from home can lead to difficulties and can take some adjusting. From missing the professional environment to having to be more flexible with time, remote working can throw up a variety of issues. For many people entering the workforce for the first time in 2020, their first job will be a remote job and these new workers won’t have coworkers on-site to help them learn the ropes.

However, as some companies have given up their office space completely due to the coronavirus crisis, working from home is here to stay for many employees. Here at Alison, for example, we have downsized our main office space in Galway by 80% and are moving towards a fully remote workplace model.

So to help you adapt to the future of work, Alison has selected the key courses necessary to help remote employees transition smoothly to working from home.

Alison’s working from home toolkit

Free courses to get you started

From time management to how to use Google’s suite of free apps, this list of free online courses will get you set up to work remotely.

• Time Management – From children to pets, working from home can mean having to juggle a variety of commitments while trying to complete a day’s work. This course teaches you how to keep track of your work hours, save time, reduce stress and stay productive.
• Presentation and Speaking Skills for Webinars – Working from home often means being part of a remote team and having to communicate online. Learn how to speak confidently online and how to create exciting and engaging presentations!
• Software skills – All the courses you need to manage your remote work effectively, including Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Office.
• Stress Management – Working from home can present a variety of unique challenges. This course outlines how stress is caused and how it can be coped with.
• Zoom Video Conferencing – Zoom has become an essential tool for millions of employees in recent months. Learn how to navigate one of the most important software programmes for any remote worker at home! 
• Microsoft Teams – This course has everything you need to know about this collaboration platform. Learning how to navigate this shared workspace software fluently will make remote working a much more natural experience.
• From Google Apps for personal and business use, Alison has the necessary courses to make you an expert in all of the tools on offer from Google.

Light reading material to get you a step ahead of the rest

• Are you on the hunt for a new job or interested in changing your career? Alison’s Workplace personality assessment can help you find the perfect career by identifying the jobs best suited to you.
• Start one of these eight hobbies that make you smarter if you find yourself with plenty of free time on your hands.
• When last did you update your CV? These skills will give your CV an immediate boost.

Of course, the pandemic hasn’t just meant more working from home – it’s meant a lot more time at home generally. And so when you need a break, Alison has everything you need to unwind and relax, from dabbling in a new language to yoga, from learning about history to gardening. Whether working – or playing – from home, Alison has got you covered!