<aside> 📌 A Digital Working Guide should be a key part of your business continuity plan.

This is a working doc, put together by LocalGlobe & Latitude, that we'll keep adding to it over time. Please leave comments and suggestions throughout the document, if you think there's great content we need to be adding in!

Last updated: 30/03/2020

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Table Of Contents 🗓

Where to start? 🤷

Adopting a remote-first perspective means looking at every aspect of your business with the assumption that anyone may be remote at any time. In today’s environment, you don’t have the luxury of anything less. Start with some basics:

1. Who does your remote work policy apply to? Start by mapping out who in your company will be working remotely. Some types of work are better suited for distributed teams than others, and you'll need to be aware of what jobs and tasks are more likely to struggle and need more support getting started.
2. Audit the team's available IT hardware and software. Use this to determine any gaps in their access and adoption. Ask the team if they have the right equipment to work on at home, from a desk, to a microphone etc. If required, purchase new equipment to keep projects on track. An IT set up for remote work must include security and data protection.
3. Set up a communications protocol in advance. This is even more important for remote teams than in person ones, as collaboration for a team that is spread across multiple locations hinges on good communication. Make sure the communication style reflects your company's culture. More on that below ...

Note: As part of the planning, we suggest you refer to this **document* by Zapier, who has been fully remote since day 1.*

Create a personal remote routine that works 🧘‍♀️

1. Create distance between work and free-time: To be an effective remote teammate, having a great workspace is key. It’s important to create distance between your work and your home, and when they are one and the same that can be a bit tricky – but it’s possible. If you have a separate room, I would use it as an office. If not, use a space you don't really usually use in your free time. Try not to do work in areas where you normally do fun stuff in your free time. Change work locations once in a while.

2. Create a working environment: Have a place you go specifically to work. It could be a certain table, chair, local coffee shop -- some place that's consistently your 'work space.' It helps you get into the right frame of mind.

3. Create morning and evening routines: Morning and evening routines can help open and close your day as a remote worker. We recommend you keep your routines simple and consistent.

4. Kill distractions outside of work: delete slack from your phone, enable do no disturbe mode from a certain time..

5. Plan out what you'll be working on ahead of time: It's important to let your agenda change if you need it to, but it's equally as important to commit to an agenda that outlines every assignment before you begin. Try solidifying your schedule the day before, making it feel more official when you wake up the next day to get started on it.

Got Kids At Home? Make them a routine too: