Working from home during the Coronavirus

It has been several weeks since measures were first taken in the light of the coronavirus. Working from several countries all across the world, the adjustments needed are different for many FitForMe colleagues. However, during the coronavirus, we are all working from home as much as possible.  How do we ensure that we can continue work optimally? Two FitForMe colleagues share their experiences.

Getting used to working from home

Since mid-March, measures were taken in most countries, to stop the spread of the coronavirus. At that time, all FitForMe employees were asked to work from home as much as possible. For our Product Specalists, who are used to being on the road and visiting healthcare professionals, a pretty big change from their normal working routine. Alessandro, one of our Product Specialists in Italy, is working from his apartment, sharing his new workplace with his wife (also a Product Specialist), two children and his dog. For days when the weather is nice, he has set-up an extra office outside: “With an apartment so crowded, on days when the weather is good, this is my place. You can understand why ;-)”. Tatiana, product Specialist in Belgium, is working from home during the coronavirus, together with her husband. They both set up their own workspaces in separate rooms of the house, to have their own home office. Flowers brighten up Tatiana’s new workplace. And her cat is excited about all the extra attention!

Keeping in touch with colleagues

Although personal contact with colleagues and healthcare professionals is limited, there are fortunately many ways to still keep in touch digitally. Within FitForMe, we use Whatsapp to ask quick questions to colleagues working from home during the coronavirus, but also to share photo’s of situations at home and funny memes and video’s. Work meetings are scheduled to catch up on projects and to hear how everyone is holding up. Tatiana is happy with the daily contact she has with the Belgium team: “We have a team meeting scheduled at 16.00 every day, in which we catch up about our workday. That really helps. Plus, our FitForMe BE Whatsapp group is being used more than ever!”

Reaching out to healthcare professionals

These times are of course challenging for healthcare professionals, who are working hard to fight the coronavirus, and have to adjust their ways of taking care of their bariatric patients as well. We support them however we can, sharing digital educational tools that they would normally give their patients in hardcopy. Alessandro makes an effort to stay in touch with healthcare professionals in Italy, through ways that are most comfortable for them: “Many professionals communicate via Microsoft Teams. Sometimes it isn’t easy for them to find the time, at that point we communicate for example via text messages. It is really up to the professional.” Tatiana has sent postcards to healthcare professionals in Belgium: “These times are challenging for healthcare professionals, and I think it is amazing what they are doing for people in need. I sent out postcards, to show my appreciation, and to wish them good luck in these challenging times.”