Resources for Telework Success

If you're new to working remotely, you may find there are some adjustments you have to make as you get into a new routine. Here are some tips for making your transition to remote work smooth and effective.

Download these tips as a PDF

Workday Basics

Work and be available online during your normal business hours. If you would normally be available during the University’s core business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., then you should continue to be so when you work from home.
Lunch Break – please let your team know when you will be offline; as usual, stagger lunch breaks so that your unit has coverage.
If you were unable to forward your calls from your work phone, be sure to check your voicemail several times a day by dialing (718) 990-1616 to retrieve your voice mail messages.

Workday Tips

Embrace your usual routine - minus the commute- as if you were headed to the office:
- Set your alarm
- Have your usual breakfast and beverage
- Wear comfortable, presentable clothes (in case you have a videoconference).
Be ready to work at your regular time in your home work space.
Plan your day each morning, and organize your work by priorities
Schedule work on your Microsoft Outlook Calendar.
- Provide natural breaks so you can shift your focus periodically. This will also help you to manage your time effectively.

Internet Access at Home

For more information, please see the Information Technology’s guide, How do I connect to the Internet?

For those without consistent Wi-Fi access, Altice has made their Wi-Fi hotspots free to the public and you can access them via these instructions.

Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription and at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll, call 1-844-488-8395.

Comcast is offering two months free to new Internet Essentials customers in response to recent and anticipated emergency measures associated with COVID-19. For more information, visit www.internetessentials.com/covid19

Planning & Communication

Prepare your work for the day and for the week.
Discuss your daily and weekly goals with your supervisor to ensure priorities align. Adjust goals as necessary and stay flexible.
Participate in meetings online and via tools available; sign on a few minutes early to ensure you have a good connection.
Inform people of the best telephone number to contact you.
Pay attention to Office 365 Teams chats you receive from your co-workers. This is the best way to stay in touch and to be responsive.
If you are not feeling well and cannot work, contact your supervisor as you normally would if you were unable to work.
Keep track of the work you perform during this work-from-home period.

Working from home will require flexibility and adjustment. Be patient with yourself during this interim arrangement.
Give yourself time to learn Office 365 and other tools; don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Use the support resources available to you
Share what’s working well and what’s not with your co-workers so you can learn from one another and improve your work-from-home experience.
Communicate well with your supervisor, department, other colleagues and constituents.

Reduce distractions by logging off of social media accounts or turning off notifications during work hours.
Office 365 Teams app chat, email, text and phone can all interrupt your train of thought…schedule time to check messages.
Communicate your availability to your team.
Celebrate successes with your team.