Column: Working from home can be new experience

The acronym WFH entered corporate-speak a few years ago. However, it was little used outside of the relatively few organizations, mostly private businesses, that allowed the practice. Of course, today anyone who needs to know knows that WFH stands for working from home. Because of the slow adoption of the practice, this is a new experience for many folks. What, then, can local folks do to help make this experience easier?

First of all, there are many local cultural habits that can be counter to the requirements of WFH. Social scientists for years have pointed out the reliance on nonverbal communication here. This, along with an ingrained sense of modesty as well as deference to others, creates some difficulty for many local folks.

One common issue is that many folks don’t quite realize how assertive one must be to be heard in a teleconference. A simple nod of the head won’t indicate agreement as it would in an in-person meeting. Speak up! The corollary to this is that everyone should make a concerted effort to bring other folks into the discussion so that all voices are heard.

To that end, videoconferencing is more effective than simple conference calls. If you can see everyone, you can also catch a bit of body language and facial expression, which helps to put their words into context. Similarly, you also can try to communicate context with your use of body language and facial expression. And, since you’re at home, you won’t be wearing a mask.

There are many good videoconferencing applications out there, and chances are that your organization is already using one. Zoom, Webex, Hangouts or even applications typically thought of as text-only, such as Teams and Slack, have options for video calls and conferences.

If you are on a videoconference, turn on your camera. Don’t be “that person” who puts up a static picture of themselves. Get used to being seen online; as mentioned above, this is valuable.

Of course, this means you have to be prepared to be on camera. Follow your normal personal hygiene routine such as combing your hair, brushing your teeth and shaving if that’s something you normally do when going to the office. Anecdotally, brushing one’s teeth is one of the most common oversights for people who WFH.

From a technical perspective, even though we’ve been harping on video, audio quality is still important. For many conferences, consider using your landline or even cellphone for audio. Most, if not all, videoconferencing applications provide that option.

Our social customs are not all bad in these times. While it might not be 6 feet, most of us already have been respectful of others’ personal space.

John Agsalud is an IT expert with more than 25 years of information technology experience in Hawaii and around the world. He can be reached at jagsalud@live.com.