09 Apr VMP at Home: Our online video production experience working from home!
Social distancing, self-isolation, flatten the curve… These new terms are suddenly so essential to our everyday vocabulary. If you don’t know what we’re talking about then where on Earth have you been!
Amidst the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic, many Australian businesses and services are having to down tools and suspend operations, or entirely re-structure the way they operate. We are all doing what we can to ensure continuity for our teams and families.
Fortunately, many businesses are still able to operate and are largely doing so out of their team’s own homes – enacting ‘work from home’ operations so everyone can keep safe in their own personal space.
But how does this work for an online video production company? Well for the team here at VMP we are following suit! We’ve picked up our office PCs and taken them into our living rooms, bedrooms and study’s (Wherever we have the space, really!) – But that doesn’t mean productivity has stopped! Perhaps it even means the opposite?
It is business (almost) as usual but we wanted to take a moment to avoid the stresses of constant news updates and nearing the last roll of T.P! Let the VMP team share some of our experiences since we started working from home and offer some insights to how we are coping through online video production.
A snapshot of the daily VMP online team meeting. Home comforts and social distancing included!
What’s been your biggest learning curve or challenge since having to work from home?
“Distractions, learning to separate business and personal when they’re now combined.” – May
“Have dedicated free time and not feel like you have to constantly work, even after hours.” – Ruth
“Having to stop myself from being distracted by things around the house (i.e. I need to put some washing on needs to wait until our lunch break etc)” – Natalie
“Learning curve is as per normal – trying to keep up with the team! I am still holding the fort [working from the office] but the challenge is missing the personal interactions of a busy office.” – Ian
What do you recommend to people who are now having to work from home?
“Keep the same routine – get up, dressed for work, if you’re used to walk to public transport, walk around the block instead (keeping your physical distance of course – I am living in a quiet area and barely ever meet anyone so it is okay I guess), have the same breaks, amount of coffee, etc., and a dedicated workspace.” – Ruth
“Make sure you incorporate your normal at work routine into your at home one. I’ve been getting up at the same time, walking the dog, doing hair & makeup as normal. I’ve also tried to keep the same coffee / tea breaks.” – Natalie
“I installed a dedicated user profile on my home computer for work to reduce distractions & stay focused. The fridge is still a challenge though!” – Tony
What do you think we did right when we setup our ‘work from home’ plan?
“We set it up early and talked about it hypothetically even before we knew it would be necessary, so it was well communicated with everyone and any concerns could be raised and sorted. The option to take workstations home and the provision of web cams and headsets is great, and the arrangement of a daily video call with everyone is really helpful for organisation and to feel and stay motivated and part of a team.” – Ruth
“Got onto it early, team meeting every morning and focus on the positives we can control in this weird time of living quietly.” – Ian
“The option for some of us to take workstations home I think has been really good for productivity, and helping it feel like I’m at work still.” – Katy
“Daily team meetings at 9 have been effective in ensuring everyone is engaged and clear about what the day will bring. Our methods of communication so far have also been successful.” – Liam
What do you miss the most about coming into the office everyday?
“Being able to walk next door to talk out an idea or get clarification on something, or seeing my work incorporated instantly.” – May
“Being able to chat with everyone when needed, or even for short breaks. I think even not discussing work related topics with others in the office is good for productivity as it gives you a break from thinking about what you’re working on.” – Katy
“Having people around you to bounce off. Easier to get quick clarification on something if you have a question.” – Liam
“Human interaction! I really miss seeing everyone and having a chat with them.” – Natalie
What are you doing to look after your mental health during this?
“Mostly playing video games in my personal time. They’re a great way to take your mind off what’s happening around you, but also give opportunities to connect with others through playing online.” – Katy
“Some days I’ve been practicing tennis on my break. But the main positive for me is that my housemate now works from home and we’re both set up next to each other in the dining area. So, I get someone to chat to.” – Liam
“Doing regular exercise and making sure I’m taking some time out to spend with my dog and partner in the evening rather than scrolling through social media. I’m also considering doing some yoga!” – Natalie
We’re Still Here!
Well, we hope this has helped to ease some of the tensions and stresses we are all going through as a global community. And in some unprecedented down time, now is a great time to assess your marketing and content needs and start planning for the other side.
Our office and studio are still fully operational. Although you may not see all our familiar happy faces at once, the VMP team are still here (well… at home) to answer your calls, read your emails and to shoot your next online video production!
View sample videos of our work in our Portfolio page!