Working from home during the pandemic increased the number of emails I sent and received. During a peak period of student activity at my university, the Transcripts section had about 500 emails to respond to.
Luckily I had two colleagues who pitched in to help clear the backlog. The customer service was the best we could provide, given that we were unable to print stamped and signed hard copies. Most students, employers and other educational institutions were flexible and acccepted the official PDF documents we produced.
Management were supportive and kept in touch using Microsoft Teams.
Other people working from home are not so fortunate. The BBC reports on workers emailed by bosses outside working hours with an expectation that staff would always be available. Unlike France, there is no current legislation or code of practice, in the UK to set clear boundaries for ‘teleworkers’ and their working hours.
The wellbeing of staff working from home is hard to guage, but performance monitoring is not a substitute for good working relationships and supportive line management.
odespinner 