What's working like for you?
Tuesday, 26 May 2020
The coronavirus lockdown has changed the way we work individually, with our own teams and with other teams at the University. Whether we are working from home or are working on the campus, each of us is adapting in our own way to these changed circumstances. Every Tuesday and Thursday, we will share the experience of some of our colleagues.
Rob Boreham-Fish is a Lead Event Coordinator for Venue Reading, which is part of Campus Commerce specialising in organising events on campus for internal and external clients.
Under normal working circumstances, Venue Reading offers a wide range of event services and venues at our Whiteknights and London Road campuses. In midst of the COVID-19 pandemic however, event facilities have been reduced until further notice.
"As an event coordinator, I enjoy seeing an event develop from an initial idea to its completion. While it's obviously understandable that events are being postponed, it is still a shame to see something you've worked hard for come to a standstill," says Rob. "I'm looking forward to working with my clients again when things return to normal".
While working from home, Rob has found Microsoft Teams useful for keeping in touch with colleagues - however, he misses the day-to-day interactions that come with working in an office.
"I do miss my colleagues, and while we can speak through Teams, its not the same as being in the same room. I'm also missing all of the treats we usually have in the office... the fruit in the bowl at home is not the same as our supply of cakes!"
While he may not be amongst his usual colleagues, Rob does have at least one co-worker to keep him company - his dog Leo. "I'm not sure he likes me being home so much disturbing his naps!" Rob laughs.
To stay active, Rob has taken up cycling and goes for a ride each day after working from home. "I'd recommend it as it's something you can do on your own while social distancing and keeps your mind and body healthy."
While events may not be running at this time, you can still contact Venue Reading about holding an event in the future. To contact the team, please email info@venuereading.com. You can also find the Venue Reading team on social media, where you'll also find tips on working from home - follow the team on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
To enable as many people as possible to share their experience the Internal Communications team has developed a storyboard, so if you'd like to take part, contact the Internal Communications team and a member of the team will guide you through the process. These will form a series of articles on what new ways of working have been like for colleagues as well as offering practical advice, hints and tips on how to manage this.