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Much like the rest of the country, Hamad Bin Khalifa (HBKU)’s administrative staff are currently working from home. We asked three of our communications executives to outline what their working day looks like and offer personal tips for staying positive and productive under lockdown.
Sabika Shaban, College of Islamic Studies (CIS)
What are your responsibilities at HBKU and what do they currently look like?
I am an Academic Journals and Publications Specialist at CIS, HBKU, which involves coordinating aspects of internal and external communications both within the college and in collaboration with HBKU’s Communications Directorate; facilitating specific projects such as our student journal, events initiated by the Dean’s Office, and related activities; and providing necessary support to the Dean’s Office.
How are you doing working from home and interacting with colleagues online? How is the team spirit?
Working from home has been a significant departure from the norm. Most of my work is usually done independently, making it easier to operate remotely, and can also be carried out predominantly via email. There is no doubt that technology has eased the transition so we can continue scheduling meetings that are most necessary. We recently coordinated our virtual Gahwa with the Dean, where students were able to directly relay their concerns and questions to the Dean and receive immediate clarifications in turn. Our IT team has been highly responsive to any glitches in the system; to be honest, that has been a main driver of success in this period. The IT team members have been true heroes in how we have managed to adapt literally overnight and operate comfortably with the remote working system, having been given all the right tools and support at the tips of our fingers. We have also been forced to work with tools that were previously ignored, much to the enjoyment of myself and my colleagues.
What are your top three tips for working from home?
Every transition is a learning experience, and we should truly make the most of it. I did have my unsettled moments when it seemed overwhelming alongside family and home obligations, but then learned to look past the obstacles to what I can truly achieve in this time.
Firstly, since I have the flexibility of space at home, I tend to change my working environment when the need kicks in, from the home office to the garden to the dining table, depending on the task – it breaks the monotony of working from within a closed room.
Secondly, with two young children currently studying online and offline during my working hours, there is already an understanding that something has to adapt and it will never be seamless. I take the required breaks to set them up and explain tasks that have been assigned, and to have lunch as a family. I usually have to work a little longer to make up for lost time but this helps ensure minimal disruption from frustrated children while I try to concentrate on specific projects. It is never easy, but certainly manageable.
Last but not least, there is no doubt as to the benefits of working in an office setting, considering the human interaction, direct exchange of ideas, and working in an environment designed to boost productivity. However, in the interim, it is also necessary to make use of the advantages that home offers – both major and minor factors: the ability to shut out all distractions to work single-mindedly on a complex task without interruptions from meetings and calls on the office line, saving time from getting ready for work or the commute, being able to brew your favorite coffee in your own kitchen to refuel, working in comfortable clothes at home, and so on. The situation is far from ideal, but it works a lot better when we focus on the possibilities rather than the limitations.
Dilraz Kunnummal, Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI)
What are your responsibilities at HBKU and what do they currently look like?
I manage the communications, PR and outreach functions at QEERI. As a part of my role, I work with my team on issuing press releases, internal newsletters, and other PR support to ensure that we are able to showcase our people and our work. I also work on events and activities both at a QEERI level, and for external audiences.
With the QF Remote Working Policy being activated at HBKU, we have had to reschedule some of our events, and innovate for some. We are looking at online platforms and are planning a webinar with our Senior Research Directors as part of our Community Outreach. We are also organizing a QEERI-Women’s Catch Up session using platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams as a team building activity within QEERI. With regards to other activities such as press releases, it is a lot easier as most of that was done through emails, even prior to this. The one challenge we have had is photographs, and figuring out which of our existing photos can tell a story the best way.
We are constantly learning and evolving to adapt to the situation around us. It helps that we have immense support from QEERI management and staff, the HBKU Communications team, and at every level across QF and HBKU.
How are you doing working from home and interacting with colleagues online? How is the team spirit?
Emails, online meetings and platforms such as Whatsapp are crucial to being productive as a team at this point. It is helping us to communicate effectively; however, face-to-face discussions are of course more what we are used to, and I look forward to having them again. Team spirit remains high – we are all in this together, and we are there for each other. Having a close-knit team with the same goals really makes a difference.
What are your top three tips for working from home?
- Being open-minded and willing to adapt is very important. This is new to all of us, and we are all learning as we go. Ask questions and clarifications, ask for help when needed, and voice when you are unsure of how to proceed – someone in the team will have the answers and we can keep moving forward.
- Ensure that communication lines are open, and be available and responsive as much as possible. Everyone has different priorities now – even grocery shopping is a different experience – and in these times, it is important for everyone to feel heard and that they matter. As part of the QEERI Emergency Operations Committee (QEOC) activities, our team ensured that everyone who had a request received a response in less than half an hour, and this absolutely helped to boost our teams’ morale.
- Take time out and switch off. We are facing a challenge that we have not faced before, and as such, some days can be overwhelming. Apart from work, many of us are now also teachers at home to our kids, and also more involved in activities around the house – be it cooking or cleaning and other household chores; it is easy to burn out and get frustrated. When you sense that, you need to switch off and breathe. Have some chocolate, or a hot bath or watch or read something fun to clear your mind, and then come back to work refreshed. Keeping at it when your head needs space will negatively impact the quality of your work. An hour away will most likely help you achieve more in a more efficient manner.
Omar Saoud, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI)
What are your responsibilities at HBKU and what do they currently look like?
As a communications specialist at QBRI, my job requires regular communication with different individuals and departments. Although the idea of working remotely seemed very challenging at first, it is in reality just an alteration to the traditional way we conduct our work.
How are you doing working from home and interacting with colleagues online? How is the team spirit?
The spread of COVID-19 and the measures followed by governments across the globe have had a great impact. It has undoubtedly created a new way of thinking that reflects how fast we can adapt to this new atmosphere and still be able to achieve deliverables remotely.
Before being assigned to work from home, communicating with peers used to be conducted through daily official or casual meetings and by emails and phone calls. Many communication methods did not change drastically, but meetings now are conducted exclusively through phone calls or online meeting platforms. Like many others, I expected that this would negatively affect deliverables. In reality though, this did not happen at all and from my point of view activities are still streamlined, team members are performing as usual, and deadlines are being met without any delays.
What are your top three tips for working from home?
I firmly believe that team members across all departments have shown that they are willing and able to cope with the new situation and utilize alternative methods. Personally, I follow the three methods below to manage the new situation.
- Create a daily startup routine and stick to it. For example, I wake up at the same time that I normally did when I was driving to work. I use this extra half hour to walk around the compound every day.
- Have regular short breaks to look through the window or talk to other people.
- Give some time to other family members and try to enjoy spending more time with them, especially the kids.