Working from Home Co-op Student Guide
Working from home is likely a new experience for many co-op students. The following guide will provide you with tips and additional resources to succeed as you work from home on your co-op work term. You can always connect with your Co-op Student Advisor should you have any questions.
Clarify Expectations with your Supervisor/Employer
- Working hours: These are usually standard and match what you would do if you were going into the office. You need to be working and reachable during those times.
- Things to ask your supervisor include:
- How to best communicate with them and your team
- What your priorities, deliverables, and tasks are
- What to do if you need additional equipment or materials to do your work
- If there are instructions or guides for using software and new technology (e.g. VPN, Microsoft Teams, Slack, etc.)
Stay Connected
- The programs used will vary by the organization based on their needs and resources
- Be sure to silence notifications that are not related to work during work hours (and vice versa when the workday is done)
- Video conferences: Test the software before the first meeting, be mindful of what’s visible behind you, consider how noisy your environment is and mute your microphone when not speaking, try not to interrupt, be patient – technology can sometimes be slow or not work
- Check-in with supervisor and colleagues often – if possible, try to schedule regular check-ins
- Do not hesitate to connect with your supervisor or colleagues if you have questions or concerns
Self-Care
- Set up your home working environment so that it’s comfortable and you have everything you need. Try to create a separate workspace to help with work-life balance or be sure to pack up your work materials at the end of the day.
- Create a routine that allows you to be ready to work for your start time and be productive during the day.
- Make sure to still take your breaks and lunch. It can be helpful to schedule these.
- Working from home can feel very isolating – Make a point of connecting with your support network outside of work hours
- If you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed access the free resources available to you through Health and Counselling.
Additional Resources
How to Embrace Remote Work – https://info.trello.com/hubfs/Trello-Embrace-Remote-Work-Ultimate-Guide.pdf
New to Working Remotely? – https://learning.linkedin.com/blog/productivity-tips/new-to-working-remotely–these-resources-can-help
Working From Home – working-from-home-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-what-you-need-to-know/#5feae1141421