By Heather Brace, senior vice president and chief nursing officer
Based on current circumstances, we anticipate continuing to work remotely at least through June 2021. We encourage all caregivers in non-patient care roles, who are able, to continue working remotely. Limit in-office tasks and interaction unless absolutely necessary. If you do choose to go into the office, please follow all masking and social distancing guidelines. The primary objective is to create the safest possible environment for caregivers and their families. By working remotely and practicing other COVID-19 safety measures, we minimize the spread of this disease and conserve PPE and sanitization supplies for use in our facilities.
As we continue to work remotely, there are resources to help you do your job and stay connected to your team.
Office equipment. If you’re using an Intermountain laptop, you can take your monitor(s), keyboard, mouse, and/or docking station from your office location for in-home use. If monitors are on desk arms, you can make a request through the IS Services icon on your desktop for assistance. If you’re in need of an office chair for your space, discuss your concerns with your leader. Then, if approved, fill out an office chair request form. After completing the form, please work with your manager and property manager to make pick-up arrangements.
Connectivity. Many teams continue to successfully use Microsoft Teams to enhance the at-home experience. We’ve heard of Team channels devoted to catching up, weekly virtual lunches, and even virtual talent shows. Leaders have increased their frequency of check-ins and team huddles to organize work, focus on priorities, and maintain connection. Caregivers are also using Kudos and other forms of recognition more often to express gratitude and simply say, “thank you.” Additional resources on how to stay connected can be found on the telework website, the Caring for Ourselves and Others website, and the QuickHelp page, which houses trainings for Microsoft Teams.
Personal health. Try to keep a regular schedule each day and set boundaries on your schedule. If you haven’t already, set up a designated space to work. Remember to take LiVe Well breaks by participating in a virtual FitZone class, watching a FitZone video, or take a walk to get some fresh air. There are also virtual wellness resources available to give you more ideas.
Safety and productivity. As always, your safety—inside and outside of our facilities—is a high priority. We recognize that some of you still may not have an at-home environment that is ideal for personal productivity and safety, and you may be disappointed with the extension to June 2021. Let your leader know if your circumstances are a barrier to successfully working from home so we can help you.
Many teams are working to outline what will happen when we’re able to return to office locations—including who could continue working remotely on a permanent basis.
Please continue to share your voice. If you have any ideas about how to make this at-home experience better for you or your team, talk with your leader, email telework@imail.org, or share on Yammer.