How To Maximize Technology While Working At Home

Here at the Rocket Companies^®, we’ve all been working at home for much longer than anticipated (like many other people around the globe). While many companies claim that their employees are more efficient while working from home, it all depends on how you structure your day and how you maximize all the technology tools available to you. Here are three helpful tips to maximize technology while you’re working at home.

Stay connected with your team by proactively messaging teammates with whatever chat apps you have access to. Here at the Rocket Companies^®, we use Sift to learn the names of our teammates and get in contact with team members. We also rely heavily on programs like Microsoft Teams and Zoom daily to collaborate and connect. It’s so important to keep the conversations alive, and although it isn’t entirely natural to solely build professional relationships online, we’ve welcomed the challenge of this new reality as a company. Every day we learn something new. Test out using GIFs to add a punch of laughter or personality to your conversation, and don’t be afraid to get creative! We highly recommend setting up regular coffee chats or organized group chats to strengthen your bond with fellow colleagues. Even if you can’t meet at the coffee shop, you can still enjoy a cup of joe together.

Our team members have access to events, online resources and curated articles for them to learn skills that enhance their physical, mental and emotional well-being. These include a range of things they can sign up for, including Zoom yoga classes, virtual afternoon meditation sessions, a blog devoted to health and wellness tips, step challenges and more. While it’s also always a great idea to unplug (away from technology) when you unwind, don’t forget that you can also productively use your phone or laptop to relax. Read a book just for fun, listen to music or use a workout app—now that so many of us are working from home make sure you set time aside for your own mental health. Utilize technology to your advantage, not so you get burnt out.

Since we can’t all be in the same room, oftentimes our teams collaborate with shared documents on Microsoft Teams or Google Drive. This cuts down on version control and makes it easy for the whole team to see the latest version of the document or project. It’s easy to sync files, leave comments on the document and communicate while collaborating.

There you have it! Those are our three most helpful technology tips that should be easy to implement into your own life, too. Working from home is an adjustment for many of us, but we hope these tips show you that simple changes can easily elevate your work from home experience.