Many Bay of Plenty businesses are working at home under the red light setting. Photo / Getty Images
Working from home, limited office staff, Zoom meetings, and no walk-ins are how the Bay of Plenty workforce is adapting to operating under the Covid-19 red traffic light setting.
While some employers say working from home has its benefits, they were also prioritising the mental health of their staff as the home office made connecting with people "a bit more clinical".
Unreliable internet, technical issues and bad home office set-ups was also causing challenges.
Maisey Harris & Co Tauranga accountants director Matt Solomona said his employees have the option to work from home.
Solomona said they had digital catchups with its Hamilton office three times a week, and daily catchups with its Tauranga team members to ensure everything was running smoothly.
"Working from home is not the same - it has other challenges."
He said the mental health of his employees was a priority, as well as keeping everyone safe.
"Not everyone enjoys working from home for long periods of time," he said, "and our culture is focused on people and clients."
The business operates in a shared office, so it proactively communicated about where people had been and what they had been doing, he said.
Solomona said working from home also made it harder for his businesses to connect with their clients.
"We're all lucky enough to have the technology to work from home if needed to.
"But that missing connection with people when it's all digital, it's not ideal for us."
He said it was important to allow employees working from home to maintain a work-life balance.
David McConnochie, Tauranga manager of investment advisory business Forsyth Barr, said his company wanted to make sure it was "looking after our customers, and making sure we've got enough staff to run the business".
"We've got a high level of responsibility to make sure markets can still operate efficiently."
Their office had moved employees into two 'teams' based on their position and responsibilities.
One team works from home while the other works in the office, and then they switch, minimising the chance of both teams getting sick at the same time.
"We wanted to be able to make sure we're providing a service no matter what happens in the current health environment," said McConnochie.
"Because of the nature of our business, we can work remotely relatively easily."
He said there were some issues getting technology to some employees who needed help to set up their home offices, but he said these were easily resolved.
He said the company will reassess the system as needed.
He advised others to "keep calm, and keep reviewing their systems to operate as best they can".
Director of Rotorua-based Salt + Tonic app developers, Matt Browning, said his employees preferred working from the home office.
Browning said he was the only one who meets with clients in person, otherwise, meetings were held via Zoom.
He said a surprise benefit of shifting to a work-from-home model was the opportunity to connect with more international clients in the United States, Barcelona, and Africa.
"It's increased our business. That's purely because people are working from home, so for them, it doesn't really matter."
However, Browning said working from home did involve some technical struggles, with one employee having unreliable internet and another not having a great home office set-up.
He said having people work from home was "not great for the team, because we get on so well".
"Collaboration and teamwork and problem-solving happens in real life.
"New Zealanders, in general, are quite social ... there's definitely a loss with not having that. It becomes a bit more clinical."
When it comes to hybrid working situations, he said it was important to remember that "it's okay not to be perfect", and to "celebrate it as a season".
"We have to make do with what we have for the time being."
Rotorua Office Professionals owner Cheryl Roberts said her business had also changed under red.
"Where we can work at home, we will work at home."
They were meeting with clients over the phone or Zoom, rather than in person.
"Our clients will often ring us if they're unsure of something, whereas we would previously have set an appointment and a time for them to come in.
"We don't do a lot of appointments and walk-ins.
"There's probably only one of us in the office during the week."
Roberts said her company had also expanded to offer business advisory services to respond to their clients' needs.
"That's what they need to keep their doors open."
Holland Beckett lawyer's human resources manager Danielle Brownlie said the company encouraged people to work from home where possible in its Tauranga, Rotorua, Whakatane and Opotiki offices.
"We're lucky now that we live in an age where if people have access to technology, you can still basically hold meetings and do everything you need to do [remotely].
"It's pretty much business as usual, really."
Brownlie said they had provided their employees with technology needed to work from home.
She said they also accommodate anyone wanting their services. While those coming into the office must have a vaccine pass, they can also Zoom with clients or arrange alternative methods.
Zespri's chief people officer Edith Sykes said the health and wellbeing of employees was their primary focus under the red light setting.
"We are actively encouraging our people to work from home but for those that cannot, our Mount Maunganui office has enhanced safety measures and gathering restrictions in place.
"All our people and visitors must show their My Vaccine Pass or show a negative RAT [rapid antigen test], wear a face mask and maintain distancing."
Sykes said the company regularly updated employees on what the government's restrictions and requirements meant for their workplace.
"Our people in New Zealand and offshore are well equipped to work remotely.
"Throughout the pandemic we've made greater use of online meetings and technology to help our teams stay connected.
"We're regularly engaging with our people to understand how we can further support them and we have introduced a global policy around flexible work to empower people to decide when and where they work."
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