GRBusiness
Productivity Tips For Working From Home During Covid-19
In a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19, popularly known as Coronavirus, remote work (essentially working from home) has been the centre of discussions on social media and the Internet in Nigeria and across the world.
We have followed these discussions and noticed that reactions are mixed. The reason for this is simple: Working from home is hard in this country! This is because of the peculiar infrastructural, cultural, etc. challenges that we face.
The reality though, is that people must work from home if we’re to tame this beast. This begs the question: how can one stay productive while working from home? The following tips will help a great deal. Please, read and share as far and wide as you!
- Create your own workspace: The living room or in bed might not be the best place to work if you want to be productive. That’s why creating your own workspace at home is very important as it will help you concentrate. A simple desk and a comfortable chair in one corner of your room or on the balcony will work just fine. The workspace doesn’t have to be out of this world!
- Get stable power: Though Nigeria has the potential togenerate 12,522 megawatts (MW) of electric power, it currently only generates around 4,000 MW, which is insufficient. As a result, most Nigerians don’t have constant light. This includes you!. To be productive, you have to get stable power to charge your devices (laptops, mobile phones, etc). One way you can surmount this challenge is getting a generating set (you probably have one already). You can also try solar-powered devices, inverters, etc.
- Get decent internet connection: While the cost of data has crashed in recent times, the speed of internet connection hasn’t improved much (average internet speed is 3.15Mbps, which is 6.85Mbps lesser than the minimum requirement). Slow internet connection means you can’t do much online – web pages would take forever to load – and this will cause frustration and greatly affect your productivity. To be productive, you have to get decent internet connection. This might mean moving from laptop tethering to investing in broadband or fibre-to-the-home internet service. Don’t be that person who didn’t finish an important task because of slow internet!
- Effectively use required business/communications tools: In the office, communication between staff mostly happens face to face. This luxury doesn’t exist while working from home as most conversations (formal and informal) will take place online. With this in mind, companies would adopt a set of tools to ensure clear and easy communication between employees. Some of these tools might include WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Meet, Slack, Email, etc. To be productive and taken seriously, you need to learn to effectively use the required tools. You don’t want to keep your boss waiting because you don’t know where the share button on Google Docs is!
- Take regular breaks: Most companies allow employees to take coffee or lunch breaks. This allows employees to regain strength, engage in informal conversations and attend to personal needs like responding to a message from a family member or friend. You should do the same while working from home. If your company didn’t set a time for breaks, set one for yourself and stick to it. Use that period to do things like eat, have a chat with your siblings, text a friend or run an errand. These breaks boost productivity and help fight isolation, a silent killer of productivity.
- Be prepared for work: Because you work from home and can reach your workspace in seconds, you might be tempted to stay longer in bed or spend some extra minutes chatting with friend. You shouldn’t, though. What you should do instead is prepare for work in almost the same way you would if you were going to the real office. Essentially, wake up early (you can extend the time you normally wake up for work…you deserve a little something), have your shower, get dressed (casual, of course) and then move to your workspace and fire up your work & comms tools before “resumption time”. Whether you’re going to the office or working from home, proper preparation is one way to be productive at work.
- Track your goals: You play your role in helping the company achieve its very ambitious goals by smashing little goals on a daily basis. When working from home, smashing those little goals can be very daunting what with the newfound flexibility, little to no supervision, distractions, etc. This is where goal-tracking is important. Tracking your goals helps you achieve them. It’s that simple! One tool that can help in this regard is “Objectives and Key Results”, aka OKR. Created by Andy Grove at Intel, OKRs are how you track progress, create alignment, and encourage engagement around measurable goals. Virtually everyone uses OKRs and you should too, especially at a time like this. Get more information about the tool here
Udoh N. Kelven
Head of Communications and Marketing, Passion Incubator
Energy
AVEVA is providing data management support for renewable natural gas projects
Reporter: Godwin Ezeh
Key Highlights
● AVEVA’s industrial information infrastructure has been selected by Archaea Energy to provide key data management support
● AVEVA’s industrial software to optimize performance across Archaea’s RNG plants
AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software driving digital transformation and sustainability, has been selected by Archaea Energy, the largest renewable natural gas (RNG) producer in the US, to build a comprehensive operations data management infrastructure.
Using AVEVA’s software, Archaea Energy can collect, enrich and visualize its real-time operations data, enabling performance analysis across its growing network of plants.
Using AVEVA PI Data Infrastructure, a hybrid solution with cloud data services, the plants will be able to share data to highlight operational opportunities and optimize efficiency.
Caspar Herzberg, CEO, AVEVA, stated,
“Through this collaboration and the use of AVEVA PI Data Infrastructure, Archaea’s growing network of plants will have streamlined operations with accurate performance analysis throughout the expansion. AVEVA’s CONNECT software platform leverages industrial intelligence from a central location, making it easier to deploy additional digital solutions in the future.”
“As the largest RNG producer in the United States, we are dedicated to delivering reliable, clean energy,” said Starlee Sykes, chief executive officer of Archaea Energy. “This relationship will allow us to optimize operations and offer detailed performance analysis as we continue to expand across the country.”
Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises(SMBs) are the backbone of most economies accounting for 90% of businesses, over 70% of employment, and 50% of global GDP, according to the United Nations. They drive growth, innovation, and job creation worldwide.
In Nigeria, they play a crucial role in stimulating local economies and contributing to the country’s GDP.
Recognising their impact, WhatsApp is committed to empowering SMBs with the tools to succeed through the WhatsApp Business App, by reaching their customers where they already are.
WhatsApp continues to be the best way for people and businesses to get business done in Nigeria. With its efficient features, the WhatsApp Business App has become an indispensable tool for small businesses, helping them streamline communication, enhance customer engagement and drive sales. And we know customers love communicating with businesses over WhatsApp too, as nearly 80% of people globally message with a business at least once a week.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to optimise your business operations, here are five essential WhatsApp Business features that can elevate your efficiency and customer interactions.
1. Catalog – Showcase Your Products and Services
Gone are the days of sending multiple images and descriptions individually to customers. With the Catalog feature, you can create a digital storefront where customers can browse your offerings within WhatsApp. This is just like a mini-website which makes it easier to showcase your products, prices and descriptions in an organised way.
How to Use It: Go to Business Tools > Catalog. Add product images, videos, names, descriptions and pricing.
2. Quick Replies – Save Time on Repetitive Questions
Answering the same customer questions repeatedly? Quick Replies let you create preset responses for frequently asked questions, saving you time and ensuring fast customer service.
How to Use It:Go to Settings > Business Tools > Quick Replies. Create and save responses such as a greeting message or order confirmation. Use the shortcut “/” to insert a quick reply in any chat
3. Labels – Stay Organised and Track Conversations
Managing multiple customer interactions can be overwhelming, but the Labels feature helps by categorising chats in different ways, such as order status or customer type. You can create labels with different colors or names and add the conversations to an entire chat. This keeps your inbox organised and ensures no customer is left waiting.
How to Use It: Open a chat, tap on the three-dot menu > Label Chat. Assign relevant labels like New Customer, Order Placed, Pending Payment.
4. Away Messages – Engage Customers Even When You’re Away
Never miss a customer inquiry again. Away Messages allow you to set up a greeting or away message, ensuring customers receive timely responses even outside business hours.
How to Use It: Go to Business Tools > Away Message / Greeting Message. Set up a custom message and schedule when it should be sent.
5. Meta Verified – For Enhanced Protection and Account Support
A paid subscription that helps your business build credibility with new audiences, Meta Verified can help drive more engagement and grow your brand. With Meta Verified, you’ll receive enhanced account support, can use WhatsApp across multiple devices and easily create a professional WhatsApp web page that’s tailored to you.
How to Use It: Go to Settings or Business Tools > tap Meta Verified.
WhatsApp Business is packed with features designed to help small businesses grow, stay organised, and engage with customers effortlessly. By leveraging these features, you can enhance your customer experience, increase efficiency and ultimately drive more sales. Start your own journey with the WhatsApp Business app here.
Bolt, the leading ride-hailing platform, on Thursday, 19th of March hosted an Iftar gathering in Kano to bring together Muslim drivers during the holy month of Ramadan.
The event was not only an opportunity to share a meal but also served as a platform for open dialogue, feedback exchange, and community building within the Bolt driver network.
The Iftar event, held in recognition of the significance of Ramadan, reinforced Bolt’s commitment to supporting its driver-partners and fostering inclusivity across all communities. The gathering provided an environment for drivers to voice their concerns, share their experiences, and engage directly with the Bolt team in a collaborative discussion about improving their experience on the platform.
Speaking during the event, Osi Oguah, the general manager for Bolt Nigeria said: “At Bolt, we recognize the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive environment for our driver-partners.
This Iftar event was more than just a meal, it was a chance to connect, listen, and understand the challenges and needs of our drivers in Kano. We appreciate their dedication, especially during this sacred period of Ramadan.”
Drivers in attendance expressed their appreciation for the initiative, highlighting the sense of belonging and recognition the event fostered. Many also welcomed the opportunity to discuss ways to improve their overall experience on the Bolt platform, making it a productive and meaningful engagement for all participants.
Nura Muhammed, a driver-partner said: “We want to say thank you to Bolt for this initiative, if my knowledge serves me right, this is the first time a ride-hailing company will organize such an event in Kano. This event has also made it possible for us to share some feedback to them physically and we drivers mostly get to connect through our online platform but today, we’re able to meet physically, mingle and exchange pleasantries”
Bolt remains committed to strengthening driver engagement and well-being, and this Iftar gathering is part of a broader effort to continuously support and empower driver-partners across Nigeria.
