Delano caught up on Wednesday with Mikkel Strørup, regional director at Sparinvest, an asset manager in Luxembourg whose parent company is based in Denmark.
AG: Prior to the covid-19 restrictions, did you already telecommute and, if so, how often?
MS: Yes, I did, this is very normal in Sparinvest, and perhaps in Nordic companies in general. I would say a day every 2 weeks or so, under normal circumstances.
When did you start telecommuting as a covid-19 precaution?
All employees started at the latest after Wednesday 11 March. Some started before that if they had been to any countries that we considered risk zones by our group (including Danish offices).
What was your telecommuting workspace previously? Or was it always your “home office”?
This was always my home office. At Sparinvest, all employees have the possibility of working from home, and many make use of it. In fact, Sparinvest even pays the internet bill for employees, as well as providing IT equipment for it. In my case, as you can see, I have a docking station for my laptop, two extra screens, an external keyboard an mouse, as well as a headset for Skype for Business (which also covers our landline) and Microsoft Teams. As we started looking at general home office for all employees, Sparinvest asked all staff if they were missing anything, so they would be able to provide it to us before it was too late.
Mikkel Strørup’s home office. Photo provided by Mikkel Strørup
What do you like about your telecommuting workspace?
I like that it resembles my working station at the office 1 to 1. I have an office where I can close the door, so that private conversations can also take place. When I sometimes take a home office day, I do this to get the silence I need for concentrated work, be it reading, writing or similar tasks where silence is appreciated. And I’m sure my colleagues also appreciate it, as I may sometimes be the most noisy one around.
I also appreciate not having to go through Luxembourg rush hour. I save a lot of time when I work from home, and can spend that time with my wife and daughter.
Last, I try to make a good balance between office time and home time, and with an 18 months old daughter, I can sometimes leave the office to pick her up from her crèche, spend time with her and cook dinner, and then log in late when she is asleep to catch up on work. Home office is excellent for this flexibility.
What do you want to change about your telecommuting workspace?
You know what? I am perfectly happy with the way things are.
Is there a “personal touch” to your home workspace?
Yes there is. When my daughter is home, it’s difficult for her to stay away from the office., so I have things ready for her. Pens and paper for drawing, toys, and on a rare occasion, one of the two extra screens show a Youtube clip with some Danish kids songs.
This is also where I come to play music, so my guitar, ukulele, my bouzouki--a Greek instrument, which I wish I were better at playing--and my digital drum set are all in here as well.
Mikkel Strørup’s home office. Photo provided by Mikkel Strørup
What are your most widely used telecommuting tools or applications?
Skype for Business and since recently also Microsoft Teams. I use an external Jabra (excellent Danish brand) headset with microphone, which works perfectly well, and often together with the inbuilt webcam of my laptop for videoconferences.
How do you make telecommuting work for you?
I make sure to communicate as if I were in the office. Write using the Skype chat, call for small things that my neighbor might know (instead of looking it up myself the hard way, as you would at the office). In these corona times where home office is for longer periods, we make daily update calls to, one, speak about any development in the corona from our countries or organisations, but also to, two, make sure we see and speak to other people.
I also try to keep office and home separated, so that when I am in here, I work. This is slightly more difficult in these corona days, as my wife and daughter are home at the same time, but both they and I know that my work needs to get done, so we cope. And every once in a while, my daughter needs a kiss, a quick drawing or just to hang out with me for 5 minutes.
Have you developed any new habits or routines?
When I am on the phone, my view is much better at home than at the office--so I like to walk around my home office and enjoy it while speaking.
Mikkel Strørup’s home office. Photo provided by Mikkel Strørup
After the covid-19 restrictions are lifted, do you plan to keep telecommuting sometimes?
Absolutely--it’s part of our working culture. And the balance I can allow myself thanks to a flexible employer, by for example picking up my daughter from crèche and spending the early evening with her, and then log in later to compensate, is really excellent and seriously contributes to what I consider, for myself at least, successful work life balance.