4 Ways Our Team is Managing Work-From-Home Life While Managing Pet Travel

PetRelocation is dedicated to keeping you informed on travel restrictions related to the coronavirus. We are working every day to make sure that your pets can travel with as little delay as possible. 

Not only are we working to move along your relocation, but we are also working to do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19 by following the guidelines put in place by the CDC, washing our hands and staying home. 

Fortunately, we had a plan in place to get all our team members up and running to consult and manage pet moves from outside our Austin office.. Below are some tips we’ve found useful during this transition along with a few things we are doing to ensure our team can continue to help you and your pets from anywhere! 

1. Keep A Regular Schedule 

This may seem obvious, but if you aren’t careful when working from home your days can start to blend together. “It’s so tempting to just go from my bed to my desk each morning,” says Kathy, one of our senior sales consultants. “So, I make sure each morning to take a shower, fix my hair, and get dressed just like if I was going to the office! My husband thinks I’m crazy, but it really helps me feel more energized when I do start my day!”

Make sure to take your lunch breaks at the time you would in the office, too. It’s tempting to work through lunch, but your mind may need a break. Since you are taking fewer breaks to socialize with colleagues or rub the belly of the office pet that day you may not realize that you’re overworking yourself. There are dozens of apps designed to remind you to look away from your screen, stretch or take a walk.

Tucker and Bugs help Kathy while planning future moves to the UK!   

 

2. Stay Connected 

At PetRelocation, our company culture is so important to us, and we don’t want to lose that just because we aren’t in the same space every day. That’s why we are taking strides to stay connected throughout the day with our teammates. 

There are so many great ways to do this. For instance, make sure your team has a reliable way to message each other throughout the day. We use the program Nextiva, which allows us to message each other, share screens and make international calls even when we’re at home. For smaller teams, there are also great tools with applications through platforms such as Google Hangouts or WhatsApp. 

Make sure to stay connected in other ways, too. Many company cultures revolve around teams getting together for out of office outings such as happy hours. These bonding experiences are so important, so don’t let that slide. “I love our virtual happy hours!” explains Celia, our human resource coordinator. “We can still get together, talk about our day and let off steam. This team is so funny, creative and unique. I don’t want us to ever lose that closeness”. 

Ellie, Emmy, and Niel help Celia plan company events.

3. Have a Reliable Office Set-Up 

PetRelocation is making sure that our team is set up for success while working from home. We are doing so by supplying laptops and second screens for employees that need them, and setting up a reliable VPN to ensure access to all the files our pet relocating superstars may need. We also strive to make sure all veterinary packets, flight booking templates, and other essential documents can all be done electronically from the homes of our employees. 

We believe that remote offices are a global trend, so we are excited to flex our work-from-home muscles. However, each employee needs to make sure they are creating a healthy office set-up for themselves, too. 

We suggest you set up a designated workspace in your home that you can step away from when it’s break time or when it’s time to shut down for the day. “It’s so important to have your workspace that is separate from your living space. That’s not always easy when you live in a small apartment like mine,” explains Ciara, our relocation coordinator for the domestic team. Ciara’s advice is “When choosing your space my biggest suggestion is to face a window if possible- not the TV! Then make sure you keep your space as clutter-free as possible, to avoid distractions. Less is best when it comes to a small space and staying productive. Oh, and it’s pretty much necessary to go on a morning, lunch, and evening walk or you will get cabin fever very quickly.”

Edgar Allen Potato, helping Ciara stay organized.

4. Make Sure to Give Your Pets Lots of Attention 

Did you think we weren’t going to bring it back to your pets? Of course! Dogs, cats and other house pets are loving having their pawrents home with them all day! And while some experts are predicting that the social distancing we’re practicing now may lead toward permanent trends in the workforce, this may not apply to everyone. So, enjoy this time with your pets! 

Take your dog for a walk, stop to pet your cat once every half hour or maybe even spend a little extra time in bed one morning cuddling with them before your workday begins. Remember, every day for them revolves around you. Make them a big part of your schedule while you’re home more often!  

“I’m suddenly hyper-aware of why dogs get so excited just to see us return home or join us outside for an hour in the sun,” says Christina, our marketing specialist. “We are all basically living the life of a house pet right now. So, give your dog some extra love and some high quality treats today. And maybe do the same for yourself!” We think that’s excellent advice. 

Max is helping Christina stay focused in her home office.

We hope these tips for effectively working from home and staying happy and healthy helps you during this time of isolation. Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more tips and pets! 

Do you have a love for pets, logistics and looking for something new? Maybe you’re the right fit for our growing team!