Like many other workplaces, Cirkom is also trying to navigate the new way of working that the corona epidemic has created. The new everyday life requires flexibility and trust when maintaining both professional standards and social relationships in the home office.

“I think we’ll be working this way for a very long time to come. Maybe it will even become normal to have two fixed working days at home in the future. It is therefore important that we establish new routines that ensure that employees can work efficiently, but also feel part of a social community,” says Kurt Christensen, CEO at Cirkom.

The changed situation created by the coronavirus requires a completely new way of thinking and working. This is no exception at Cirkom, where discipline and trust are two crucial factors.

Structure your work-from-home day

“Some people find working from home easy, while others just aren’t designed to work from home. That’s why we try to help employees structure their new workday. For example, we’ve introduced whiteboard meetings on Teams every morning at nine o’clock, where we go through the day’s tasks together. This contributes to good work discipline, and it’s nice to know what each of us is working on,” says Kurt Christensen and continues:

“Our employees have been with us for many years, so we know each other very well. We trust them to get the job done, and we’re also very open about the interplay between work and personal life. It needs to work, even if the children are at home. Fortunately, we’re all doing really well,” says Kurt Christensen.

Virtual Friday fun creates a sense of community

Even though Cirkom is currently preparing for the fact that the office workday may forever be a bit different, the strong sense of community is something that is highly prioritized.

“There’s no doubt that the loss to colleagues is huge. The social relationships we’re used to have a huge impact on all of us. That’s why we’ve introduced virtual Friday hygge, where we meet with a camera on Teams and wish each other a good weekend. It’s important that we still feel like a team,” says Kurt Christensen.

“The Farm”, as the office building is colloquially referred to by Cirkom employees, is not completely deserted during the corona crisis.

“There are tasks that require us to be physically present in the office. It could be physical signatures that need to be completed, or different tests we need physical equipment for. Automation is also very technical to work with, which is why you may need to spar with each other face-to-face,” says Martin Næstrup Madsen, CEO at Cirkom and continues:

“We make sure to keep a good distance from each other and only be present a few at a time if we go to Gården. And then we take the opportunity to socialize and eat our packed lunches from a distance.”

Need to meet with customers in person

Until now, it has been possible to physically meet with customers to hand over systems for automation solutions in accordance with the authorities’ distance recommendations. And it’s important to be able to be present at customer sites.

“Our customers still need our automation solutions and we continue to operate in the best possible way. It may be necessary to meet with them to drop off different parts, but we’ll make sure we only meet one-on-one. With good distance and hygiene,” says Martin Næstrup Madsen and continues:

“Our busy period is coming up in the summer, and that’s when we really need to be there for our customers. So we hope the community opens up more as we get towards July and August.”