Adopting home office during the pandemic came with many changes for the corporate area. Employment contracts had to change, legal hiring issues were discussed, and the LGPD came into effect, making a series of adaptations necessary in companies.
This is a topic that generates many discussions. According to a survey, 81% of people consider themselves more productive working from home. Other data also show that the intention to continue in this model was indicated by 78% of respondents.
To address this topic, Sílvio Etges and Aloisio Arbegaus, Product Manager and Commercial Director at Teclógica respectively, participated in a podcast at the Regional University of Blumenau (Furb).
During the meeting, they shared what this experience was like and the adaptations made at the company. The invitation came from Marcel Hugo, coordinator of the institution’s Computer Science course. Keep reading and learn more!
The beginning of home office at Teclógica
To understand how the home office model at Teclógica started, a brief introduction is needed. The IT company was founded in 1994 and, in addition to the services area, developed a mobility platform called Mobuss (Mobile Business Solution) and embedded several solutions into this platform.
“The best known is Mobuss Construção, but we also have InContract and Mobuss TV. These are cloud platforms that help strengthen Teclógica with an additional revenue option, process, and professionals,” explains Aloisio.
From a technical standpoint, the organization migrated to the cloud in 2016. However, planning for unforeseen events existed long before that. As a result, when the pandemic hit, contingency plans were activated quickly.
“Due to the floods in Blumenau, our major clients who have been with us for many years used to ask us how we would keep work running. Therefore, even before the 2000s, we created a contingency plan for remote work,” comments the Director.
Sílvio explains that there were some events that prepared employees for home office. “We had a remote employee since 2015, but it was a very different model. We placed a camera in the room and a TV above it, where the person logged in remotely via a link. Thus, they could see who was in the room and vice versa.”
What difficulties were encountered?
When asked about adversities, Sílvio discussed one of the biggest challenges, which is communication. How to integrate those who are remote with those in the office?
“Previously, we had much greater informality in monitoring activities. If necessary, we would hold a quick meeting in the room. Today we have a much more established cycle. It is a different form of organization; the convenience we had in-person had to be transported to another model,” he says.
Aloisio adds that the integration process and management were digitalized. “30% of our team is outside Blumenau, where the company headquarters is located. Each manager created their own conversation space, aiming to have a weekly slot on the agenda to talk with their direct reports. That is what fuels engagement.”
He explains that new platforms were hired. “The People & Management area capitalized on engagement platforms precisely to maintain this remote control. Information such as testimonials, feedback, and ‘how is my mood today?’ is within the internal communication system. All monitored by managers.”
Main adaptations at Teclógica
To face this novelty, several adaptations had to be made at the IT company. Keep reading and find out the main ones!
Mobility and team support
Something that greatly facilitated the migration to home office was the fact that most of the tools used at Teclógica were already in the cloud. Gradually, the administrative area also replaced all desktops with laptops, which helped with mobility, allowing employees to work wherever they want.
To support the changes, when the home office regime started due to the COVID-19 containment decree, Teclógica sought more ways to support employees in the format transition. According to the company’s managers, this was a propelling factor to offer greater comfort for everyone.
The importance of knowing how to listen
After the restrictions were lifted, Teclógica began operating in a non-mandatory hybrid work model, where employees can choose to work from home or at the office on certain days.
“In the three surveys we conducted with the teams during the pandemic, the number of home office advocates increased. In the first one, 55% wanted to stay in this model; today that number is around 70%. Hence the importance of listening to the employee and understanding where they feel best working,” adds Aloisio.
In the meantime, the company headquarters was also renovated; desks with drawer units gave way to a coworking space. Upon arrival, desk use is free and provides a monitor, keyboard, and mouse for employees.
Today, the organization has approximately 130 employees under the hybrid work model. Did you enjoy learning more about how home office was implemented at Teclógica? Follow our blog for more content. And if you want to listen to the full podcast episode, access this link.
