>> Be interesting to see how those still in work on here are coping?
We were sorted into those with/without personal or household vulnerabilities the week before lockdown began. I was only one of five who was still OK to come into office (one with wife on chemo, two with mother or husband over 70 and one more with some issue of her own). By Monday of PM's announcement the direction of travel was clear and a request to visit the office to pick up stuff for homeworking was denied but I got a CPAG Benefits Handbook and latest walkthrough for UC claim process posted to me.
Now done three weeks (nine days) at home.
Pretty much everything I use in the office is web based - client record, webchat from public site etc. Using my own PC as not enough laptops to go around. Set up a mobile that the virtual call centre can route incoming calls to, cheap headset plugged into it and I'm sorted. We've got a Google hangouts group for team consultation and bouncing questions off each other which works well and we can chat to colleagues individually by same route.
As our focus is Universal Credit it's been manic. First couple of weeks was all can I get it/how do I get it. Last week a lot of calls were about issues with claim and progressing to first payment. I have to say the DWP response has been magnificent. Obviously they can chuck resources at in a way they never could normally; thousands re-deployed but apart from issues with ID and phonelines - which they've addressed promptly and pragmatically - they seem to be doing good. Acid test will the be next 2/3 weeks when the surge of claimants from mid March on get to first payment.
I'm fine with being at home but I'm fairly self sufficient anyway and have the advantage that as Mrs B and I rattle round in a four bed house I've got a study to myself a big desk and a big screen (we have two screens each at work). Wouldn't be so easy in a smaller house and with school age kids. We've lost one team member, ironically the youngest by far, to sickness. Not Covid; I suspect anxiety issues/motivation.
We have a virtual team audio/video meeting on Tuesday. Will be interesting to how that goes.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 11 Apr 20 at 16:57
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