EQ at home – Sam Ellis

At EQ, our people are at the heart of what we do.

Although working from home means we are physically spread across our regions, our team are working hard to maintain regular communication with their clients whilst continuing to support colleagues by connecting with them daily.

We caught up with Sam Ellis, Supervisor in our Forfar office, to find out more about her experience working from home.

How are you finding working remotely?

I’m beginning to find my feet, this week has certainly been much easier than the first! We all got our laptops set up that give us full access to all the systems as if we were in the office. This has been super helpful, and despite not being the ideal set up, it’s a really good alternative. My days are going by very quickly  (they do say time flies when you’re having fun) but I think this is mainly because I have been so busy.

What are you doing to keep in touch with the rest of the EQ team?

Communications have been especially important. I think we have used almost every platform to keep in touch; a lot of emails, some phone/video calls, Microsoft Team chats and even a Whatsapp group! Everyone at EQ has made an extra effort to keep in touch, check in with you and keeping everyone updated with what is going on.

There has also been a mix of work and normal chat, which helps to lighten the mood. The photos of everyone’s dogs in the Whatsapp group has to be my favourite!

How are you looking after your emotional well being?

My other half is in the middle of North Sea on a boat just now, so it has just been me and our dog, Penny. I may or may not have thrown a strop or two about being on ‘lock down’ by myself, despite living most parents dream.

To keep myself sane, I have been sticking to my usual routine as much as possible. I’ve gone for a long walk with Penny each morning which has been nice, and it sets me up for a day of listening to her bark in my ear… and working.

What advice would you give to others working from home?

Try and keep to your usual routine as much as you can. I never thought that I would be putting make up on to go and sit at my dining table, but it really helps me feel like I’m having a normal day. I’ve also been going for lunch at the same time, making sure I get away from work for a bit. Lots of cuppys help as well!

Tell us, what are your new co-workers like?

When she’s not barking orders, she’s sleeping on the job. I have no idea how she is filling her timesheet!

Our doors may be temporarily closed, but EQ are still here to support you. You can contact us on any of our usual telephone numbers and email addresses, which you can find on the Our People page on this website.