Changing from an office setting to working at home requires multiple adjustments to be made. In these unprecedented times this adjustment has been accelerated due to the nature of the way we must all now work. With employees now working remotely businesses must make sure that the business runs efficiently during these uncertain times. Here in the Rubicon businesses that once operated internally have now changed to work from home. This week we begin looking at how some of these companies are adapting to the ‘new normal’ and how they are coping in this new environment.
OrthoXel was founded in 2014 with the vision to create innovative orthopedic trauma devices that would give superior outcomes for patients. Their mission is to restore quality of life after injury and they remain committed to offering surgeons innovative and cost-effective fracture care solutions. This week we spoke with Chief Executive and Co-Founder Pat O’Connor on how OrthoXel is adapting to these new working conditions.
The most important thing to focus on when working from home under circumstances such as these are the positives. Pat is grateful for technology as it allows for all at OrthoXel to work as efficiently as possible while not situated in their usual office. By having their laptops and access to software such as Zoom business is running as usual. Conferences and meetings can go ahead as scheduled which allows for productivity to continue for the business. One of the biggest elements of the business is the documentation that must be processed, luckily this too can be done remotely which ensures that the business is not losing any time in getting this completed.
Of course working remotely is going to raise some issues for a business, for OrthoXel this has come in the form of product testing. There is now limited access to testing facilities due to companies temporarily closing or working on a reduced capacity in the midst of this pandemic. For a business like OrthoXel testing is imperative for the development of their products, tests that were scheduled for March and April have been postponed but they remain optimistic that they will be able to proceed with testing again soon. Another aspect of the business that is harder to conduct is the inability to sit in a room together and bounce ideas off of each other when it comes to designing and other business dealings. Being within an office environment allows for immediate perspectives to be received from coworkers on issues, with all employees working remotely this instantaneous communication has become slightly harder but with emails and calls advice is readily available to all employees.
Motivation plays a big role in the ability to manage a team remotely. Pat counts himself lucky as all the employees within OrthoXel are self motivated and experienced at what they do. There are regular meetings scheduled which keeps everyone on track and establishes what needs to be done. Technology makes communication easier for everyone to communicate which really helps with remote working and keeping morale high with employees.
Remaining positive throughout this pandemic may be hard but it is necessary. Pat is enjoying the extra half hour in bed each morning as he no longer has to commute to the office. However, he thinks it is important to keep busy during these times. Maintaining the usual structure of your day is something he advocates. Although he no longer has his commute he still logs on and works his normal hours to maintain a sense of normalcy. Having a work life balance is also something that Pat feels is important. As the gyms are no longer opening he has turned to running to fit in his daily exercise- something that he is enjoying doing daily. Routine and balance are two elements that can really help with maintaining a positive attitude.
Unlike normal work from home scenarios, right now remote working is widespread due to unprecedented circumstances. The positive that can be taken from this is that everyone is adapting at the same time, regardless of the market you operate in, each business is facing similar issues and challenges. OrthoXel is currently a pre-revenue business however they still have customers – Cork University Hospital and an American Hospital. Due to the nature of the lockdown it is impossible to currently service contracts, similarly procedures that require OrthoXel have been reduced due to the commitment needed to treat COVID-19 patients. Pat says the most important thing they are doing with their customers is maintaining contact. They are aware of the pressures they are under in the midst of the pandemic but it is still important to check in. OrthoXel knows that through maintaining contact they will be able to resume business with their customers when the time comes.
For more information on OrthoXel and their work visit OrthoXel.
