- Q. How do you make your home office healthy? -

Author: John Galpin, Co-Founder Design by Structure

John Galpin

For those of us who have worked in co-working spaces that encourage mobility and interaction, you need to think about your home office in the same way – think designated zones.

Create multiple workspaces to complete different tasks in different places. For instance, have a quiet space with a closable door for meetings, find a space by a window where there’s a lot of natural light for powering through work, and use the sofa when you don’t want to be by yourself.

You don’t have to be inside all the time – work from your garden in the summer, go for a walk, do conference calls on the move, and get out whenever you can.

And if you don’t have a lot of space at home, then get creative and add new workspaces – a friend’s home, a pub, a coffee shop (when we are allowed again), or a park.

Mix it up and thrive, just like you did when you were in the office.

This comment appeared in Management Today.

- Q. Should emojis be banned from work emails? -

Author: Nicole Clemens, CEO Design by Structure

Emojis shouldn’t be banned from work emails and if we think about them in terms of semiotics then emojis are simply visual language cues.

Workplace communications are going through a huge transition right now, so we need to adapt and be flexible in how we convey thoughts, ideas and ultimately stay connect with each other.

The written word can often be misinterpreted in terms of the intended tone, so adding an emoji can support the intent and be beneficial to the reader. When it comes to liaising with clients and the use of emojis, it just depends on the nature of the relationship and the content of the message as to whether these are appropriate. If you’re talking to a sales & marketing team then is a simple extension of an existing business vernacular, if you are about to launch a piece of comms then has its place. More and more we are connecting and communicating with clients in Slack so is a universal language that is relevant and understood in addition to saving everyone time.

This comment appeared in Management Today.