When Jae M. Rang began working from home 20 years ago, she detected a stigma.

Even though she didn’t need the overhead of a brick-and-mortar office, peers and clients considered her Ontario-based distributorship JAE Associates Ltd. merely a hobby rather than a business. Despite her proven track record, prospects took her less seriously than her competition. “I rarely admitted to my home office,” Rang says, “because people automatically assumed that meant we didn’t have muscle.”

In 2020, the optics have changed. Due to the coronavirus, state lockdowns and stay-at-home restrictions forced people in nearly every industry to work from home for months. Unsurprising to Rang, many workers have grown accustomed to these conditions, enjoying the lack of commute and less rigid schedule. According to a Gallup poll this year, nearly half of remote workers in the United States would rather continue working from home after the pandemic ends. While a quarter of those have expressed concern regarding going back to the office, 22% simply prefer the “new normal.” “Now, millions of people see the brilliance of a home office in terms of increased productivity and control of time and expenses,” Rang says.

With some states in various phases of reopening, the way is paved for employees to potentially return to the office – albeit with strict health protocols in place as virus cases surged this summer. Having seen what work life is like on the other side, many business leaders are considering the alternative. “I’ve found that I can get more done in less time working from home, as I can concentrate and not be disturbed by others walking by and such,” says Tim Holliday, co-owner of Sarasota, FL-based Children’s World Uniform Supply (asi/161711). “I’ve set up a room to feel like an office, but I can also move around, taking my laptop to work in other spaces in the house and even working outside when it’s nice. I’ve picked up habits that I won’t be giving up when the outbreak is over.”

“Now, millions of people see the brilliance of a home office in terms of increased productivity and control of time and expenses.” Jae M. Rang, JAE Associates Ltd.

Scott Alterman, co-owner of The Icebox (asi/229395) in Atlanta, says he’s totally adjusted to working remotely. “My home office, which was already set up, is now getting used,” Alterman says. “I’ve also had the opportunity to eat healthier by being at home. Smoothies, green juice and oatmeal have replaced the traditional lunches with my two business partners. While I miss the dialog, I don’t miss the late afternoon lethargic feeling.”

Although distributors like Holliday and Alterman could’ve previously altered their daily routine, the pandemic gave them the extra push. Joe Favre​, sales manager at New York-based Vanguard Direct (asi/350665), was already in the midst of a major change when the pandemic began. He joined the company on March 25 and didn’t set foot back in the office until three months after his interview. “Vanguard leadership and human resources were in contact frequently leading up to my start date, outlining the onboarding process in detail,” Favre says. “I was equipped with all necessary technology (laptop, docking station and phone), software protocols and training, and most importantly, video introductions to our various teams, along with calendared meetings going forward. Vanguard’s frequency and clarity of communication, culture and preparedness has blown me away.”

Adjustment Strategies
Of course, the transition hasn’t been without its challenges. Michael Frank, managing partner at New York-based Niche Marketing and Promotions Inc. (asi/283401), was traveling for business when the country went on lockdown. He had to self-quarantine because the event he was attending had people who tested positive for COVID-19. Since the end of March, he, his wife and their two teenage daughters (one’s in college) have all hunkered down at home.

“We’ve had to respect each other’s space and realize this is an adjustment for everyone,” Frank says. “I’ve created a routine to stay productive and bought a Peloton bike to stay active. We’ve carved out family time aside from dinner to watch TV and movies and play games. We also have a puzzle with all the pieces constantly sitting out on our dining room table for when you walk by and need to de-stress.”

Whether you’re packed in the house with your family or living alone, each situation comes with its own issues. Ciera Oates, graphic designer and project coordinator at McDonough, GA-based IQ Apparel LLC (asi/567560), has experienced both while working from home. Distracted by her roommate watching TV, she bought headphones to block the noise. But when her roommate moved out, she struggled with anxiety and depression due to lack of human interaction. “I took walks, got involved with volunteer opportunities and made time for friends to make sure I wasn’t staying home alone for extended periods of time,” Oates says.

Meanwhile, in Marco Island, FL, Linda Bicking has been managing Palm Printing’s (asi/302031) shop from home since April. Her office computers, printers and scanner have taken over the dining room. “It can be a challenge to run a print shop without the large equipment at hand, such as a digital color copier/printer, cutter, folder, drill, etc.,” Bicking says. “It’s also difficult to communicate with customers who need a hands-on or face-to-face meeting to discuss a print job. I can see the path to a finished job in my head, but most customers can’t.”

Despite these tumultuous past months, many promo pros have developed strategies to achieve peace of mind. Rhonda Settle, senior key account manager at Glendale Heights, IL-based Concord Marketing Solutions (asi/166445), has been using her time at home to enhance her career, taking industry education courses and building themed product decks to share with fellow account managers.

She’s also a quilter and has been sewing up a storm. She’s made T-shirt dresses for the nonprofit Dress a Girl Around the World and is planning on donating to active military members and veterans via Quilt of Valor. She’s also working on fleece pouches for Australia’s orphaned or injured kangaroos, koalas and bats. “I firmly believe in using my sewing skills to benefit others,” Settle says.

Jessica Ibsen, director of sales and marketing at Top 40 distributor Fully Promoted’s (asi/384000) franchise in Covington, LA, had fun with her daily Zoom work calls. “Laughter helps keep us sane in insane times,” she says.

Employees aren’t on their own – many department managers have tried to maintain company culture and keep their teams engaged. Top 40 distributor Kotis Design (asi/244898) has implemented a “video first” strategy to break down the initial resistance to virtual meetings and video chats. “We’ve experimented with virtual water coolers, where a mix of co-workers will chat specifically about non-work stuff,” says Nic Thomassen, creative director at Kotis. “Another way to engage the team is a simple group chat question. Asking ‘how was your weekend’ can lead to funny stories and photos to kick off the week.”

With several musicians as part of Bellevue, WA-based Sunrise Identity Powered by HALO (asi/356000), the sales department’s weekly video chat sounds more like a jam session. “We have a ‘mystery riff’ either from our guitar player, pianist or drummer, sometimes all three,” says Tom Economou, SVP of sales at Sunrise Identity. “People guess the riff as we move on to our agenda.”

Jessica Ibsen took a different approach with video calls. The director of sales and marketing at Top 40 distributor Fully Promoted’s (asi/384000) franchise in Covington, LA, wasn’t looking forward to being on camera every day. Plus, sales had taken a huge hit as the company scrambled to pivot to sourcing PPE and hand sanitizer while traditional promo and apparel orders were nonexistent.

To lighten the mood, Ibsen showed up to her daily Zoom meetings in costume. “The first day was just a joke since our meetings were first thing in the morning,” Ibsen says. “I put curlers in my hair and wore a face mask and bath robe, which got a good laugh from everyone. After that, I quickly dove into my collection of Halloween and Mardi Gras costumes to make it interesting every day. For the first day back in the office, I had to take social distancing to a new level and wore an inflatable costume. Laughter helps keep us sane in insane times.” 

John Corrigan is a senior writer for Counselor. Tweet: @Notready4Radio; email: jcorrigan@asicentral.com