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We are amid a new reality for our world. With COVID-19 hitting the scene and changing the scope of how we work; we must continue to acknowledge the importance of creating and accessing a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) policy in the virtual workplace.

Diversity is the characteristics and attributes that make individuals different, where inclusion is the social standards and behaviors that help people feel accepted.

If you have suddenly begun working from home, there are undoubtedly many unique issues that have surfaced for you in recent weeks. You are likely trying to figure out where to carve out a dedicated workspace in your home, how to minimize background noise during web conferences, and ways to prevent personal distractions from diverting your attention. If you have children who are also transitioning to a remote format for school, there is the added responsibility of juggling the supervision of their schedules, schoolwork, and meals.

In a word? Yes, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are top of the to-do list in most organizations these days. The recent emphasis on having a diverse and inclusive work environment is driven, in part, by social movements in the US and across the globe. The COVID-19 virus changed the way businesses operate; many of us are working from home now.

The year of 2020 must be the closest I will ever get to living in the twilight zone.  My children cannot go to school.  They have school in our home in their pajamas.  My staff and I do not report to the office daily.  We go to the office about once a week and get the items we need for the following week.  The front door of the office is always locked.  After unlocking the door, we are no longer greeted by dear Ms.

After state restrictions due to Covid-19 began to be lifted in the summer of 2020, a small publishing company in the Midwest directed their employees to return to work in the office. For nearly six months, the employees had been working from home. As far as their work tasks, the employees, as writers and editors, were very pleased to have the opportunity to work virtually. It spoiled them quite a bit, as they experienced a nice dollar savings, and time saved from their previous work commute. Production of work was seamlessly accomplished and deadlines were always met.

By:  Dr. Jeffrey Belsky, NCU

It is true times that times have significantly changed over the last six months. What once was considered taboo to have a significant number of employees working remotely has dynamically switched to organizations implementing remote workplaces as a strategic course of survivability.  The norm has changed – organizations need to prepare!

Ergonomics includes an entire field of research studying people and their work environments as well a host of businesses employing ergonomists and suppliers to design and/or modify work environments to best fit the workers and to reduce any discomfort and risk of injury due to a workstation.

After over ten years of working mostly from corporate offices and cubicles as a health insurance proposal writer and project management director, I made the transition to become an independent consultant in the same field. The points below outline a summary of the skills and behaviors that have helped me to successfully work from home (WFH) for the past nine years:

Use an online calendar to:

By Dr. John Frame

During the past few years, I’ve served twice as a consultant for the United Nations Development Programme in Istanbul, Turkey. More recently, I served as a pro bono consultant for another UN agency, in New York. At that time, I lived in London and worked from home or a café. I even made a phone call once from a park bench. 

Last March, within a matter of days, COVID-19 was responsible for many members of the US workforce switching from working in-office to working at home.  This threat to health and the economy, as well as sudden restrictions for interacting with colleagues, friends, and family members resulted in a surge in anxiety as a nation.  To take a closer look at what was working to keep stress levels in check, and maintain positive wellbeing and productivity, we surveyed thirty participants who began working remotely as a result of COVID-19.  Respondents completed an online survey weekly for four week