Laurie Abernathy
Collector, Single Billing Office, 306 Belmont Street, 7/1/20
This has been a very challenging time in our lives because of the COVID pandemic. But because of the pandemic, my dream, to work from home, has come true. I have been remotely working since mid-March.I work in the SBO ( single billing office) located at 306 Belmont St, our group consists of over 400 employee’s, Customer Service, Physician, Hospital Billing, Payment Posting and several other departments.
Our management did a very good job of getting us out of the building and set up to work remotely quickly. There were glitches, especially in the first few weeks, but we worked together with IT and got the issues resolved. During the beginning of the transition , work was a little more stressful than normal, due to the fact that information and processes were continually changing. Our department had daily Webex meetings, which helped us stay connected and get up to date information. We also had a SharePoint tab created to share pictures of our workspace, and any other pictures that we wanted to share, they are pretty funny , some with cats stepping on keyboards, or lying on the table near the workstations, It also helped to make us feel connected. Once things smoothed out, It was easier to concentrate on work. I feel I have been more productive at home, less distractions like phones ringing, hearing others’ conversations, and of no interruptions. It has been comforting to be able to check in with my son during the day as he does his schoolwork,we have time to eat together, and go for a walk more regularly. Another factor that contributes to feeling more productive is that overall, I feel less stressed. The feeling of worrying that we’ve done all we need to do before leaving the house – dressing, breakfast, lunch making, Do I have my phone?, Is there enough gas in the car?etc. Then there’s the commute, whether you drive or take public transportation, you’re always worried about being on time. Most of that disappears while working remotely, and it creates a less hectic atmosphere about work.
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The pandemic has changed the world, and we are all wondering what the “new normal” will be. I am hopeful that it will cause people to be more mindful of the present and appreciate what we have today, because tomorrow is not promised.