Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1267313
60 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2020 Feature by Patrick Crawford IPC —ASSOCIATION CONNECTING ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES For this issue of Design007 Magazine, Man- aging Editor Andy Shaughnessy asked me if IPC had any insight into how the "new nor- mal" of working from home has impacted their members. Here is what the IPC technical staff had to say about the advantages and disadvan- tages of working remotely, as well as working with IPC volunteers who are new to working from the dining room table. Mike Milostan Marketing Director This is a new experience for many in the electronics industry who have never worked from home or have had limited experience working from home. The most common expe- rience has been plugging in at the hotel room after putting in a full day at a customer site and sending the day's notes back to the boss, as well as plans for the next day. Having two college students at home, as well as myself, needing working space was a strug- gle at first. "Who gets the desk vs. the din- ing room table vs. the spare bedroom desk?" Making sure we had a solid internet connec- tion was also a concern for three users, and we had to work around video calls to ensure there was a solid connection for the Zoom user. We had to make sure there was no noise when someone was on a call, in addition to no one yelling, "Hey, get the phone." The only struggle we still experience is, "What do we do with our spare time?" There are only so many times you can ask. "Did you work out today?" "Did you find any part-time work?" "What is your schedule for the fall?" Finally, since working from home is man- datory, I see more meetings scheduled during my lunchtime. I have now experienced eating during a meeting, which I had not done when working from home was only an option. Teresa Rowe Senior Director, Standards There is a difference between working remotely on a full-time basis and being thrust into it because of a virus that we can't see, feel, taste, hear, or smell. One of the biggest differences is the location. Most IPC staff have an office area, even if it is only a desk and a lamp. Sure, we can move around, but there is a place to go to The Pros and Cons of Working Remotely