Embracing Work During Covid-19: Aura Koljonen, Director of Media Operations, Broadsign

As everyone is navigating and adapting to this new normal in light of Covid-19, we asked our members how they’re managing work and life during these tough times. Here’s what Aura Koljonen, Director of Media Operations of Broadsign shared:

How are you keeping yourself/your teams motivated?

Although some team members at Broadsign were already working from home, for others, going remote was uncharted territory, but Broadsign has done a great job of trying to virtually recreate the social aspect of being in the office and keeping morale up. Our leadership team hosts weekly all-hands meetings via Zoom that provide transparency into the latest company and client developments, and gives employees the opportunity to ask questions. The management teams are also holding daily virtual meetings. The overarching takeaway from these meetings is that we are in this together, it will pass and we will emerge stronger and more connected as a team, company and industry; in the meantime, take care of your family first, and the company second, to the best of your ability.

The team here is also finding fun ways to stay connected on a personal level and keep it real, whether circulating pictures of our pets at home or sharing funny stories about working from home with children. We’ve also found motivation through our conversations with team members in other regions of the world like China, where stay at home restrictions have begun to lift and as a result, network activity is beginning to pick up.

What tips and tricks have you discovered for yourself that have made working from home more productive?

To be productive, having a designated work space that is comfortable and distraction free (to the extent it can be) is crucial. That said, it’s also important to avoid locking yourself down to your desk, remember to get up regularly and move around, or even step outside and take a walk for a breath of fresh air. We’ve also been having a lot of fun exploring Zoom backgrounds to make conference calls a little more interesting.

I’ve also found that keeping up with the same routines is helpful. I still wake up at the same time, go for a morning run alongside East River and get dressed like I was going into the office. The mental association of “going to work” makes me more productive.

How is your business pivoting in light of the current situation?

As the entire world navigates this new normal, the unprecedented times in which we’re living – though necessary, have impacted nearly every industry, DOOH included. That said, it’s been inspiring to see how DOOH publishers have pivoted in these times to truly become a valuable information source for the public with messages aimed at reducing the spread of the virus and saluting essential workers for their efforts. We highlighted a number of these campaigns on our blog.

At Broadsign specifically, we continue to focus first and foremost the health of our employees and clients, and are now laying out a plan for how we can better serve our customers now, as well as in the future, as we expect to a peak in demand for DOOH when social restrictions lift and populations become mobile again.

How are you and your teams being innovative/resourceful during these times?

We’re in constant communication with one another, and using this time to pause and hit reset. Our team is looking at how we might refocus our development efforts to ensure that our products are more interconnected to ensure a stronger programmatic offering. This also includes exploring ways to increase efficiency for customers while also decreasing operating costs across multiple platforms.