Page 28 - Insurance Times November 2020

2. Have a dedicated workspace remote work - an ineffective use of time. Find a routine that
works for you and follow through consistently.
Maintain a dedicated place where you can focus, free from
distractions. This space should be separate from where you
eat, sleep, or rest - separating work and home life will help 4. Don't neglect your well-being
you get into work mode mentality and enable you to work Working from home can get lonely, but it doesn't have to
more efficiently. be! Make sure to schedule time for breaks to do healthy
activities that will allow you to refresh and recharge. These
Decorate your area in a way that makes you feel calm, activities can help boost morale, increase productivity,
motivated, and productive. Optimizing your space and improve mental well-being, as well as decrease feelings of
adding personal touches (e.g. decorations, framed photos,
isolation.
a desk lamp, plants, etc.) can help create the comfortable
Yoga / Stretching
working environment you need to get things done.
Meditation
3. Establish a routine Home workouts
The value of a solid routine is often overlooked - a thoughtful Chats with colleagues on topics outside of work
routine can support impactful mental transitions, as well as
provide the structure and organization needed to help us Final thoughts
work from home smoothly. Establishing a routine can help
Many companies in the Bay Area actually work remotely
kick-off the day on a positive note, and make the important
permanently and see our current circumstances as the
mental shift from relaxation mode to work mode.
beginning of a shift in workplace dynamics, where working
For example, doing simple rituals in the morning such as from home will be a common practice.
waking up early, getting dressed, making breakfast, doing
an early exercise, and preparing for your day as if you were Here are some additional methods to think about as we
going to the office, can be incredibly effective in reducing adjust to our new work environment: Increased
mental fatigue and increasing productivity. communications via various digital tools (e.g. live open video
conferencing), virtual team building exercises to strengthen
According to Northwestern Medicine, a lack of routine can relations, and connecting regularly on the "why" to maintain
cause people to experience stress, poor sleep, poor eating, a clear vision on the purpose of the team's work and how it
poor physical health, and perhaps most importantly for relates to the company's goals and objectives.

AXA XL launches Digital Risk Engineer, a connected solution to

monitor building health
AXA XL is accelerating the scaling of its new Digital Risk Engineer proposition – a connected solution designed to enable
companies to monitor the “health” of their buildings and assets – having recently completed the successful pilot phase.
Available globally, Digital Risk Engineer uses Internet of Things (IoT) devices installed in the clients’ buildings to capture
information from connected systems such as energy, water (including sprinklers), heating, ventilation and air conditioning
(HVAC). The information is analysed in real time to detect anomalies in the building, allowing for early intervention to
mitigate the occurrence and severity of an incident. Early detection also helps to ensure minimal interruption when
maintenance or repairs are needed. The data and insights are accessible to the client and AXA XL’s risk consultants via
an online dashboard. In addition to the installation of the device and the access to the dashboard, AXA XL offers clients
a “building health check” after 90 days, using aggregated data to provide feedback, including commentary from AXA
XL’s risk consulting team.
Jonathan Salter, recently announced Head of Risk Consulting at AXA XL*, commented: “Digital Risk Engineer combines
decades of experience in property risk engineering with some of the latest IoT innovations. He added: “This fully digital
offering is especially relevant today as we grapple, as a society, with the impacts of COVID-19, and the likelihood that
companies will try to limit in-person site visits where possible.” Hélène Stanway, Digital Leader at AXA XL, added: “We
have seen that supplementing risk consulting with continual autonomous monitoring can make a real difference for our
clients. The use of the technology can limit the risk of an incident occurring in the first place and, where it does, limit
the severity. Also, early detection can reduce the associated business interruption impacts.”

28 The Insurance Times, November 2020