The return of the Lighthouse Keepers

When Ireland announced the first stage of what would eventually become full lockdown, Lighthouse acted quickly. By the following Monday, almost the entire crew was working from home. It was all hands-on deck, as it was for most Irish businesses without an existing remote work policy. Because most of our projects are bound by strict privacy rules, we also needed to consider how we could enable crew members to take certain work home with them. Thanks to our production partners, who were incredibly understanding from the start, we were able to implement new measures including updated NDAs, VPN access and remote software access.

As Ireland begins its phased emergence from lockdown, we have been afforded the opportunity to take some time to plan how we can safely return. While a lot of our crew members have successfully adapted to working from home, others have been really missing the studio. Some roles, while still delivering quality work, have proven more difficult to fulfil from home. Remote delivery of these roles would be unsustainable on a long-term basis. Luckily, our studio is located in the very spacious Kieran’s College, where we can accommodate our crew safely and in line with guidelines.

Expected changes to our way of working

Though it is still unclear when exactly we will have a full Lighthouse again, we are putting in place all necessary measures so that we can hit the ground running when we do. Some of these measures include:

Critical analysis of studio space and rearrangement of such. We are installing screens around most desks in order to minimise risk of transmission. Other desks will strictly adhere to physical distancing guidelines. We are using room dividers to create safe spaces for small groups. Individual rooms will be reserved for those in the at-risk category. We are also moving crew into some previously unused rooms, such as the theatre space where we hold regular events with Cartoon Saloon.

Designated work and break zones. We will be giving crew members designated work-zones. They can also expect to have access to a specific bathroom, water cooler, tea and coffee etc, according to their designated zone. They will be expected to stay within their designated zones and not cross to another.

Staggered arrivals and exits. We will be working with our crew members to operate a staggered arrival and exit schedule. As part of this, we will be expecting our crew members to sign in and out as soon as they arrive and before they leave. This will help us to monitor physical distancing in line with governmental guidelines.

Of course, we will also be following the requirements outlined by the government in regards to having a designated Covid-19 representative, facilitating induction training for crew members, ensuring all crew have access to required health and safety aids such as hand sanitiser, and all other recommended measures according to the Return to Work Safely Protocol.

Stay tooned for more updates on our upcoming return to work!