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Working From Home – Adapting to a new working life

The fallout from Covid-19 has changed the way that we are all living and, for those lucky enough to be able to continue with their work, this means setting up a new working station in your home office, spare bedroom or perhaps the kitchen table!

In this article Sophie Kennedy, Head of Investing at our sustainable investment partners EQ, discusses how she has adapted and shares some useful tips to make working from home more manageable.

How has the coronavirus affected your day-to-day work – from both a portfolio and workplace perspective?

We are assessing our portfolio positioning daily and keeping as up-to-date as possible with the medical information flow and subsequent investment implications. Our portfolios are diversified across asset classes, regions and sectors and therefore we have not had to make any wholesale changes.

The same can’t be said from a workplace perspective - it couldn’t be more different! I am now juggling being a mummy to our 10-month old daughter Mila, working full-time and trying to keep the house in some order! Luckily, I’m an awful cook and my husband is the next Jamie Oliver so I’ve got off lightly in the kitchen!

What has been your biggest contributor to investment performance since the coronavirus hit markets? And what has been your biggest detractor?

For our Positive Impact Portfolios our sector positioning and fund selection have been a key contributor to performance; specifically having no exposure to energy and mining, an underweight position to banks and an overweight position to healthcare and utilities.

In addition, reducing the UK equity exposure has also been beneficial. Within these strategies, some of our bond funds with significant credit exposure detracted from performance.

What feedback have you had from clients since the coronavirus sell-off?

In normal times, client communications are central to our day-to-day agenda at EQ. The importance and clarity of these are even more significant during this volatile period. We have been on the front foot thus far, being as clear and transparent as possible with regards to portfolio positioning, performance and our thinking. It’s important to interact using different types of media and our video updates have been particularly well-received.

It is always hard to gauge how much clients want to hear from you, but feedback so far has been that clients feel very safe and secure with us. Thankfully, our Positive Impact Portfolios have held-up well, that helps.

How do you think attitudes to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)/impact initiatives will be affected as we move through the crisis?

ESG funds have fared better than the wider global index and I think we’ll see more mainstream investment managers adding impact and ESG funds to their portfolios.

How do you find working remotely during volatile markets?

I have been amazed at how little disruption we have experienced as a team and a company while having to work from home. Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, WhatsApp, email etc. have meant we have been able to communicate efficiently… in some cases too much so.

Our investment team are meeting by video link every day and have all their usual systems available. In these highly volatile markets, it may actually be beneficial to have a little physical distance!

For the gents in the team, they are using the lockdown to give their razors a break and have taken this as an opportunity to grow (or in some cases try to grow) an impressive array of beards!

What do you do for fun when you take a break from working at home?

My answer to this has changed dramatically since a time now referred to as “pre-baby party times”.

A break from working currently translates to changing nappies, feeding, playing, bathing, puppet shows, ball pits & bouncers…. All made a little easier with a nice glass of rosé if the sun is over the yardarm!

What is your favourite sustainable snack/hot drink when working from home?

Homemade hummus! Tinned chickpeas are sustainable, nutritious, cheap & accessible; just add with some extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon. Even better… the tin is also widely recyclable!

How is home schooling being managed in your household?

Less schooling, more entertaining a 10-month old. We panic bought toys in the initial stages of the lockdown… Mila was amazed at the sudden appearance of a ball pit, tepee & enough books and toys to last a lifetime! Or not, three weeks in and she is less than impressed with it all and far more enjoys eating leaves in the garden.

Do you have a ‘top green tip’ to share on working remotely?

Now is the time to make sure you are using a renewable electricity & energy supplier at home. It’s likely we are all using more electricity while we are spending so much time at home and by subscribing to renewable energy suppliers you could be supporting the demand for further scaling on renewable energy in the UK grid from the comfort of your sofa!