Why Remote Work Is Here To Stay? How To Make It Work For You?
The term “unprecedented” is overused these days, but it’s fair to argue that things are moving at a breakneck speed. The workplace situation has completely changed and many are on the lookout for business address services. Organizations of all shapes and sizes are having to get used to remote working as a long-term reality, with schools and offices closed and anyone who can do so working from home.
The next stage for companies, many of whom may have had to improvise some form of remote working, is to think strategically about how to make it work in practice. Many have adopted several services like mail forwarding services that are incredibly helpful while working remotely. Here are our tips for making remote working a success during Covid-19, from figuring out what your employees’ present difficulties are to figuring out how to connect with a remote team.
Make a communication strategy that is easy to understand
Aside from ensuring that your IT systems are up to date, communication is the most important aspect of remote working success. You need to create remote opportunities to read people’s moods, grab someone for an informal catch-up, or gather everyone for a briefing since you can’t physically gauge people’s moods, grab someone for an informal catch-up, or draw everyone together for a briefing.
How to deal with it:
Consider what kind and how often virtual meetings would be beneficial, with input from staff. As a general rule, video-based platforms are more engaging than conference calls, and speaking is preferable to emailing, especially in more personal situations.
Make a list of communication points that will occur on a frequent basis. For instance, daily check-ins between line managers and employees; weekly team catch-ups to track project progress; and virtual drop-in sessions for senior leaders to answer queries.
Establish ground rules for large virtual gatherings to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to speak.
Ascertain that everyone understands how to utilise any new technology platforms, and provide training to those who do not.
Examine your priorities and goals
It can’t be business as usual right now, therefore delivery can’t be either. In normal conditions, working from home can be quite productive, but that may not be the case for some of your employees right now.
School closures have the practical effect of keeping many distant employees’ children at home. They may not have a dedicated workstation and must share space and bandwidth with their spouse. As a result, it’s critical for leaders and managers to understand the limits that their employees face – and to adjust priorities and objectives accordingly.
How to deal with it:
Explain that you’re aware of the various obligations that people are responsible for.
Assure them that you will be measuring outputs rather than hours spent at a desk, and that you trust them to do their best.
Review personal and team goals in a collaborative manner, taking into account individual circumstances as well as market aspects.
Agree on which tasks should be prioritised and which can be postponed.
Because many industries are in upheaval at the moment, this will have to be a continuous process.
Be clear about expectations and provide check-in points so that folks aren’t left unclear about what to do at home.
Prepare to reschedule deadlines to meet people’s work schedules
Encourage employees to schedule time when they won’t be able to reply right quickly on their calendars, and to work at times that are convenient for them.
Above all, ask them to raise their hands if they require additional assistance.
Make your well-being a strategic priority.
It goes without saying that stress is a major issue right now; it’s also more difficult to monitor employee health when everyone is working remotely.
As a result, it’s critical to establish mechanisms to ensure that everyone is safe and to establish instructions to assist them in taking care of themselves.
How to deal with it:
Keep an eye out for any changes in employee behaviour. It could be a welfare concern if an employee falls off the virtual radar or fails to deliver in accordance with altered expectations.
Make employees feel safe approaching supervisors or HR with concerns about their well-being.
Encourage folks to take regular breaks, exercise on a daily basis, and go outside if possible (within government guidelines).
Set the expectation that employees will turn off their computers correctly when they’ve completed working; while working from home, task creep can be a significant problem.
Create a forum for coworkers to discuss ways to improve their morale, such as online workout programmes, family art workshops, or meditation.
Allow people to easily form virtual social groups, such as reading clubs or food swaps.
Also, whenever you speak with someone, inquire about their well-being.
Maintain your company’s culture. If people are accustomed to having opportunities to communicate, consider creating virtual coffee-break sessions to ease that experience.