The recent pandemic has forced us to change the way we do most things, which includes compelling us to change the way we work. For many, that means having to work remotely from home for the first time. This can be a frustrating or unsettling experience, so it’s essential to know how to help your employees adjust. This guide offers a few tips for making this transition a positive one.
Bring the Team Together Virtually
Now that your team has been working remotely for a few weeks, it’s time to bring everyone together for a video chat. This should be a team meeting that includes everyone, so you can gain insight into how the changes to the operation have progressed. This means learning about problems or challenges to productivity so that those issues can be addressed. You should also encourage team members to share positive results as well, so achievements can also be highlighted.
Schedule Regular Meetings
You don’t want to overwhelm your team with meetings on a daily basis, because this can lower morale and destroy any trust you may have established. It’s also challenging to keep everything professional in a home environment, so you don’t want to increase the chances of embarrassing a team member. Instead, schedule a meeting every two to four weeks to keep apprised of productivity. Any time-sensitive issues should be addressed in a one on one situation via text messages or emails.
Keep Your Virtual Door Open
Just because your team is working from home doesn’t mean they won’t need you. Keeping open lines of communication will become even more critical. In your emails, you should make a point to show your team that you can be reached for assistance whenever they may need it. You can offer multiple ways for them to contact you, or give them a particular mode of communication, such as a specific email address. However you choose to make yourself available, be sure to let your team know you’re easily reachable.
For remote workers, communication is the key to a successful endeavor, so clearly established lines of communication will help keep your organization productive. When your team can communicate with you and with one another easily, they can continue to build trust and work well together. While changing how your organization functions is necessary, how you handle these changes can lead to positive results.