With the increasing COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, all major companies around the globe have implemented full-time remote work policies. But considering that remote work is not a regular operational policy carried out by the companies, it is essential to understand what you might be welcoming for the employees. It's been months since Coronavirus began its rapid spread through the globe, major giants and SMEs communicated their decision to protect their employees by announcing the emergency work-from-home policy.
While the work-from-home pattern was relatively common in many industries, it might have come to be a surprising element to handle the operations on a timely basis.
How to Keep Your Team Engaged at All-Time During Remote Work?
Keep your People Updated at All-times!
The key to success while working from home is to communicate well with your employees. Communication must be consistent and transparent. It plays a vital role when Coronavirus outbreak is unfolding challenging times for everyone. Employers need to work on multiple ways to reach out to their employees, that includes constant email drafting and proper phone calls to stay updated. Employers can also work on compelling presentations to showcase to their teams that they are an essential part of the organization and working from home does not dissolve their importance.
Get Everyone on a Video Call
There are various video conferencing tools available, including WhatsApp call and Google hangouts that makes it easier to schedule meetings and conference calls. However, management must be on their toes to motivate their staff to turn on their cameras for a better focus and much needed social interaction they will need.
Employers need to keep regular meetings with the teams and have them connected at all times on video conference calls.
Lead an Example with Good Remote Work Setup
Sometimes teams are not used to 'working from home' environments and thus, it might be difficult for them to adjust the new' home office'. As a leader and senior manager, one can model a professional work from home model and setup that must look motivating for the employees. One such environment can be provided while on a video call as well by introducing the same model of conferences that presented in the office.
In such a model, every employee must avoid clutter in the background which can distract others while you are on the video call. Just a tip: You can face a window while you are on the request to see the natural light or near a lamp is also appreciated.
Avoid Micromanaging
Work from the home environment also welcomes high-trust culture. In offices, while managers are checking the workflow of the team working under them, such a culture cannot be followed from remote work. And thus, the work-from-home model is entirely based on trust towards your team. Only if you trust your team and motivate them enough, they will deliver what you expected of them.
It is essential to avoid micro-managements. Otherwise, things might turn the other way around. Trust your employees, and they will deliver trusted projects too!
Maintain Friendly Social Interaction in a Virtual Office
Time can indeed pass by smoothly without any breaks at home since you are already in your comfort zone. Team players can encourage 'coffee chats' while on video conference so that it is turned around to a professional conversation while socializing virtually.
While you are chatting with your colleagues or scheduling a video call, you can get creative and have some fun to express yourself honestly.
Get Employee Feedback on How They are Feeling
Initially, work-from-home might sound a natural idea. But eventually, you start missing the work environment and socializing with your team members. And thus, employers need to keep them engaged at all times. While initiating the video conference call, make sure you ask them if they are okay or not!
The employer needs to know if there is any professional disturbance their employees are facing. And if they are, it is essential to address the same as well. You will be surprised to know that Europe encourages remote work and several industries prefer work-from-home in a peace movement.
Tips To Make Working From Home Work more Efficient
1. Make Sure you Have Enough Bandwidth
As the Coronavirus outbreak is increasing on an hourly basis, it is impossible to even get on the roads. In this situation, companies and clients prefer video conferencing that will help with updated operations and logs daily. So, make sure your bandwidth allows you to work smartly and deal with smooth video conferences.
And if your bandwidth is low, try to shut down other programs on your system to lighten the load on the connection. You can also participate in the audio conference instead if your video is too disturbed.
2. Your Kids will be Home at All-times!
Now when schools and daycares are closed, working parents face real-time challenges while working from home. So, make sure your kids are occupied at other work and activities while you are working from home. Of course, you cannot tie them up, but you can keep them engaged at different events. Streaming their favourite shows on the television while you are working from another room is a suitable option too. But make sure you dedicate some family time with them also!
This is where the age factor also pops in. Speaking of the statistics, Europe is undoubtedly a country that believes in remote work which is much more efficient than working from an office. Let's see which European countries prioritize their work model.
3. Webcam Must Prove Productive at This Time!
Work calls and video conferences are always going to be tough. However, a delay in joining a video conference is a challenge and might invite questions as well. So, maybe, you want to embrace your webcam before you even enter the conference call. Take some time out, and make sure your video is clear enough.
And if your webcam is not working fine, you can always purchase it online and make sure you show your pretty face on the video call.
4. Keep Transparent Communication
Sometimes people might face issues while working from home. And if at any time, you face any problem, then communicate with your reporting manager. Instead, any committing a mistake while you are working from home, you should discuss the issue with your seniors.
Remote work model highly based on high-trust culture, it is vital to relive to the expectation. There is no hard in discussing your issues because they trust you as well!
5. Be Committed to Working More
Undertakings consistently take longer than you at the first figure they will. Hence, you'll as often as possible complete short of what you set out to do. Along these lines, similarly, as you're urged to overestimate how a lot of time you'll spend doing a particular something, you ought to likewise exceed what number of things you'll do during the day. Regardless of whether you miss the mark concerning your objective, you'll despite everything leave that day with a substantial rundown of undertakings recorded under 'complete'.
6. Work When you're at your Generally Productive
No one runs through their work from morning to night - your inspiration will typically back and forth movement for the day. At the point when you're telecommuting, be that as it may, it's even more essential to know when those rhythmic movements will happen and design your calendar around it. To benefit from your most profitable periods, spare your more laborious undertakings for when you realize you'll be in the correct headspace for them. Use more slow purposes of the day to take out the more straightforward, calculated undertakings that are likewise on your plate.
7. Spare Some Time in The Evening
Here and there, I'm so worn out in the first part of the day, and I would prefer even not to hear my voice - not to mention converse with others with it. You shouldn't need to give yourself an excess of time to get profitable in the first part of the day, yet you can give yourself some additional time before working straightforwardly with others.
In case you're battling to concoct a sensible work routine for yourself as a remote worker, start with the lone errands in the first part of the day. Spare calls, gatherings, and other cooperative work for when you've formally "woken up."
Many people, at times, wonder if working from home is a privilege for them. Let's see what statistics serve.
Speaking of IT companies, Owebest Technologies is one such firm who offers remote employees for individual projects that require an expertly skilled employee who understand your project in the most trusted and efficient manner.
So now when you have all the tips and tricks ready for you, its time to fight Coronavirus while working efficiently with your company. It is NO right or Wrong in the work-from-home model, but what you need is a correct perspective and honesty towards your work. And that will never stop you to succeed!