Best Practices For Promoting Productivity In The Remote Workplace
Remote work capabilities are significant for businesses that need their staff to work from home during a crisis like the current coronavirus pandemic. Do you how to support your team when they’re working from home?
We’re now more than a month into the COVID-19 pandemic, and your business has been operating remotely for some time now. Managers around the world are trying to figure out how to do their job when they’re not in the same building as their team members.
The fact is that working from home doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Newly remote workers across the country are encountering a series of challenges in their daily work life:
- 19% experience loneliness
- 17% have difficulty communicating and collaborating
- 8% have trouble staying motivated
These are all issues that managers would have addressed directly in the workplace. It’s not so easy now that you’re cut off from your team members. But there are steps you can take to address these issues…
Best Practices For Supporting A Remote Staff
- Make Sure They Have A Dedicated Workspace. Make sure that wherever you’re going to work is comfortable, distraction-free, and as in-line with your typical workplace as possible. You may need to invest in an office chair, or even, depending on your work, a second monitor.
- Hold Regular Video Meetings. In the office, everyone would see each other just by being there. In a remote setting, email and phone calls don’t provide the same level of connection. Make sure to hold video meetings with staff, clients, and other contacts when possible.
- Balance Their Workday. Make sure that your staff is striking the right balance at home. Just as they shouldn’t be slacking off because they’re not being supervised, they also shouldn’t overwork themselves. Make sure everyone is taking breaks to decompress, stretch, stay hydrated, and relax.
- Set Remote Work Processes. Communication protocols are especially important right now. Without being told to do so, some staff members will update you multiple times a day. Others will follow a “no news is good news” mindset. Make sure to dictate a policy for how and when communication is to take place every day.
- Promote Collaboration. Getting your staff to work in groups on projects won’t just promote a productive workplace – it will help you develop a healthier one too. As mentioned before, your team will benefit from any opportunities they have to connect.
- Don’t Forget To Socialize. Switching from a full office to their quiet house can be difficult for workers – don’t forget to schedule a time for business and casual communication. Your employees should still communicate regularly with one another and with you.
Like this article? Check out the following blogs to learn more:
A Complete Guide to Working Remotely During the Coronavirus Pandemic
