‘Remote-working’ may be something that’s crossing your desk during the current crisis, and you may be wondering how you're going to make sure business continues as usual.
The good news is, for office based teams, it's really not that hard. However it does require several essential ingredients to ensure your team continues to perform successfully as a TEAM:
1. Communication
At our company, communication is our top core value, for the simple reason that without it, remote working will NEVER work. When your team members make the shift to working from home, they will likely find this the most challenging aspect of all. Suddenly you can’t yell a question across the aisle, doodle an idea or check-up on progress.
There must be a focus on communication when working remotely, and specific systems implemented to ensure it happens. Otherwise, your team will be out of sync and completely disoriented within 24 hours of leaving the office. We recommend an internal chat program, which is driven by dedicated team members to ensure its implementation. This becomes your centre of communication, keeps everyone in the loop and enables you to function as a team. It may also be helpful to determine 'Communication' rules, stating what communication platforms and methods are used for what, and ensuring that certain levels of communication are met (ie you must update your teammates via x platform, when you have completed x or achieved x).
2. Regular meeting schedule
Without face to face time in the office and the opportunity for ad hoc discussions, a strict meeting schedule becomes of utmost importance. Virtual meetings are your opportunity to check-in, see how everyone is doing, and inject the encouragement and vibes needed to keep morale up when the novelty of working from home starts to wear off.
Set a regular meeting schedule company wide, and adhere to it. We find sharing around the role of ‘meeting host’, and encouraging participation via the chat box helps to keep meetings interesting and lively. Set your own company specific 'Virtual Meeting Room Rules' and ensure everyone uses them. There are an infinity of excellent virtual meeting tools out there - find one that works for your whole team and make it a part of every day work life.
Find more video conferencing tips in this video made by our ‘star team’!
3. Mindset from the top down
As the CEO or manager you may not be fond of the idea of scattering your well ordered team to the four winds. We understand that moving to remote working is a big step, and not usually one taken overnight. However as the leader of the organisation, your team will take their cues from you. Approach it as an opportunity for moving ahead, and ensure that you present it to the team in the most positive light possible. Be the first to use the new systems and processes implemented, and discipline yourself to walk the walk no matter how stressed you may be. Your attitude and mindset will set the tone for how your team views the switch, and keeping morale up when teams are working from home is essential!
4. Clearly trackable KPIs
You won't know what your team is doing from hour to hour, as you will no longer have them under your nose. Trust is going to play an increasingly larger role within your organisation, and your teams will need to be self motivated and proactive. For you to know that your team is still performing, you will need to ensure that every team member has a measurable KPI that clearly indicates their level of performance & success on a day to day basis. Without data, you will struggle for peace of mind, and your team members may also struggle to stay motivated when isolated from the team atmosphere. You will need to implement a strict reporting structure, to ensure that the team stays updated daily on one another's progress.
5. Project Management & Collaboration
Depending on your line of work, you may need a central dashboard for all project management and team collaboration around specific clients or projects. This can include a project/task planning and allocation tool, KPI reporting and project/client specific communications. If collaboration usually happens at desks, in the hallway, over lunch or during formal meetings, you will need to consider implementing a virtual collaboration tool to keep things flowing seamlessly. This is also a fantastic way for management to keep abreast of progress on projects or tasks.
6. Maintain morale & culture
Over the initial period of working from home, you may need to increase your 121 and team support via phone, video and instant messaging. You need to support your team in not only discovering new ways to carry out their day to day role remotely, but also boost their morale whilst they’re adjusting to working alone. For many personality types, this is a huge challenge & can take a significant mental toll. Prepare to call each of your team daily to personally check-in and assure them you are there to support them over the initial few weeks.
Don’t forget that virtual culture is just as important as your office environment! Look for ways to have a little fun whether it’s virtual competitions, coffee and cake via video conference or sending e-cards on special occasions.
Want to know more about how Zembr does it? Contact us to chat about it - remote-working is something we love to discuss.
