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Let’s face it: The pandemic is going to have a lasting impression on the shape of the American workforce and how we continue into the future. Slowing down is not an option, so now it is time to adapt. According to 2017-2018 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 29% of wage or salary workers held positions with the option of working from home. The remaining 71% of us are learning now out of necessity. Although not all businesses can be run by a remote workforce, those that can had to convert quickly or risk closing their doors. This process may be a bumpy one for some, so here are some tips for staying connected with your team while working from home. Ready or not, the time is now.
1. Virtual Meetings And Morning Check-Ins
When you work in an office environment, you see the same people almost every day, and you even start to grow fond of some of them. In all seriousness, face-to-face interaction alleviates miscommunication and helps keep a strong bond among the group. I recommend at least one weekly virtual meeting with your entire team, along with shorter check-ins among smaller subgroups. For example, our admin team has a prescheduled morning video call to coordinate its day and ensure that time-sensitive activities are given priority. Additionally, team leads should schedule separate calls with agents to stay up to date on pending business and strategize for new business. Virtual meetings are vital to the success of any remote team.
2. Share Your Calendar
Without having to commute to work every day, many people will find they have to reorganize their schedules in a way that allows them to stay on track while differentiating work time from home time. So share your calendars — a great way for your team to feel connected is by knowing each other’s schedules. Plus, it can also inspire confidence in managers that remote employees are staying on task and meeting deadlines. Remember, if you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.
3. Embrace The New Era Of Instant Messenger
Gone are the days of leaning over your desk to ask a co-worker a question or popping into the boss’s office for a speedy approval. But what do you do when you’re deep into a task and you just need a quick answer from someone to move forward? Message on your desktop, of course! That way you don’t have to leave your task to start another email chain that may take hours to garner a response. Adding iMessage (or Messages by Google, WhatsApp, etc.) to your desktop allows you to get simple responses from your team as if you were in the same room, accelerating productivity and keeping the team connected (and don’t forget all the funny GIFs you can send around too!).
4. Email, Text, Call
When important messages — or in our case, hot leads — come in, it is critical that you remember the mantra: email, text, call. One big worry for small businesses when shifting to working remotely is the fear that they will miss a connection with one of their clients. Often, the business owner will not be the person receiving calls from the forwarded line, so they must ensure that their receptionist remembers to email, text, call.
When a message comes in that deserves an immediate response, first, your receptionist should memorialize the details and email them to the team. Then, they should text the team member who will be responding to the client directly, and if no response is received, they should call that person to relay the importance. As we know, responding to a client inquiry within the first five minutes gives you the highest chance of success, and this method is your best shot at achieving speedy response times.
5. Team Bonding — From Home
While work is most definitely work, it is also a social environment where people can share details about their lives and common interests. When you’re not in the same room as your co-workers, it becomes difficult to continue this connection that has ultimately strengthened the bonds of your group as a whole.
Do not fret! There are many ways you can share experiences while keeping your distance. Balance your mental and physical well-being by starting a daily workout challenge: Just pick some simple exercises, and share them among the group. Support and encourage each other along the way by holding each other accountable. Pick a common interest you can all enjoy from home, and take the time to discuss it at the end of your weekly video meeting. Whether it’s a great book, a favorite podcast or the latest Netflix show, the more you stay involved, the less you’ll feel isolated.
Lastly, implement a virtual happy hour. You may not be able to head down to the local watering hole for an afternoon drink, but that shouldn’t stop you from sitting down with your co-workers on Zoom for a virtual cheers to a job well done.
If making the shift to a remote workforce was not in your 2020 business plan, I hope that these tips will help your team stay connected throughout this time of change. It’s important to know that there will be challenges, but resolving them together will reinforce your group as a whole. At the end of the day, we’re not just co-workers; we’re friends — and in many cases, family. Be a strong leader by keeping your wits about you, remaining calm and staying the course.
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