Business Continuity and Keeping Connected

There are many advantages for your people and your business by working remotely.

If you think about the cost savings of having your staff work remotely, it can be a pretty enticing opportunity. Various research is available to show employees can also be more productive when they work from home as they have greater flexibility with their schedules. Now that the Covid-19 outbreak has seen a rapid shift required by many of us, the majority of employers have to consider this idea as we decide how best to adapt to the situation.

The need for adaptation within businesses is gaining momentum rapidly, and with the Government asking people to stay indoors for many more weeks, living in isolation for prolonged periods could become a stressful ordeal. There are however several ways you can ensure your team continues to connect with their team and clients effectively.

Organisations must put trust in their leaders and teams to keep focussed and productive. They also must do their best to be social with their employees and support them as your business adapts to the changes required. As times become more uncertain, employers should be mindful of their teams and check-in around mental health and wellbeing.

Goal Setting and Daily Planning
Focus and activities with intent and purpose are critical to keeping excellence in productivity and we’re big fans of planning out our days. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a scribbled daily to-do list or using a task management platform such as Asana, planning your day keeps you accountable and productive when working from home. This is the first step to creating high performing focussed habits.

Another key tip for working from home is setting goals. This helps everyone to keep on task and create a sense of accomplishment. Measurable goals with set deadlines are critical. This sets the boundaries and expectations and keeps your people motivated.

If you’re part of a team, then make sure you know what each member is working on and when their task is due, and follow this up by calls and emails. Keeping team members accountable and achieving their goals is not only essential to your operational success, but also for their own sense of personal achievement.

Using automated scheduling programmes is something we strongly recommend to keep activity measurable, timely and inclusive. Setting daily tasks, using them to manage projects and also creating a shared dashboard for everyone to feel a part of the team and included.

Scheduled Meetings and Check-in calls
Schedule regular Skype or Zoom calls with your teams and other colleagues. We recommend daily or even twice a day for team huddles, especially in the early transition phase. Besides keeping your own spirits up, video calls can be a way to bond and remain engaged, even while working in isolation. You can utilise very effective communications platforms from Google and Microsoft to stay in touch with your team, and most of them are free and simple to use.

Give regular updates in relation to the current situation and how it may affect your business. Keeping your staff in the loop will give them reassurance and instil belief and trust in you as a leader. They’ll also feel confident that you’re leading the company and steering the ship in these unchartered waters.

Weekly Drinks or Social Interactions
Why not organise a weekly group video call session where you can blow off steam with your colleagues and have a couple of drinks, and not just talk about work.

Have a daily workout or relaxation meeting with each other. Get them on a rotating roster to organise or run such interactions.

These face-to-face sessions can have therapeutic effects on your psyche as well as helping accountabilities of ‘turning up’. Talk about how you’re feeling, share your personal lives with your team members and ask them to do the same.

Giving Gratitude
Recognition is vital, not only to your employees’ performance but also to their engagement and dedication to the job. In these times of adjustment many of your team and colleagues may be feeling overwhelmed, even lost, adapting to their new working environment and structure.

If employees feel appreciated and their performance is recognised they are engaged and feel motivated and become more productive for you. You could send a simple email to acknowledge your employees or colleagues. Try an act of kindness such as send a care package, arrange for a surprise delivery or even arrange someone unique as a virtual session with a healer or mentor.

There are many ways you can show gratitude, and done in the right way it is guaranteed to be very well received and appreciated.

Support Network
The easiest way to beat the feeling of loneliness is to make an effort to connect with other people. Form a support network and regularly communicate with your colleagues outside of working hours.

Maybe start a private Facebook or WhatsApp group and regularly check-in and allow them to connect with each other. This is a great way to help your people to cope – or just to post fun memes to keep spirits lifted.

We are witnessing catastrophic effects to humankind with our people experiencing rapid, and sometimes severe, impacts. To ensure our mental health isn’t affected we need to feel like we are involved in a supportive environment. It’s a community effort and everyone plays a part here.

Sure your work life is about your job, but for most people, we also have relationships and a sense of belonging at work. These people are your firepower and your family in a sense. Everyone is experiencing some level challenge. The more sincere and intentional your effort to connect, the better you will feel and the more engaged your team will be.

Try and consider others and hold space for them during these uncertain times. People digest and deal with stress and change differently, so a sense of understanding is essential at work. Also, consider reaching out to someone you work with and check-in to see how they’re doing. You’ll be amazed at how considering others and showing you care, can make a difference to someone’s day (and yours).❤️