With the expansion of the ability to partially or fully work remotely, you can say goodbye to long commutes and open spaces.
And while the prospect of working in pajamas may seem appealing (and so comfortable!), working remotely also comes with a set of potential challenges regarding time management, communication with colleagues, and teamwork. Employees working from home are having to shift schedules and find ways to stay productive in the new environment. At the same time, managers must lead teams and motivate employees, maintaining teamwork and quality of work at the same level.
Working successfully in these new circumstances isn’t always easy, which is why we’ve put together tips on how to work from home most effectively while staying productive.
Smart Collaboration Strategy
If you are used to working side by side with your team, you are unlikely to be able to instantly switch to remote collaboration. You can find the best vacancies on the site to apply now. Fortunately, this obstacle can be easily overcome by setting clear rules for working together. How to do it:
1. Define the rules of communication
To ensure consistent team communication, set rules about when, how often, and with what tools to share information. In addition to this, decide how communication between different departments will work.
Decide which communication channel is best for a given situation. For example, if the issue can be resolved via email or Slack, there is no need to schedule a meeting.
Conversely, if the situation requires real-time discussion, it may be more convenient to discuss it during a short video conference.
2. Set up remote collaboration tools
While working remotely, you are likely to receive and send a lot more email, so make sure you have access to your work email from home.
In addition to email, each team uses different collaboration tools. Your team needs to decide which tools you will use for messaging, video calling, and project tracking.
Agree on what remote collaboration tools your team needs and make sure all credentials and passwords work beforehand. Make sure you have good internet access at home so you don’t lose work or get disconnected from meetings due to connection problems.
3. Implement a team collaboration tool
Managing remote teams requires a flexible approach to scheduling. You may need to learn new tools, get used to sharing information asynchronously, and find new ways to solve problems.
In addition to tools for sharing information, it is also useful to set up a centralized project management platform that allows you to plan and track projects and team tasks. You can do this using spreadsheets and shared folders for each project, or you can use project management software to automate processes.
With a functional project management system at their disposal, the employee will be able to find the information they need and share the results of their work in one place, which will reduce the number of unnecessary letters and meetings.
4. Be as detailed as possible when working in different time zones
Remote positions allow you to work from anywhere. But when people are in different time zones, the response time increases significantly. In order not to waste time waiting for a response, write as detailed messages or letters as possible.
Here are some ways to do it:
- Provide as much information as possible right away
- Indicate the deadlines for projects or the time by which you need a response
- Provide links to related resources or discussions
- Complete posts with images or screenshots
- Notify co-workers in advance of when you will be out of touch
Properly built asynchronous communication allows you not to waste time and provide the team with all the necessary resources for efficient work.
5. Set Project Goals and Expectations in Advance
To compensate for delays in communication, it is best to set expectations as early as possible, especially if people from different departments are involved in the work on the project. Set clear priorities for individuals and the entire team. Clear directions, goals, and dates for projects.
After informing everyone about the expectations and goals, be ready to answer questions that arise. During the implementation of projects, regularly check with employees on the progress of work, making sure that the set expectations are being met.
It is also very important to be flexible and be ready to move the dates if necessary.
6. Record meetings
Large team meetings and general meetings are a good way to connect with colleagues and learn about company news. But due to time difference, illness and holidays, not everyone can attend such conferences.
So that no one feels forgotten and everyone has access to the necessary information, record such conferences in Skype or Zoom and share them with everyone.
This also applies to training courses or other important presentations. Make recordings and slides available to everyone so employees can view them at their convenience.
7. Schedule regular checks
The exchange of information is a very important aspect of collective interaction, especially in the work of remote teams.
To stay connected, have regular contact with direct reports every day, once a week, or every other day. During these regular conferences, employees will be able to speak out about something that is difficult to convey in a letter or in a Slack message. In addition, this way you will be aware of the details of how they are doing.
Here’s what to include on the agenda for such a meeting:
- Up-to-date information on current projects
- Feedback on past or current projects
- Talking about how things are going in general
- Discussion of future projects
- Providing additional resources or training
All this will help to conduct a more productive and interesting meeting.
8. Celebrate Team Success
It is important to pay attention to success and celebrate the contribution of each employee to the common cause, so that they feel appreciated and motivated. It can be a letter, a general announcement on Slack, or during a conference – the main thing is to show appreciation and support.
Appreciation is also a good way to model positive behavior and show other employees an example of good work.
9. Create Opportunities to Maximize Employee Engagement
Remote employees can feel lonely because it’s harder for them to connect with colleagues. But this can be changed. To keep employees engaged, create opportunities for social interaction.
Here are some ways to increase team engagement:
- Host virtual team building events
- Schedule meetings just to chat
- Share inspirational teamwork quotes
- Chat on virtual lunch or coffee breaks
Such pastime not only helps employees feel connected to each other, but also strengthens the team spirit, which has a beneficial effect on cohesion and teamwork.
10. Create a morning routine
A good morning ritual helps you get in the right working mood. The transition to remote work can change the usual schedule, so morning rituals allow you to prepare for the start of the working day.
Create your own “road to work” that will help you get into a work rhythm. For example, you can dress like you’re going to the office, take a shower, or make coffee. When you have the intention to “go to work,” you will be more productive during the day.
Similarly, you can form a similar ritual to end the working day and relieve stress. For example, at the end of the day, you can sum it up, change clothes, meditate, or find another way to disconnect from work.
11. Stick to a schedule
Telecommuting, flexible hours, and other work-from-home options are great because you can complete your tasks whenever you want, but keep in mind that work on them can take longer if it is constantly interrupted by something.
It is not necessary to work from 9 to 5, but it is worth setting aside working hours and sticking to this schedule whenever possible to ensure the continuity of the work process.
Don’t forget to schedule breaks as well so you have time to recuperate. Regular breaks allow you to relax and switch, which helps you stay productive all day.
In addition, when working online, you can easily lose track of time. This is where time tracking software comes in handy.
12. Start the morning with the highest priority tasks.
As Mark Twain once said, “If you eat a frog in the morning, the rest of the day promises to be wonderful, because the worst of today is over.”
If you apply this quote to prioritizing tasks, you will realize that this is good advice. Eating your “frog”—that is, completing your most difficult or most important task—in the morning will make you feel like you’ve already achieved something for the day, and feel less stress when you move on to less important or urgent tasks.
In the morning, it is much easier to give all your attention to an important task, because later on you will be distracted by other tasks and notifications.
13. Use to-do lists and time blocks
It’s easy to procrastinate or get distracted while working from home, so use time or task management strategies. For example, you can schedule tasks in order of importance with to-do list and time blocking software.
Visualizing tasks will help you keep them in mind and complete them on time. Having a good understanding of what you want to achieve at the beginning of the working day will help you focus on one task without trying to do everything at once.
