Remote working is still a new thing we’re all adjusting to, so you have to support your team – and their productivity – as best you can
We’ve been working from home in the ‘new normal’ for months now but working from home is still a mental health minefield for most workers. Many of your remote team members will be struggling to adjust as they’re suffering with loneliness and health issues – productivity will be the last thing on their mind.
As a small business owner or team leader, you need to have the knowledge to support your team. These tips will help you increase communication, productivity and profits by giving you the ability to give your team the help they need.
Use the right tools
One of the most essential components of productivity is communication. Your team has had to convert to remote working, but they might be using the wrong tools.
Applications like Slack, Trello and Asana are ideal for your team. They encourage frequent communications in lots of ways, for example Slack gives individuals the opportunity to talk to their co-workers in project-specific channels.
By moving to one of these platforms your team will be able to connect with each other outside of the daily meetings. They will see their co-worker’s progress and be inspired to keep up. Digital communication platforms naturally encourage creativity – all you have to do is provide it for your team to use.
Check in
Remote working can be a lonely thing. Your co-workers could be isolating and living alone. This means that their only regular human interaction is through their work.
With this in mind, consider changing your meeting schedule. Weekly meetings can be time-savers, but daily meetings can be incredibly useful for increasing productivity.
Whether you have yours in the morning or the afternoon, your team will thrive from this regular human interaction.
Many tech teams use the stand-up framework to organise their daily meetings. Stand-ups involve going around the room and having each person ‘stand up’ and speak to the group. They say what they did yesterday, what they plan to do today and speak about any issues they might be facing.
This organised approach to meetings encourages everyone to speak and contribute their ideas. Your entire team will know the progress of every project and whether they can help.
Invest in their offices
A good working environment is essential for productivity. Investing in some equipment for your employees such as additional monitors and supportive desk chairs can do wonders for workflow.
If the room you’re working in feels like an office, you’ll treat it like one. If you’re working at a kitchen table surrounded by toddlers, you’ll probably get distracted.
Encourage your workforce to work in a light room that is devoid of distractions. There is nothing worse than trying to work with a cat jumping on your keyboard, the TV blaring and the neighbours watching.
Support your team
We know that you are an empathetic manager, but personal problems can cloud your judgment. We’re here to remind you to check in on your team. They need extra support right now – as do you.
If you’re considering taking on a new hire, use DigitalGrads. As tech recruitment experts we know a thing or two about communication, creativity and productivity. That’s why we dedicate time and resources into our learning platform, to give our candidates the skills they need to thrive in your remote workplace. Simply log in and post your job advert and we’ll cover the rest.