Remote working isn’t just a dream for companies craving better work/life balance anymore.
The age of hybrid work has finally arrived, driven by the restrictions and requirements of 2020. Following a year of social distancing and isolation, many companies have discovered the benefits of remote employees for themselves. Going forward, companies will largely be splitting work opportunities between in-office and remote workers.
Though the last year has offered companies some opportunities to practice their new workstyles, there’s still a lot of growth and discovery to be done.
If you’re concerned about keeping teams aligned and employees productive in the work-from-home landscape, the following tips will help.
Invest in the Right Tools
The right tools are the foundations of successful hybrid and remote-working strategies. As we progress towards a long-term strategy for the work-from-home team, it’s time for companies to re-assess their tech investments from the last year.
Do you want to continue using the meeting and collaboration tools you originally embraced in 2020? Is it time to upgrade to something with a better level of security, more integrations, or even a wider range of features? Taking the time to properly assess the tech your remote workers need from both a software and hardware perspective will ensure you can empower your team.
Remember to look into:
- Technology as a service: Depending on the kind of business you run, you’ll need UCaaS (Unified communications) as a service, but also CCaaS for the contact centre, and even CPaaS for APIs and platform integrations
- Meeting software: Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Cisco Webex Teams, the opportunities are endless. Find the meeting solutions that will benefit your team
- Hardware: Your employees need the right hardware, as well as software. Invest in the correct meeting room equipment to connect in-person and remote employees. Offer WFH staff better webcams and headsets where possible
A full evaluation of your business should help you to determine which tools are most crucial for you.
Commit to Communication
In 2020, when the pandemic tore employees apart, we discovered first-hand just how important communication is. When you’re working with remote employees long-term, you need a strategy to ensure they stay in-the-loop. Your remote staff shouldn’t feel like second-hand citizens just because they don’t share the same office space.
Commit to communication by:
- Sharing regular announcements on Teams, or your preferred collaboration tools
- Sending monthly or weekly email updates
- Holding formal check-in meetings and conversations
- Regularly scheduling full meetings with your staff
- Encouraging two-way feedback, on a range of channels
- Establishing policies for how to use tools like video, audio, and chat
Remember, communication shouldn’t just be focused on work, either. If you want your team members to be engaged, you need to encourage relationship building through informal “water cooler” chats too. Give your teams a place to simply chat casually with each other.
Be Video First
89% of people say that video helps them to complete tasks more efficiently.
During the pandemic, many of us discovered the value of video first-hand. It’s important for companies moving into the future of work to keep a strong focus on their video-first culture.
