It is pretty grim. What’s going on right now, is really bad.
On a personal note, in the case of COVID-19 Crisis we don’t want to instrumentalize the idea of ‘Remote Jobs.’ But we have come up with an idea to help managers, individuals & staff understand the basics of remote work observing the speed at which organizations go remote without any planning.
Consider the previous global recession? The lesson we learned was that we have to be ready & equipped for any situation. And in reality it is happening. Everyone dreads the word ‘Coronavirus.’ Unfortunately, companies and staff are not yet able to cope with the current situation.
Although most of the organizations’ employees are sent to work from home. Yet how do you guarantee the job is done? Since you can’t take a trip to the office hallway and see whether the workers are working or not. We all know that nothing is constant. If you are working from home, distractions come naturally. To maintain a high productivity all employees must be self-motivated.
But how could that be?
How to maximize efficiency When working remotely
Defining structure is important
Flexible hours and flexibility does not in any way turn into silos work. For the teams operating remotely it is important to have a specified framework and instructions at hand. We strongly recommend that one should have a set of specific rules to remain focused and keep up with the team.
- Sticking to the targets: The manager is well aware of the priorities of the organisation, and has a clear roadmap to accomplish them. But companies will clarify the long and short term priorities to all staff during this coronavirus outbreak and ensure their interests are aligned.
- Establishing a Home Office-Make sure the staff has workspaces devoted to themselves. A given workplace in a remote environment improves collaboration Given workspaces can further help you and your team members remain focused.
- Job Prioritization-The team will also work on several tasks, at the same time with individuals in various time zones. They should be able to define and prioritize which project is more relevant than the other. This can help discern between urgent and non-urgent jobs, and help you reach certain deadlines.
- Holding To-do’s-To-do lists is a saviour! Not only can these lists help the staff keep track of their efforts but they will also help you chart their success on different subjects. It’s also a perfect way to spend time in remote surroundings.
- Ensuring Work Transparency– Transparency in Work promotes the work. Firstly, this allows access to all the data for each team member and eliminates needless communication. Furthermore, it lets you keep track of the success and development of each member’s performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Would you have guidelines for coordination and collaboration?
While your staff is readily available for questions ideally, if you interrupt what you are doing to respond to questions, it will hamper efficiency. You’ll need a defined contact system to prevent this situation.
- Getting the right Software-Cloud-based software are the go-to collaboration option when operating remotely. Choosing the best methods for the different forms of communication eliminates a stack of messages in the mailbox of an employee and ensures hygiene. Emails, for example, can be used to connect asynchronously while Slack or direct text messaging can be used for immediate or synchronous interaction.
- Chat Specific Contact Networks-Ditching emails entirely would save your time even more than you thought. Exit from email and join the bold new real-time contact world if you haven’t already done so. To facilitate simple and immediate conversation, use a tool such as Slack or HipChat.
- Having Strong Communications Ethics– Every member in your team has to be willing to respond regularly to calls, texts, emails or direct messages, even if they perceive themselves off the clock. When, for whatever reason, another participant is inaccessible, you and the other members of the team should be aware of their unavailability. It saves money, and work gets done more easily.
- Clarity In Communication – Think Twice before you sent. You ought to respect the time invested by other member of the team and keep the contact transparent and precise. Keep your communication timely and clear (except when you have a watercooler moment with any of your team members)
Feedback Mechanism is essential
Providing input is an integral part of any organization, remote or traditional. This holds a special place in the remote work culture, as this is what controls and balances what we lose on the human interaction front. Daily feedback aims to boost efficiency and the quality of jobs.
Over To You
Productivity, connectivity, & collaboration are all linked in one way or the other. Keeping a balance between the three would only propel you to prosperity.
Need to know more? Read: How to move in the current COVID-19 crisis from conventional workplace to operating remotely from home.
