Manage your Team. With the infamous COVID-19 Virus many businesses have switched their office staff to a work at home situation. And honestly this may become the new norm. Companies may start to ask if they need to have staff in the office all the time and can they downsize their overall office spaces to covers expenses. Or can they run a home-based team? But the real question is how do you maintain a cohesive team if they are not on location?
It will take a team effort form the management down but lucky for us technology has now made it easier than ever to keep a team connected. Internet, cell phones, laptops, tablets and new apps are more widely used than ever before.
With the right systems in place you can run a team from anywhere, but leading a team is done by people not machines and apps. Real leadership must step up and go beyond the office space. Here are a few ideas to help make that leadership work.
1. Communication and schedules. Scheduling regular calls with each individual as well as the group should be a priority. This gives them constant guidance and support. Do video chats so that we you all stay connected.
2. Show real concern. Check in as much as possible to show your concern for each person on your team. Don’t leave them feeling isolated or not part of a group and some people may need more attention them others, but this is what you must do to make a strong team. You can even schedule daily video chats with then team to talk about things outside the work environment but keep it short as they can turn into hours.
3. Remote documents. Make sure you have an online access to all essential documents and files your team will need on a daily basis. Be prepared.
4. Programs don’t always work. If your using certain apps or programs in your day to day that are not useful, explore new ones to create better flow. Also make sure all your remote team is up to speed on any tools or apps your using. Even if you need to have someone teach a virtual class on the subject.
5. Trust is key. So, we know communication is key, but micro-managing can also make this worse. Talk with the team and as time progresses you will all adjust to how much time is needed each day, what communications are needed and what communications may not be as necessary. Your team must feel like you trust them to get the job done so you all will have to make adjustments at the beginning, but you will get into a rhythm that will make this all work.
With all this in place you can succeed and create a new working environment for your company and your staff. Some reports even show that people are more productive in a home environment as they can spend more time on a project and they are not distracted as much at home as they are in the office and when it comes to projects some even work well beyond the normal work week hours.
Original Source of article is Fast company and article by
Elizabeth Grace Saunders
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