Ever since the coronavirus in COVID-19 threatened the world, it is like nothing we have ever seen before and it is something that we probably never wish to happen ever again. In this scenario, due to the lockdown, remote working had become a regular part of mostly all organizations. Whereas there is a population of daily wage workers and other service providers who are unable to provide services remotely, which is somehow making their life difficult.
If you are one of the lucky people who have the option to work from home during this period, although a change of working environment can lead to increased productivity for some, on the other hand, it can lead to a dip in productivity for others. It is important to make sure that you respect this opportunity and maintain effective communication for better productivity.
Working from home sometimes can affect communication and leave employees feeling disconnected and unsure about their role.
Here are a few communications tips to overcome these difficulties.
- Don’t assume your team will all be on the same page in terms of work hours or when you should be available for check-ins and conference calls.
- It is important to outline your expectations from the get-go to reduce frustration and ensure a smooth transition to the new work-from-home setting.
- Set up daily contact points every day, such as evenings, Skype coffee meetings or digital lunch breaks, to communicate with other team members for information sharing, feedback or just to socially catch up.
- Adopt modern communication methods; e-mail is not the only way to communicate remotely with team members. Indeed, there are several digital channels and tools, which can promote the transition to a remote work environment and establish a better cooperation atmosphere.
- Set up a good routine for exchanging information on social platforms, so that the content is not too drowned.
- Agree on what it means to be a good digital colleague – clarity combined with respect – who does what: clarify responsibilities each team member has while working from home.
- Celebrate group achievements and company news by sharing a digital message or snap with the team.
- Encourage transparency and inclusion – it is easy to forget to include all members in the chats, so encourage debriefings and discussions in teams, even digitally.
Good communication leads to a better understanding of individual tasks, as well as improved coordination among members of the teams.
Stay Home Stay Safe!
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