Many businesses are having to operate remotely once again to abide by the latest coronavirus restrictions. Homeworking provides many benefits to employees, such as saving money on petrol, but it can hugely hinder productivity levels. If your team struggled to fulfil regular duties during the height of lockdown, you might need to alter your management strategy to help motivate them.
Provide equipment
Having access to adequate technology is essential when working remotely. If your employees don’t have an appropriate home setup, you’ll need to provide them with the necessary equipment.
Consider letting employees take home the *laptops or desktops they usually work from to complete daily tasks and easily retrieve previous work. You should provide *work mobile phones for staff that need to speak with clients and customers on the phone regularly, so they don’t have to give out their personal number.
Use digital platforms
Having a paper management system makes it very tricky to work collaboratively when everyone is operating in different locations. To increase efficiency, transfer all physical documents to an online system such as Google Drive so that files can be easily accessed and updated.
Use online communication tools such as *Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts to liaise with your staff members and minimise disruptions to daily tasks.
If your establishment trades internationally, consider using the trade management software ManSys to control all aspects of a global business strategy. From this program, you can produce tailored documentation, improve customer service, and boost profits, without having to grow your team. You can also install the ‘cloud’ version to make it accessible via a browser on any device.
Regularly communicate
Frequently checking in with staff is key for motivation, as it can hold them accountable for work assignments. Video conferences are particularly beneficial as they are most reminiscent of in-person contact, which can help combat loneliness.
Video calls can encourage employees to look presentable and work in a suitable environment too, which is vital for increasing productivity levels. You could even hold a competition for the best Zoom call backgrounds.
Ensure you take the time to praise any successes your team achieves to show your appreciation and inspire people for future projects.
Offer flexible working times
Providing employees with flexitime is a desirable work benefit that doesn’t cost the business anything. Not everybody functions best during nine to five hours, so this perk allows them to operate when they feel most productive. It can also improve morale as staff members gain more control of their day to suit their schedule and preferences.
However, clarify how many hours everyone must complete daily and use an online time-tracking tool for staff to use for signing in and out.
Promote daily walks
Not having to commute to an office is often considered a huge advantage of working from home, but this can hamper people’s motivation if they aren’t spending any time outside. Encourage employees to take daily walks, which could include one in the morning and another in the evening to help them separate work from home.
Adjusting to homeworking can be challenging, but with the right management techniques, you can inspire your team and see impressive results.
