How to prepare your team to work from home?
With one of the most important World Health Organization tips to maintain social distancing due to the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus, many companies had to switch to work from home.
Having a strong team leader during this switch can help the team to skyrocket their remote work results or… you know. So, how to ensure effective team’s work if you’re not around in the office? What are the online tools that can replace live meetings? Whiteboard? Sticky notes on the desks full of passwords?
We’re here to help your team to switch to work from home professionally. And quickly.
Boosting team productivity
According to the newest Google Trends statistics, searching for how to “ work from home” is becoming more and more common. Even more so than getting the actual work done. Especially for everyone new to remote work.
But we’re here for the actual work, right?
Meetings
If your everyday work routine has always started from having a meeting and discussing the tasks each member has to do, then don’t change it. Just do it virtually. Otherwise you’ll end up having your team spending more time speculating their tasks than efficiently completing them.
How to? Try out a video conferencing software, so you not only hear what each member has to say, but also see everyone’s reactions.
Accountability
Since now you can’t walk around the office asking how each employee is doing, it’s time to show that personal touch via messaging platforms or a call. Not only will you know in what stage everyone is, but your team will spend less time procrastinating, because they’ll be asked about their progress.
How to? Create a new group chat or a channel, f.e. #standup, and invite your whole team. Each morning, ask them to write what they did yesterday, what they’ll do today and what help they will need.
Routine
Your team works from 8 to 5? That’s fine. Just make sure to keep it that way. For some remotely working people it’s difficult to unplug after work, or to separate personal life and rest from their job. You’re here to remind them to, because a well rested employee does more high-quality work.
How to? Ask your employees to create at least a small space at home, dedicated to work (bed, couch and kitchen table are not the perfect options). After work finishes, shut down the laptop, “exit” the workspace and get some rest.
Online tools to work from home
How to make sure your team has the right, accessible tools to complete the tasks they used to do in the office? Let’s hear some suggestions from full-time remote workers.
Slack
Being one of the most popular team messaging tools, it can be extremely helpful for your team’s effective communication. Everyday updates? Information sharing? Group chats according to the project? It’s all there.
Figma
Most of the ideas in your team were born on a whiteboard? Designers and developers need a place for convenient, team-accessible sketching and prototyping? Luckily, this web app (no need to install) is super easy to use, collaborate and share with the whole team. It flawlessly replaces all gatherings at work.
Trello
Keep track of processes in your team, get your team members to know what tasks await. Compiling lists, creating checklists, assigning tasks to specific people has never been easier. It’s good to know when the next due date is.
PassCamp
This tool, being among the top-priority ones for every remote team, protects your team’s passwords, lets your colleagues easily (and securely!) share them among themselves as well as with clients. Besides, the user interface is super easy and intuitive! Highly secured remote work? Yup, you’ve read it right.
You see, working remotely is not completely different from working in an office. It’s simply moving your office routine to the online space. That’s why providing clear directions to your team regarding this process lets them switch smoothly, quickly and professionally.
What work from home tips does your team have? We’d love to hear from you! Share this article and write what you think. We’ll make sure to update this with your tips.
