Remote working - The new Norm

Last month we told you about the things you should not be doing when working from home, or remotely as it more commonly known. But it does now look as if working remotely is going to be the norm for many businesses. Even Facebook are now stating that they will be encouraging if not forcing some of their employees to work from their home in the future. So, this month we are letting you, as Employers or managers know what you should be doing if you have teams that are spread far and wide. 

Whether it Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype or even good old phone, you should always make a point of keeping in touch with your team on a regular basis.  Make sure you contact your team every day, whether you have a stand-up-type call at the start of the day or more informal chats through the day. If we go an entire day without seeing or talking to our team, we can begin to feel disconnected and isolated. If everyone is working on solo projects, try and encourage them to join up when they are on a break, make it seem like a normal day, they can just chat informally and maybe feel not so isolated. 

If you have Zoom or Microsoft teams, make use of the video function. We know that sometimes it may be nice to sit in your pants all day and not do your hair, but you do not want this to be the usual day to day life working remotely scenario. If people are encouraged to use the cams and be seen, it will help them get into a routine, plus during meetings, as we all know, it is far easier to read a person’s facial reactions and convey your sentiment if you’re able to see each other. If you’re worried about the messy the wallpaper in the background not being modern or the picture on the wall, looking out of place, use the magic background blur button on Microsoft teams or the background change function on Zoom. this was you know that all focus is on you. 

Even if you are working remotely, you need to ensure that yourself and your team are focused and available. Even if you think you look available and online, as you can with them, your colleagues will be able to tell if you’re not as focused or productive as usual.
That said, we’re all more productive when we take regular breaks and this is even more important when working from home. If you’re taking a break, let your team know by setting a message in your status to let them know when you’ll be back online. That way you and your team know that it is your time to focus on other thing and need that away time. 

Make sure your team members have everything they need - Can they access folders/files that they need? Have they got Microsoft Teams for conference calls, instant messaging, collaborating and sharing documents? Do they need Microsoft Planner for organising and managing our productivity?  If they do need these tools you need to ensure they know how to use them and are familiar with them. This could come in the form of cloud-based solutions like Office 365 and Microsoft Teams, or using a VPN to access your on-premise business-critical systems.

As ever Systems Integration are here to support you with your IT requirements, whether its installation of a new software, advice on the best and most suitable hardware for remote working or even help with your remote working model? With 40% of our current clients suddenly finding themselves working remotely, we know a thing or two about setting up a remote working model that works for everyone. If you need support in setting up a successful remote working model, get in touch with our experts today.
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