Companies are understandably nervous about how the coronavirus (COVID-19) is impacting their day-to-day operations.?Even before the pandemic struck, remote work has been accelerating over the last few years. But now, more than ever, businesses will be relying on communication and technology to seamlessly continue their operations.
Back in 2018, we faced delays in building out our new office space — which eventually led to working remotely for over a month. We didn’t have much time to prepare, but in spite of that, we were able to maintain efficiency and many of our clients had no idea we weren’t in a physical office.?
If you are now faced with having to quickly facilitate a completely remote workforce, here are a few things to keep in mind that helped us transition smoothly and efficiently:
- Communication is critical. We actually found that communication, both quality, and frequency, increased as we worked remotely.?You can’t overcommunicate in situations like this. Emails and documents are great, but leveraging tools that facilitate group messaging and video chats allow you to maintain personal connections, bolster collaboration, and retain aspects of the company culture that are understandably impacted when your team is no longer physically together.
- Invest in technology, now. At work and at home, laptops allow us to be flexible with our workspaces—so we already had a head start when a physical office wasn’t an option. We had also already moved our project/resource management online and utilized the Office 365 suite for document storage and communication.?We were able to simply pack up our laptops, grab our kids’ photos from our desks, and start work from home the next day.?
- Embrace the change. As a business owner or manager of a team, you will likely have immediate concerns about your team’s productivity and efficiency.?But realistically, there are tools in place to monitor this: time-tracking systems, project management software, metrics, and reporting, etc. You may need to make minor adjustments, but if you prioritize the two items above—communication and technology—you can facilitate a remote policy that’s just as productive as a traditional workspace. As long as leaders instill a sense of confidence in their team to get work done, businesses can work together towards a common goal.
We were fortunate that we already had the technology and tools in place to do our jobs anywhere, but we know that not all companies are in the same position. We also understand the severity of this pandemic, and unfortunately, it may only get worse before it gets better.
With that said, we believe that with the right strategies for global communication, intranet solutions, and collaboration tools, companies can react quickly and responsively to the growing global crisis. And at the end of the day, one thing is for certain: we’re all in this together.
If you’d like to talk more about how your business is being impacted and learn what you can do to adapt quickly, please reach out at info@clevermethod.com.