We’ve all become used to effortless communication in the office, whether by shouting answers to our co-worker’s questions across the room or sitting at meetings when more delicate information needs to be shared. The last two years have changed the way all companies conduct business. Now, we have to rely on technology for work a lot more than we used to.
The situation isn’t bleak, though it has been a taxing process for us all. We had to stop seeing people in person and get used to seeing them through our laptop screens. With programs like Skype, Google Meets, and Zoom, it has almost felt like we are all in the same room together — albeit with a mute button on hand.
That said, navigating remote work has been a challenge in general and now requires us to look into ways to boost communication to strengthen the connections we make daily.
So today, let’s see what companies can do to improve remote work conditions for all their employees. More importantly, here’s how they can ensure the business continues to thrive for as long as these unprecedented times last.
How to Ensure Good Communication While Working Remotely
Create a Comprehensive Framework
As the move to remote work was sudden for most of us, some companies didn’t have time to develop plans. There’s still a chance, though, to improve the conditions for your staff and ensure everyone’s on the same page even when working from home.
Putting everything in writing is the right way to start here. A company should provide a handbook or a policy page that outlines what it expects from its remote employees. Certain parameters must be set to avoid absenteeism, low-quality work, and a huge decrease in motivation.
Whichever type of writing you go for, make sure to consider your company’s culture and the people that comprise it. Set clear guidelines regarding schedules and communication to prevent mistakes in advance.
Above all, preserve your company’s privacy by enforcing safety precautions that would protect both the business and the staff. That may include but isn’t limited to using printed webcam covers, specific anti-virus programs, and similar aids that should keep every piece of classified information as confidential as it needs to be.
Finally, consider your expectations and any deadlines you’re looking to meet. Distractions are common when people work from home, so making sure there aren’t any misunderstandings is key to enabling your plans to work.
It’s best to have all the plans set before the switch begins. However, if that’s impossible, you can also enlist your trusty staff and management to pick up the bulk of the work and ensure miscommunication rarely has any impact on the business.
When Possible, Encourage Verbal Communication
Emails are incredibly helpful in these times, but it is easy to misunderstand them, especially if they’re rushed. Without seeing someone’s face in front of us and picking up on the social clues, we may easily misjudge and misconstrue information laid in front of us.
Luckily, technology is on our side here. There are many ways to encourage verbal communication via programs like Zoom. Meetings can be face-to-face (through a screen at least), so social cues can be noticed and reacted to properly.
That said, if your staff is working from home, consider their household situation and work on your schedules. Video calls should be scheduled carefully to ensure no interruptions or background noise.
Likewise, calls should happen at specific times without any sudden changes, no matter how often you need them. That way, you would give your staff enough time to prepare for them properly. Better yet, a set schedule would allow them to keep their families at bay to ensure maximum focus.
Naturally, if some employees don’t have the right equipment to communicate well via their laptops and computers, you as an employer should provide them with the tools they need.
Custom headphones and earbuds come with various properties that make working from home almost effortless, like noise-cancelling abilities and Bluetooth connection. These can increase focus by blocking background noise and even improve mood if your staff likes listening to music while going through their daily tasks. Better yet, they can serve as a signal for other household members to remind them not to disturb the employee!
Get Everyone on Instant Messaging Apps or Programs
Though face-to-face communication is important to help your staff connect, not every situation calls for it. For quick questions or simple hellos, instant messaging apps and programs are the ideal solution.
With instant messaging, you will allow your employees to keep the existing bond between co-workers alive. They would often chat in the office kitchen or go out for lunches together when everything was normal. Now, instant messages are the only more casual form of communication they can rely on to maintain a connection.
In essence, your employees don’t have to be so prim and proper while messaging each other. They can indulge in emojis, gifs, and everything else that makes text messages oh-so-entertaining today. As a result, they can blow off steam during the day, which may allow for more productivity later on!
Ensure Your Business Thrives With Collaboration Tools and Activity Reports
In some companies, it’s important to keep track of what the employees do on a daily basis. In that case, online daily activity reports should give you some peace of mind and ensure you have all the information you need wherever you go.
Though verbal communication helps avoid many misunderstandings, having some things in writing is sometimes necessary. So, another great way of making sure your business keeps thriving when working remotely is to rely on collaboration tools.
Management tools like Asana and Trello make remote collaboration easier for everyone. Among other things, they save time and resources, as well as improve overall communication, productivity, and even team morale.
The only thing to keep in mind here is that the program you go for should operate in the cloud. You need those real-time updates and synchronisation to ensure smooth sailing through these difficult times.
Remember to Ask Your Staff for Their Input
It can be difficult to feel valued and as if you belong to a real team without regular face-to-face communication. Thus, when working remotely, we have to pay special attention to asking employees for their input to show our appreciation.
Reaching out to your staff for their opinion and ideas will let them know that you’re interested in their thought process and are eager to see what they can contribute. They may be on to something you may not have even thought about but could help your business thrive even more.
At the same time, they feel better about themselves when they know someone is listening to them and wants to hear what they think. That kind of attention doesn’t go unnoticed in today’s environment. In fact, it can help them feel less lonely while working from home and thus more motivated to keep putting effort into their jobs.
Show Your Employees That You Trust Them
Though the situation seems hard, don’t think for a second that micromanaging your employees is the right call here. You have to be able to trust them to adapt well to working from their own homes, as otherwise, you risk making them feel undervalued and undeserving.
Not allowing your staff to make their own decisions and nitpicking at every task could easily lower their productivity too. In that case, your framework might become obsolete, and you may find yourself dealing with unsatisfied, resentful employees.
Remember to Have Some Fun Too!
Finally, keep in mind that your office culture also includes various work-related events where your staff has a chance to connect and unwind. Just because everyone is working from home doesn’t mean you should give up on those affairs!
The beauty of Zoom, Skype, and similar programs is that they work well both for work and digital events. All you have to do is let your creativity flow! Hosting quizzes, trivia nights, virtual cocktail hours, and similar events would help your staff unwind and have fun even when they’re not in the office. Ensure these events are their chance to strengthen their connection with the company and their co-workers — and watch as working from home becomes less of a nuisance week after week!
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