The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all in one way or another. Whether it impacted our personal or professional lives or both, it has definitely changed the way we do things. While we are starting to see a glimpse of life as it used to be, the reality is that the current lockdown measures currently in place will be the new normal for the foreseeable future.
Fortunately, many of us have been able to continue working from the safety of our own homes. It has been possible for us to maintain strong lines of communication and adopt new practices to ensure some sort of business continuity. However, as we slowly transition back to normal (whatever that might be) it’s important to look at how we can continue to thrive in a remote working environment.
With that in mind, here are some tips that business leaders can use to make sure their teams can continue to communicate and collaborate effectively during this unusual time.
- Invest in Communications Technology
- It’s looking like the COVID-19 pandemic is going to affect our day-to-day lives for a long time. It’s hard to imagine a time when (or if) things will go back to how they used to be. It’s very possible that the requirement to keep some social distance will remain in place for years to come.
- In the beginning, many of us raced to get some quick-fix measures in place so we could continue to operate as best we could without suffering any sort of downtime. While those measures may have served us well in a time of urgency, now is the time to re-evaluate and put some more permanent solutions in place.
- Hosted VoIP telephony systems have been providing a unified communications platform for businesses all over the world for many years. Investing in communications technology ensures that your teams and colleagues can continue to communicate, collaborate and operate effectively. Whether your teams remain working remotely full time, part-time or even just occasionally, a hosted VoIP platform can improve performance, increase customer satisfaction and save you money.
- Promote Routine
- It can be difficult to adapt to working from home full time. Our old routines have gone completely out the window – we wake up at different times, we don’t have a commute, there are distractions all around us. Establishing a new routine can help us all to remain focussed and stay on track. One way we can help is to hold regular meetings. Whether they are video meetings with the whole team to catch up or individual meetings for a quick one-to-one, these meetings can help maintain some sort of routine and help everyone adapt to a change in regime.
- Prioritise the Important Jobs
- Transitioning to new working practices will inevitably mean that some things fall through the cracks. It’s important to take stock and prioritise the most important tasks. Focus on completing these first and try not to get distracted with unnecessary meetings.
Collaboration tools can also help your teams to stay on track. By using a central, shared platform, teams can assign tasks, track progress, communicate through email and instant messaging or initiate calls and share documents all from a single application, regardless of where they are or what device they are using.
- Encourage Conversation
- Some members of your team may not feel comfortable sending emails, video messages or texts to their colleagues. It’s much easier to talk to a coworker in person in a more natural working environment. However, if your teams are communicating with each other, this is likely to cause problems at some point. It’s important for business leaders to encourage constant collaboration between remote team members. Lead by example, touch base with your employees through various platforms and encourage them to do the same with others. Even if it’s just to catch up about their weekend, or check in on someone’s health, open and regular communication will keep your teams working together and help your business to run more smoothly.
Kane Communications are here to help. We provide free, impartial advice, every step of the way to help you find the best solution and can deliver the perfect cloud-based telephony and collaboration system with all the features necessary to foster a collaborative work environment.
Furthermore, many of the systems we offer can be deployed remotely. This means we can get you up and running quickly without needing to meet face-to-face or come into direct contact with anyone.
We understand that no two businesses are the same and use our knowledge and experience to deliver secure and reliable phone systems to help you provide your customers with an experience that is second to none.
Please feel free to drop us a line to discuss your needs in more detail.
