Revolutionizing Remote Work
The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in a whirlwind of changes to our daily lives, a huge one of which being the mass transition to remote work. Over time, we’ve gotten used to Zoom calls and comfy loungewear uniforms as our daily routines. However, now with two years of pandemic under our belt, public health restrictions have started to relax and doors are opening to the outside world again… but it seems that the “work from home” era is here to stay.
According to Forbes, 25% of all professional jobs in North America will be remote by the end of 2022, and remote opportunities will continue to increase through 2023. Studies have indicated that the majority of remote workers demonstrate higher levels of productivity, engagement, and happiness. Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?
Well, to many it is. But it also takes effort to cultivate a dream WFH environment that still puts the “work” in “work from home.” Since we’re all about investing in you and your success—whether it be in the workplace or at home or BOTH—we’ve invited expert panelists Pavel Stepanov @pavelStepanov77, VirtuDesk @virtudeskcom, and Carla Jenkins @carlarjenkins to share their tips on making the most of remote work. You’re going to want to take notes on this one.
Missed the Tweet Chat? Here’s a recap:
Q1. Studies have shown that the majority of WFH / remote workers are more productive, more actively engaged in their work, and happier overall. What factors do you think contribute to these results in these studies?
VirtuDesk: Factors include:
-Flexibility
-Stress-free working environment
-Save time from commuting
-Less peer pressure
Frameable, Inc. @FrameableInc: Lack of a commute, and fewer interruptions are just a few reasons. An interesting study by @apollotechnical showed that those who work from home report exercising 30 minutes more during the workweek, which has proven mental and physical health benefits.
Q2. Being engaged produces better results! How do you cultivate a WFH / hybrid environment that maximizes work engagement, productivity, and work-life balance? What practices and tips work best for you? How do you stay organized and on top of your workload?
Suzanne Brown: Wherever I work from, I make sure to:
*Plan my week on Sunday and each day the night before
*Know my priorities for the day
*Break things down into smaller bites
*Focus on being intentional with how I work
*Have a stopping point each night
VirtuDesk: At Virtudesk, we make sure we conduct daily check-ins for all of our remote employees. This helps in clarifying tasks they need to accomplish within the day. It's essential to use reliable tools for communication as well like Skype, Google Hangouts, Messenger, etc.
Pavel Stepanov: I agree with @virtudeskcom. Also, I always tell my employees that starting their day right is the key to being more productive when working from home. Wake up as if they are going to the office. Eat their usual breakfast and get some exercise.
Q3. Communication amongst a team is especially important. What are the best practices for virtual communication? How do you tackle the challenges of not having the ease and availability of in-person communication?
VirtuDesk: We actually find ourselves sharing our culture with our virtual assistants who are based in the Philippines during our daily check-ins. This includes food, habits, language, etc. This is because we are given quality time to spend with our VAs even if it's virtual.
Frameable, Inc. @FrameableInc: Invite feedback and foster an inclusive environment. Continue reviewing and adjusting policies as new concerns emerge. While scheduled meetings are important, virtual software tools can help foster more natural, free-flowing conversations within the org.
Erika Heald @Sferika: Whether it's on Slack, in meetings, or via Discord, having access to a range of custom emojis and GIFs for all occasions can help with setting the tone/intent of more casual team virtual communications.
Q4. Have you ever been more thankful for technology than you have these last couple of years?! 🙌 What are the best tech tools / apps, etc. to share information, collaborate, and stay productive & organized?
Pavel Stepanov: Indeed, I am. In terms of the best tech tools and apps, we are using @ClickUp as our primary project management tool. In terms of tracking our employees' productivity, we are using our own client tracker.
Carla Jenkins: I like @latermedia @MicrosoftTeams #Chime #Skype and #Microsoft365 for work.
Alyx @ColfaxInsurance: I am a personal fan of Google Docs (big big fan) since you can have multiple people working on it at once, and there are options for chatting and joining a call based on that document.
Q5. Remote work can be lonely sometimes. What’s the difference between feeling lonely vs being isolated? What Qs should managers ask their teams to help rectify these feelings? How can businesses ensure their own needs and their team’s needs are being met?
Carla Jenkins: I like the ideas of having monthly/quarterly meetups at a physical place to break the monotony and have everyone go outside. You get face-to-face communication and see how each other is actually doing.
VirtuDesk: This is very important to us. That is why we organize events for our remote employees. It could be a monthly virtual event like quizzes or raffles. Aside from that, we manage company events for them as well to celebrate our success and have fun together.
Q6. Let’s talk time-management! How do you prioritize your to-do list & structure your day? What’s your strategy for managing your never-ending inbox? What should be on your “stop doing” list? How do you best customize your break schedules for optimal productivity?
Pavel Stepanov: Plan your day at the same time, and take breaks when needed. I usually go for a walk during my break to do a quick digital detox since you are exposed for the whole day to technology.
Carla Jenkins: #Timemanagement is key towards my #productivity. I have a daily to-do list to ensure that I am making the most of my time.
Beth Staub @AdventureGlass: Prioritize: my planner keeps my list for me - move over those that aren't finished for the next day. Strat: Beginning of every month create goals and then objectives for those goals - end of month see how ya did - it works for me.
Q7. What goes into creating a long-term plan for remote work? How do you evaluate your team, consider their roles, work habits, & needs? How do the individual team members’ factor into a solution? Should teams be able to elect their own work location? Why / why not? #WinnieSun
Carla Jenkins: A12: I think employee input and feedback are essential towards crafting realistic #wfh plans. These plans should be adjusted during quarterly review time. Responsiveness is key.
Frameable, Inc. @FrameableInc: Foster open communication within your org and consider your goals, available technology, environmental impact, and the rules, norms, and values you are looking to maintain or add. Offsites can be a great option for teams to supplement fully remote work.
We hope you’ve picked up some awesome tricks and techniques you can harness to create the healthy work-life balance you’ve always wanted. Since remote work is here for the long-term, it’s important to start implementing work habits early on for more success later on.
Now that you’re equipped with our experts’ advice, you’re already on track towards maximizing your productivity and your happiness.
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