Working from home for the first time? Here are a few transitional tips.
For those who may now be required to work from home, the transition can be a complicated process. From keeping the same levels of productivity to moving everyday operations to online channels, employers need to ensure remote teams have the necessary resources and tools to be successful.
Remote is not new, and it has been a trend for quite a while. Studies show that over 70 percent of people work remotely at least once a week and 44% of employees say that part of their team is full-time remote. We have seen remote work become extremely popular in the past few years, especially in high-paid engineering positions.
On the other hand, it’s still an uncommon practice for many businesses as 44% of companies around the world don’t allow remote work at all. If it was your case, today we share some tips on making the transition to remote easier and more productive.
Have the right productivity tools
If you are in a managerial position, one of the biggest challenges of remote work is managing multiple projects and teams from a distance. And naturally, everyday processes start being performed through online channels. If your teams are working remotely for the first time, this means they will need guidance in following up with new processes and tasks online. And, most of the times, a simple call is not enough to clarify all questions.
Setting your team up for success is crucial. So, make sure you have the right tools to help support their success. Here are just some of the productivity tools to accelerate this transition:
● Knowledge management software to keep internal information regarding products, services or procedures centralized, organized and updated in real-time. Your remote employees can also use it to leave notes and important messages on the same platform, improving communication and team collaboration.
● The ability to easily create tutorial videos to explain specific processes on internal software, such as to request absences or create a customer profile, helping you save time creating support documentation, accelerate staff training and boost employee productivity.
● Product tours and tooltips to provide contextual messages directly on your internal software. You can use this tool to notify employees about a new working schedule, policy update, server errors, or explain specific terms and features.
All these solutions are much more effective than forcing your remote teams to read the documentation and less costly than conducting training meetings regularly. In addition, you boost their ability to perform tasks autonomously, reducing both time and resources.
Maintain professionalism
While applications like Slack, which is a widely popular tool used by companies for quick communication, can make casual conversation and unconventional gifs seem tempting, it’s important to maintain professional language when communicating in bigger channels or during one-on-one conversations.
Dressing the part is another key factor in keeping a professional mindset. With applications such as Zoom, it’s not uncommon to hop on a video call on a daily basis. So, here are some tips to look professional during a virtual meeting:
● For men, looking at your most presentable self also means making sure your grooming routine is well maintained. In general, it is important to adopt a healthy grooming habit, but it can be easy to fall short of this task when you are working from home every day. Make sure you have all the essentials at your hands to make this an easy process. Grab your favorite face wash or exfoliate, invest in some high-grade razors and make sure you use a trusted moisturizer in order to achieve the most presentable look.
● For women, make sure your overall appearance is presentable for anything from conference calls to working on the computer. Research shows that dressing for success can even improve your outlook. Women should also make sure to adopt healthy grooming habits, such as regularly washing their hair with high-quality shampoo to achieve a presentable look with ease.
If you’re unsure what attire to wear in your work setting, check out this guide from Indeed.
Set up a work schedule
It may be enticing to sleep in every once in a while when you’re working from home, but setting up a schedule can help with your workflow and make it easier to be productive at home.
Taking control of your workload can help you meet deadlines and limit stress. Try working the same hours as the rest of your team to improve communication and help keep yourself on track.
If you are part of a sales or customer care team it’s even more important that you keep up with a solid schedule to conduct calls with potential customers in their respective working schedules.
Keep up with your healthy habits
Maintaining healthy habits no matter your work setting is imperative. For example, it’s important to make sure you get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis, as this has been shown to improve your productivity and concentration.
Furthermore, a diet that is healthy and has you feeling your best will be a life-saver. Try prepping yourself a lunch every night to make working at home a little easier for yourself the next day.
Following wellness programs even remotely is another great way to boost productivity. You can start by following workout apps and online classes on a weekly basis. Make sure to share it with your team members as well.
Create a workspace
Finally, create a set workspace for yourself to use on a daily basis. Again, it may seem easy to work in bed or on the couch, but having a desk or home office may give you a more stress-free transition. It can also help you improve your work-life balance.
Research shows that 26 percent of work is done outside of normal work hours and that many Americans choose to work over the typical 40-hour workweek. With all of your work at home, this can be even easier to do. Having your own office space can help you separate yourself from your work when you ‘clock out.’
Having great natural light and comfortable sitting are some important aspects to consider when creating a workspace at home, as it helps improve overall productivity and wellness.
To Conclude
Transitioning to remote work for the first time is no easy task. We hope these tips will help you achieve your goals and make the transition as seamless as possible. Now it’s time to get to work!
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