As we move towards the eventual lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, it is widely speculated that working life will never be the same again, writes Tim Walker, MD, Aura Technology.
Some are predicting mass home working will continue even when we are free to return to the workplace. Others, including the prime minister, are encouraging a return to the office as soon as it is safe to do so.
We believe the future is somewhere between the two. Having equipped many businesses with cloud capability at the start of lockdown, we have seen their eyes opened to the possibility of a work-from-anywhere future. This brings the benefits of a more flexible work/life balance coupled with the benefits of working together as a team in person.
Here are some ways you can use remote working tools to achieve better communication, a happy and well-motivated workforce and increased productivity.
With collaborative platforms such as Microsoft Teams, it’s easy for your people to share projects and documents, work together on files and share input and feedback wherever they are working from.
Mobile and desktop apps that sync in the cloud make it straightforward to pick up and progress the same piece of work on the office computer, home desktop, tablet or phone while seeing updates and comments from colleagues.
Distributing messages through relevant ‘teams’ and ‘channels’ means your people only receive the notifications that are relevant to them, reducing the stress of over-communication and keeping them focused on the job at hand.
Many of us have missed the office environment and especially the daily interactions with colleagues that were part of everyday working life. Let’s be honest, online chat will never be quite the same – but it can come very close.
Resist the temptation to see social chat as a distraction from work – interactions in Teams channels, apps such as Slack or even WhatsApp can help keep everyone feeling connected with each other. This applies whether the colleague you are communicating with is on the other side of the office, at home, or a million miles away.
Keeping ‘social’ and ‘work’ channels separate is a good idea – people who want to get their heads down can ignore non-essential notifications while others can let off steam safe in the knowledge that they aren’t being a nuisance.
We’re all very used to video calls now, and there’s no doubt that we will continue to use Zoom, Teams and other video apps for meetings in the long term. We’ve all seen how it saves travel time and makes diary management easier.
However, remember that for some, the novelty has worn off and video call fatigue can set in. Not every conversation has to be on screen – for a quick chat or catchup, a voice call or exchange of instant messages will do the job just as effectively. Of course, when it’s safe, there will never be a substitute for a face-to-face meeting from time to time. Many businesses now have more options available to them, and that can only be good for business.
Employees who feel they are learning and improving are more likely to stay with you than those who feel stuck in a rut. Perhaps during lockdown, some staff have realised the benefit of personal development and will want you to continue to support this. Your company may have its own training programme, but for those who don’t, there is a wealth of information available through online courses and webinars.
It’s a good idea to work with each employee to identify their training needs and allocate time – perhaps two afternoons a month – for them to dedicate to learning and development. This could be through online research, in-person training, watching a TED Talk, or taking part in a structured training course.
The team at Aura Technology work extensively in the mid-market private and public sectors and are supporting existing and new clients through remote working. To discuss your business’s needs contact:
03333 208 601
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