The pandemic has thrown many companies in at the deep end. Suddenly they had to deal with the topics of remote work and home office. After the home office obligation was lifted, the desire of employees for a flexible working model is particularly great – but in many companies it still remains a challenge for the management. The question often arises as to how a completely remote or hybrid team can be optimally managed so that employee loyalty is maintained. Below, Concept board shares five tips for managing remote and hybrid teams.
Enable close communication
The most obvious but most important aspect of managing remote or hybrid teams is information sharing. Clear and concise communication is essential to keep a team on track and ensure everyone is working towards the same goal. This in turn requires the right channels. Chat and conference tools can do a lot here. However, an interactive, visual platform is the best addition for working together on projects. Because the usual Office programs quickly tempt you to work together in writing and in many documents, which may not always be up to date. However, many ideas and projects can be designed, planned and communicated much better visually. with a common
Try new ways of working together
Hybrid collaboration requires a rethink of how collaborative ideation, internal team organization, and collaborative work works. Online whiteboard tools play a crucial role here, as they make asynchronous work possible, for example.
Asynchronous work is a form of work that more and more companies are benefiting from. Employees can thus plan their working day and working hours more independently. Giving employees the opportunity to try out new ways of working together usually increases team satisfaction. Modern brainstorming methods such as brainwriting or design thinking not only make meetings more efficient and lively, but also make the ideas developed there more creative. This type of collaboration also makes it possible to include all personality types, as even more reserved team members have an easy way to contribute their ideas. This promotes team cohesion, but also immense motivation.
Also Read: How To Use Remote Work Culture To Your Company’s Advantage?
Create a safe environment
If the work can be done from anywhere, it is particularly important to create a secure infrastructure. In order to keep an overview of the large range of cloud-based SaaS providers (Software as a Service) and to decide on the right one, care should be taken to ensure that the selected tools and programs meet the compliance requirements and are GDPR-compliant .
An indication of a high level of data security is, for example, ISO 27001 certification, which certifies that the certified company is using an information security management system correctly. In addition, the standard identifies organizations that assess risks in information security and counter them appropriately. Strong encryption of the data on the company’s servers – for example using AES 256 bit – ensures that unauthorized third parties cannot read data. Another feature that indicates a high level of data security is the company’s server locations. If the servers are in Europe, there is higher data security than companies with servers in third countries. This allows employees to share files and upload them to the cloud without hesitation.
A positive side effect of cloud-based solutions is quick access from anywhere – this eliminates the hassle of connecting to the company’s servers. This allows employees to share files and upload them to the cloud without hesitation. A positive side effect of cloud-based solutions is quick access from anywhere – this eliminates the hassle of connecting to the company’s servers. This allows employees to share files and upload them to the cloud without hesitation. A positive side effect of cloud-based solutions is quick access from anywhere – this eliminates the hassle of connecting to the company’s servers.
Pause and celebrate
“It’s important to me that we also take time to pause and appreciate the hard, good work of the team,” said Daniel Bohn, co-founder and product lead of Conceptboard. »When employees see the results and impact of their work, they feel proud and realize that their work is meaningful and important. It gives us all the energy to keep going and to tackle the next goal.« How you celebrate depends on the team and the company culture. This is an opportunity to experiment with new ideas that the team brings and that connect – virtual parties, thoughtful gifts, small gifts or real meetings and celebrations together. Such surprises not only motivate, but also sustainably promote commitment, culture and loyalty.
Take care of mental health
According to this year’s Microsoft Work Trend Index53% of workers prioritize health and well-being over work. This number clearly shows companies that they should give their employees the opportunity to take care of their own mental health. Many platforms now offer online therapies or coaching sessions. By providing such resources, employees feel valued and see management’s efforts to make hybrid work as pleasant as possible. Another way to boost mental health is to encourage breaks and downtime.
In order for the working time in the home office to be and remain productive, employees should have time for themselves, be it a walk around the block, a short coffee break or a well-deserved vacation. A meeting marathon with only a few and very short breaks in between, on the other hand, quickly tires you out and reduces productivity. Honest communication is another adjustment screw that can be turned. Remote workers should feel comfortable sharing their feelings with their managers. This can be done, for example, through regular meetings or an anonymous survey.
A look into the future
In order to continue to successfully support hybrid and remote working, it is important to recognize and master the challenges that arise. This is the only way to strengthen your team, promote social interactions and counteract and reduce possible exhaustion at an early stage.
It is just as important and necessary to invest in the right technologies to provide your employees with a professional working environment. This is the only way to promote creativity, productivity and long-term good cooperation with each other.
Also Read: 4 Ways To Keep Remote Workers Engaged