The pandemic has changed many aspects of our everyday lives. And although we may have said goodbye to masks, many are not ready to say goodbye to working from home.
Lockdowns forced work from home life for most ‘non-essential’ workers, and many will do anything to not give it up.But for management, it can feel daunting. How do we stay connected, and how can we keep up with the company culture with flexible or hybrid working arrangements? Here at Majer, we’ve put together our top tips to stay connected in a hybrid world.
Technology is your best friend!
Working with a remote team means there is no escaping keeping up to date on the latest tech trends. But luckily for you, the increase of hybrid working arrangements has created a million and one easily accessible and effective tech tools to keep you and your team connected.
From time to time, we all seem to forget that phones were created for a reason – and that reason wasn’t just for scrolling various social media channels or taking photos of our avo on toast. Regular calls between staff whether on Zoom or just via your mobiles is one of the best ways to make sure staff stay connected and feel supported. Without the ability to chat through problems your team may be facing or having the opportunity to collaborate with other team members, staff can easily feel isolated and overwhelmed.
Which leads us to our next favorite tech tool… Asana! This is our personal favourite project management tool for the hybrid world. It provides you the ability to make plans, assign tasks and track progress all from the one platform (and remotely!). This is a great way to ensure everyone in your team knows exactly what tasks they need to complete, by when and who to be collaborating with.
Whether in the office or working from home, the no-brainer tech options have to include some sort of online file sharing software like Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. They are the most effective tools to share and store your files online.
Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate!
Collaboration is key to keeping staff connected and keeping productivity rates high. Research has recognised a strong link between employees collaborating and company performance. In particular, an Australian study has found employees to be up to ten times more likely to be satisfied with their job if they are in a team that collaborates.
Schedule in person catch ups!
Last, but certainly not least, make sure you’re scheduling time to meet up in person when you can! With the increased acceptance of remote roles, this may not always be possible with teams spread across not only the country but the world. However, if your team has the ability to meet up in person, make it happen – even if it’s not every single one of you. It doesn’t have to be time just for work! It could simply be a team coffee catch up or a wellbeing class. No matter what, being able to spend time together in person is a key way to keep your team connected. Make it a priority for leadership members to be present too, allowing time for people to ask questions and chat without any pressure.
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Try implementing these tools into your workplace and watch your culture flourish. At Majer we support and foster a flexible work environment and can help with career development, recruitment, talent acquisition and other needs regarding human resource management. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help bring appropriate talent together for your needs and workforce.
