Here at Hookd, we’re no strangers to working remotely, so our transition to 100% virtual during last spring’s quarantine was pretty seamless. But we know that’s not the case for every workplace. Here are our top tips that keep us connected, productive, and thriving!
Set clear expectations
Let your team know what your expectations are when they’re working from home. For example, do they need to be available at certain times, or can they complete work at their discretion? You can’t follow rules you don’t understand.
Schedule Regular Meetings
We’re not saying you need to overload your staff with unneeded meetings, but scheduling regular time together is important to ensure that communication that used to happen in person is still happening in your new virtual environment. For some teams, weekly meetings are sufficient. For others, a daily check-in is helpful. We do a combination at Hookd.
Keep Your Camera On
When we’re in a meeting, it really helps us stay engaged in the conversation when we can see who we’re talking to! (Even if it is a hat day…)
Mute your mic
Make it easier for all meeting participants to hear what’s going on by muting yourself when you’re not speaking. With kids, roommates, and dogs now ever-present in our workspaces, you never know what surprises will disrupt a conversation.
Catch Up With Each Other
Along with regularly scheduled meetings, don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and catch up with your team! Those personal connections cultivated in a shared workspace can be created online too, you just need to be proactive. Of course, when you can, nothing beats getting together in person.
Keep Your Calendar Updated
Don’t make it frustrating for your colleagues who are trying to get a hold of you. If you’re at an appointment during your regular business hours, mark it on a calendar that’s shared with your team! We like using Google calendar at Hookd.
I think we can all agree that making a virtual workplace successful takes effort, trust, and thoughtful processes. But with all the online tools available in today’s world, it can be a great option, whether it’s by choice or necessity.