At DAZZLE SHIP we say, new ways of working means a great excuse to disrupt existing habitual patterns.
When one door closes, another opens. In this time of uncertainty, finding yourself having to quickly adapt to new ways of engaging with clients and employees can open up a new perspectives allowing you to see old challenges in a fresh new light.
By gaining these fresh perceptions, we open ourselves up to a radically new world of creativity.
Here are our tips to managing virtual teams and making remote work easier:
1. Daily Stand Ups
Very useful, especially at the start of any project when momentum is needed to set the tone going forward. This should ideally be face-to-face via video. This is your time to answer questions, provide feedback and define expectations.
2. Resources Overview
It’s good to have an insight into how your team are working. What is their internet connection speed? What hardware/software are they running? Is there anything they need to make things smoother? It’s your job to ask these questions so you can manage your own expectations. This in turn supports their effectiveness at work.
3. Create ‘water cooler’ moments.
Personal conversations and small talk are less likely to arise during work-orientated Slack channels. Make time for the personal touches, let people know things that are currently happening in your life. Even if it’s just a picture of your lunch or a meme, it helps lighten the load all round.
4. Flexibility Is Key…
The goal is always to optimize productivity and sometimes this means supporting flexibility. Some people work better at different hours. This can be down to preference, or because of existing commitments (family, children etc). Find a schedule that supports everyone to be the most productive they can be. This means offering trust and support where need be.
5. …But Give yourself structure
The problem with supporting flexibility from others can sometimes mean you become too stretched with your time. Find your own ‘working hours’ structure and communicate that to the team. The last thing you want is to ‘burn out’, which can come quickly when you start working to multiple people’s schedules spanning different time zones. The key here is knowing when to log off and make sure there is a strict barrier between work and life. The happier you are at work, the more effective your team is, meaning the client see’s better results. Everything comes full circle.
