Steve Haworth, CEO of productivity experts, 99&One looks at how business leaders can lead a remote working team during this pandemic.
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has led businesses to drastically rethink their strategies and the way they operate. Across the country, businesses and their employees have had to set up remotely just to keep functioning.
Many businesses across the UK already had flexible working schemes in place for their employees. Over half (54%) of the workforce were able to choose the time and place they worked prior to the current pandemic, according to the chartered Institute of Public Development (CIPD). However, for many employees and businesses this is their first foray into remote work.
Leaders of these organisations will be working to ensure they can successfully guide their business and people as they adjust to the new normal in the months ahead. Ensuring better connectivity, collaboration and productivity.
Invest in technology training
By providing employees with the right technology, businesses are only halfway there. The lack of appropriate digital skills at intermediate and senior management levels has the most significant impact on their businesses, a study from the Open University revealed.
This is due to lack of technology training. If staff aren’t fully trained or familiar with the technology in place, they will not be productive or efficient.
Employees need to make the most effective use of the tools they have. Whether it’s Microsoft Teams, SharePoint or any other collaborative software. This can be best achieved through running regular virtual training sessions, say on a weekly or twice weekly basis. This will provide knowledge whilst keeping everyone engaged, regardless of their tech know-how.
It’s also important to ask for feedback from employees and listen to what they have to say through surveys. This will highlight what tools people are struggling with and where training should be focused. This takes time but will certainly have a team more aligned. This will improve ways of working now and in the long run.
Create communication touchpoints
Not every employee has the same communication style. How you engage and communicate can vary depending on the individual and their preferences. Our own research at 99&One, revealed that introverts are at greater risk of feeling isolated than their extroverted colleagues when working remotely (35% vs 23%). While many assume that introverts enjoy a quieter working life, they crave communication just as much. Companies need to keep all workers connected so no one gets left behind.
The enforced and abrupt nature of the transition from an office-based to a home environment could leave some employees struggling and feeling isolated. This could then have a knock-on effect on morale and productivity. Regular individual and company-wide check-ins will help keep everyone on track, feel valued and get everyone collectively working towards the same goals.
Factor in flexibility
Many employees within your workforce may take to working from home like a duck to water, yet for others the transition may not be as straightforward. Having to fully operate from home can be somewhat of a culture shock to certain team members, so it’s important to bear this in mind.
Some employees will find they are more productive at other times of the day while others will be busy juggling additional responsibilities, such as parenting and caring. Put faith and trust in your team to focus on the task at hand and get the job done and give them the freedom to do so. If they can operate when they work best, they will naturally be more productive and have a bigger impact on the long-run success of the business.
Looking ahead and staying connected
For many businesses, transitioning to remote work can be a difficult process. It may be a challenge to keep everyone connected and collaborative, and leaders have more variable factors to consider in taking their team forward.
Making sure everyone is set up with the right tools and gets the right training is crucial. This will allow them to stay connected with both colleagues and company resources. As a leader, it’s important to ensure everyone is regularly contacted and human interaction is maintained. The combination of all of this will provide the foundations for leading a business throughout these testing and unprecedented times.
About the author
Steve is the CEO of the TeleWare Group of companies, including 99&One. He has a fundamental belief that technology can improve business productivity. With a focus on cutting edge innovation, Steve understands the impact that culture and behaviour have on business transformations.
Appointed CEO in 2007, Steve has overseen the transformation of TeleWare from a telecoms business into a creative technology service provider, more recently creating 99&One to improve UK productivity from technology that employees love.
A graduate in Media Technology from the University of Teesside, Steve has over 20 years’ experience in digital technology and spearheads the TeleWare Executive Board.