The current pandemic has impacted the lives of many. While the world is still combating the disease, many companies have made working from home the new normal. Although this was done to ensure employees’ safety, still, no one was ready for the challenges it brought. Many small businesses are not prepared or experienced when it comes to running their operations from home. Meanwhile, employees working from home for the first time worry that this will impact their team connectivity and cohesion. Well, don’t fear! There are several interesting and easy ways to connect with your team members as you practice social distancing, and this article will briefly discuss some of those.
5 Ways to Help You Stay Connected During Work from Home
Indeed, the traditional office routine ensured easy connectivity among team members. So, naturally, many people are worried about maintaining that connection while working from home. However, the following five ways can help you manage your concerns and significantly reduce your fears!
#1. Plan Activities with Your Co-workers and Staff
Who says you can’t hang out with your team while staying at home? It’s the 21st century; pretty much anything is possible virtually! Send e-invites, host a virtual lunch or workout, and have a good bonding time with your team members. These would be very similar to the get-togethers you had in your office; you’ll dress up, you’ll talk and you’ll laugh. The one thing that would be different is that you would be miles apart! I, personally, like to host virtual game nights with my team. For this purpose, I specially upgraded my basic plan to Spectrum TV package so we could enjoy the HD quality videos and fast navigation. You can do the same thing or be as creative as you want. Figure out an activity that you and your team can enjoy together and make it a regular thing to establish better bonding.
#2. Internet and Social Media
First and foremost, if you wish to stay connected to your team during the lockdown, you need an efficient internet connection. Why? Because you want to ensure maximum productivity and varying internet speeds ruin the workflow! However, the primary reason why it is essential to have a good internet connection is that you need it to use social media- your most significant asset for communication and connectivity! Undoubtedly, all of your team members are on there, and it is the easiest way to reach them, get to know them, and communicate with them off work.
#3. Video Conferencing
Instead of emailing each other, switch to video conferencing instead. Host a virtual meeting and discuss everything face-to-face, just as you would in your regular office. Several software, applications, and even social media platforms allow you to video call and talk to people face to face. Some are even specific for office meetings and conferences. Doing this will not just save you a lot of time and effort, but it will also make sure that you are directly in communication with your team members. Additionally, it will help you get your point across properly and discuss everything in detail.
#4. Group Chats
Group chatting is another modern option to communicate with your team members and co-workers in real-time. This way, you can stay in touch with them 24/7. You can create these groups on social media or other chatting applications. These platforms will help you discuss work problems effectively. It will also allow you to have personal interactions with your team now and then so you can stay socially interconnected as well.
#5. Arrange Meetings Everyday
Indeed, you didn’t arrange meetings every day when you worked from the office. However, doing it now in your new work-from-home regime is essential. Since you’re not interacting with your team face-to-face, holding a meeting daily can help create that working environment and boost everyone’s motivation level before they start the day. These meetings don’t have to last hours; they can go on for 10 to 15 minutes to brief the day’s work, assign tasks, and update all the team members.
Conclusion
You need two things to make sure you stay connected while working from home: a good Spectrum internet connection and suitable office software and applications. To connect with my co-workers, I got a fast connection Within a day by simply calling the Spectrum phone number. Apart from this, make sure you communicate with your office fellows through social media, chatting platforms, and video calls. Remain in contact with them personally and in working hours. Doing this will help you stay connected with your team!
alison luri