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Remote Positivity: Emulating Optimism for Your Work-From-Home Employees

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Work From Home| Remote Positivity: Emulating Optimism for Your Work-From-Home EmployeesThe work from home dynamic has come into our society in full force. Since the pandemic’s effects have significantly impacted our ability to congregate in groups, many companies have used remote work to keep their workflow on a proper level and collaborate with employees working from home.

There are numerous ways that technology has adeptly adapted to this, with apps and services across multiple platforms able to aid in employee communications no matter their location. However, one must remember that there are psychological effects on social isolation, ranging from anxiety to sleeplessness.

It starts with a company leader addressing these issues and taking the initiative to create a realm of positivity for his or her working community. Once done, employees can more easily thrive in a workplace with core values of workplace strength and support.

Collaborate and Listen

The applications that the tech world has developed have been a mainstay in the work from home atmosphere. No longer do people need to leave messages, wait hours for contact, or wonder which roles they have on a company project. Whether utilizing instant messaging, video conferencing, or campaign tracking, apps like GoToMeeting and Slack have all been heavily downloaded and integrated into remote work environments. Digital transformation will only continue to evolve with further refinement of workflow customization tools.

However, it’s important to note that “collaboration” is an integral part of these workflow collaboration apps. That means rising together towards the desired group result–but more than anything, it means a leader willing to step up and create a constructive and enthusiastic environment.

Project management is an essential part of any brand, for example, but proper communication with employees is necessary to steady productivity. Make sure that your working community knows that they’re valued on a personal level. Checking in for friendly workforce chats weekly, making employee onboarding a priority for future work efforts, and rewarding especially excellent efficiency with warm messages are all ways in which you can exemplify your positive work atmosphere.

Zooming the Right Way

If you’ve been working from home, then you’ve probably been using Zoom: the video communications service that’s connected a multitude of remote work employees through web conferencing. However, during the past few weeks, there’s been a concern over the notion of excess comfort in personal home office use with Zoom.

The concept of “Zoom etiquette” is one that has recently been in conversation across multiple sectors. Specifically, there is debate about how many behaviors one may or may not allow when videoconferencing in groups. Addressing this topic with your employees will eliminate any chance of discomfort for them during video conferences.

For example, if one hasn’t had the time for a lunch break and needs to eat during a long meeting, should one wait and not interrupt? The consensus seems to be that it is alright. However, temporarily switching off one’s camera and muting one’s microphone so as not to disturb the other members with possible sound interventions is best.

Other possible scenarios involve establishing that social media alerts or other interruptions don’t divert your employees. These will limit their ability to remember aspects of your video meeting, as well as demonstrate a lack of professionalism that other employees might catch onto.

However, ensure that your workforce member isn’t excessively stressed if a child or pet causes a minor interruption. Know that there are some elements in the new normal that you can control as an authority leader and some aspects that you cannot. Your working community will notice you, and your bolstering environment, more for it.

Communicate and Know the Purpose

With an untold amount of startups in the current atmosphere and a market that seems to change every second, there is a measure of instability that can occur when a company operates on an unstable foundation. Profit may be coming in with a trending product or service, but long-term success is built upon leadership that understands its key areas of skills and fortitude. Having each of your employees understand your brand’s–and your own life’s–mission will give better clarity to your organization, helping align short-term wants with long-term goals.

But communication doesn’t just come from one direction. Through videoconference, asking your employees what they believe their strengths to be and what they want to achieve in life will open up mental pathways on both sides. It will give them a sense of purpose and resolve, knowing that you have a sincere interest in their skillset.

They’ll see that they can chat with you if they notice an additional lead or avenue that the business can take in the future. And for you, as a leader, you may learn an additional power area from one of your working community members that you can now count on moving forward.

Communication has evolved to a level that few of us expected to see a year ago. With digital transformation, we’ve seen video conferencing and webinars take hold in our day-to-day work experiences. However, this doesn’t mean that the foundational aspects of a positive work environment need to lessen. Using the proper strategies, an optimistic working community can advance and lead to a brighter future for every work-from-home member.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor |Veronica BaxterVeronica Baxter is a legal assistant and blogger living and working in the great city of Philadelphia. She frequently works with Todd Mosser Esq., a busy criminal appeals lawyer, Philadelphia PA.

Feedback For Staff Is Essential, Now More Than Ever

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Feedback for Staff|Feedback For Staff Is Essential, Now More Than EverAmong all the challenges that work from home poses, the challenge of having a feedback call when employees and managers work from home should be noted. The big question is how to have a zoom feedback conversation with an employee who is at home, when the manager who delivers the feedback is also at home. Despite the difficulties and challenges, it is important to be careful about the feedback, for several reasons: First, performance testing has a significant impact on employee motivation. Do they need additional training or should they use their own initiative to look at something such as Kallibr for the future.

Employees who receive serious feedback about the tasks they have performed, thereby receiving a message from the organization, that the organization sees what they have contributed to the company and is aware of their contribution. At the same time, regarding tasks whose performance was lower than required, they can get assistance from the direct manager and even from the staff regarding improving the performance of these tasks in the future. Studies conducted in the United States show that the chance of workers receiving constructive feedback to invest more in work is 2.9 times higher than in the past. If so, what is the feedback: This is an employee performance review, which is the official evaluation of employee performance. Here are some questions managers may ask during a performance review:

  1. What the employee thinks he can do to help their own career and company.
  2. Which tasks in the opinion of the employee, they performed excellently, which were in a good, mediocre manner and which tasks did not meet the objectives, and how they plan to improve in the future.
  3. The employee should be asked to perform a self-assessment, identify what his or her main contributions to the company were, and where he or she identifies opportunities to improve performance.
  4. At the end of the survey, a discussion should be held on the employee’s performance, and it should be examined how they were in relation to the requirements and objectives.

Feedback is good for all areas of business

Existence of a feedback process focused on the well-being of employees (rather than reprimands for unattainable goals) conveys to employees that the company in which they work assumes a commitment to their growth and development. This situation allows employees to be retained while helping them improve performance. Here are 2 key benefits to the feedback that is given in the way described here, helping the employee to develop:

  1. It is three times more likely that employees will recommend the organization as a great place to work.
  2. 2.4 times 2.4 employees will continue to work in the organization even in two years from today.

There are very many ways that allow organizations to improve the feedback process. One is to manage employee expectations from the first moment. Another way is to reduce the tension that feedback evokes among employees. Surveys conducted in the US show that only about 14% of employees responded that they “strongly agree” with the statement that the feedback they received encourages them to improve.

Employee Turnover- When Good Employees Won’t Stay

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Employee Turnover|Employee Turnover- When Good Employees Won't StayIf it’s become a trend where you get good employees, train and give them responsibilities, but after a short while they jump ship, you need to evaluate. The trend can be demotivating, disturbing, and affect productivity. The remaining employees have to contend with increased workloads and reduced morale. Before you lose all your good employees, check what’s wrong. Why are your employees not happy to work at your company? What causes high employee turnover?

Lack of Motivation

When an employee’s efforts are not appreciated or acknowledged, this kills morale. A company should have a reward system that recognizes every employee’s input and rewards exemplary behavior or action. Good feedback is also essential. It helps employees improve and make progress in difficult situations. It’s also crucial to have a workable employee benefits management such as from Cowell, James, Forge Insurance Group.

Lack of Engagement

When employees are not engaged, they do the bare minimum and jump into any other opportunity that presents itself. To gauge how engaged your workforce is, check how enthusiastic they are when performing tasks. Do they seem happy, spend time connecting with colleagues, and participate in team-building activities? When employees show to work late, skip work or company activities, it indicates a disconnection. It’s critical to address the issue before it spreads to the entire workforce.

Poor Management

A manager with poor leadership or people skills can lead to high employee turnover. Employees need to be handled with respect and understanding. If the manager doesn’t take time to know his team well, he may mishandle or disrespect some. For instance, when you have a culturally diversified workforce, you shouldn’t assume or support one religion or culture. It’s important to respect each person’s culture, beliefs, and religion and show support.

The executive should ensure all employees are handled with respect, their views and concerns addressed and supported.

No Room for Growth

Stagnation is a killer of morale. Many employees want to work in organizations where they can grow and improve their skills. Keeping an employee in one position for too long demotivates and kills their dreams. If a promising opportunity presents itself, they will not hesitate to move. Also, it’s essential to create challenges that break the monotony and build excitement. For instance, the launch of a new product is not only an exciting experience but puts everyone on their toes to ensure everything goes right.

There is No Work-Life Balance

Sometimes employees are torn between a demanding job that they love and their families. When employees have to choose between the two, in most cases, the company loses. Employees need enough time with their families without the pressure to outperform or spend more time at work. An employer should show they value families by creating a family-friendly environment such as supporting nursing mothers or parents with small children. It’s also crucial to respect off days or leave requests.

A good salary is not the only consideration when an employee decides to work or stay in a company. Peace of mind, satisfaction, and projected growth are also important considerations.

How to Maximize Your Team’s Performance When Working from Home

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Team Performance|How to Maximize Your Team’s Performance When Working from HomeHow can you make sure your team continues to perform while working from home?

This is a question many leaders have had to ask in recent times, and it’s an area that can make a big difference to your business performance. If you can get your team working at 100% while at home, then it’s going to benefit everyone.

Make a Plan & Create a Good Working Environment

If your team is going to work coherently when working from home, then everyone has to be on the same page. They have to understand the requirements, the goals they need to be working towards, and how you plan to achieve them.

You want to make the transition between office based, and work from home as easy as possible, so it’s important to decide on the procedures that are going to help you achieve this.

It can be difficult for people to adapt to working from home. It’s a different environment that presents different challenges, and you need to be able to help your team with this.

Give people guidance on how to set up a good working environment within their homes and make sure they have the resources to get the most out of their time. Office spaces have been optimized over many years to provide the best environment to work in, so it’s natural you will need to take time to figure out how to get the most out of people working from home.

Ensure You Have the Right IT Solutions & Focus on Security

You’ve got to have the right IT set up that allows you to work to the best of your ability. If you’re not using the right cloud software, or you don’t have a good internet connection, or any number of issues, then it can seriously impact your ability to function as part of a team.

This is where it’s important to be working with a good IT solutions company such as VentureNet to help make sure there’s a smooth transition between office and home-based work.

Security should be paramount for any business, and having staff members working from home presents different challenges in this area.

While your office environment should be optimized to maximize security, when people work from home, they can potentially be accessing important information with a lower level of security. Again, it’s important to work with your IT solutions company to make sure you’ve got the protocols in place that protect your business.

Remember : Balance Is Key

One of the difficulties with work from home is that it can completely change the balance people have between their personal life and their work life. The line becomes blurred, and this can be difficult to manage.
If your team is going to perform to the best of its ability though, people need to be able to make that distinction between work life and personal life. Rest is a key component of productivity, so make sure you’re giving your team plenty of help in this area and encourage them to maintain a healthy balance.

5 Secrets to Building an Effective Team Strategy

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Team Strategy|5 Secrets to Building an Effective Team StrategyDoes your business have a team strategy? How engaged are your employees? A recent study found that 70 percent of U.S. workers are not engaged at work!

What can you do to strengthen your team? It all starts with team training and creating a culture of caring and pride in your company. Keep reading to see how you can create an effective team strategy.

1. Establish Leadership

Before you can build a team, establish proper leadership. This person sets the tone for the entire group, so you need to make sure you and your managers establish trust with all team members. The leader needs to be loyal, trustworthy, empowered, and have integrity, or else the team will not follow.

Employees need to trust their judgment. You also need to be transparent to build trust with your employees. Employees should be able to work effectively whenever management is not around because they know and trust the direction of leadership.

2. Have Core Ideas

You need to clearly define and also communicate your company’s values, mission, and vision. It is essential to get employee buy-in and alignment.

This helps empower your employees, so they know what to do when faced with a decision.

Let’s say you pride your company on delivering products on time. If an employee is faced with a decision, they know that they should come up with a solution that ties into this mission and delivers a product in a timely manner, even if it is an excavation project.

3. Establish Relationships With All Employees

It’s important to learn more about each team member. What are their skillsets? Likes or dislikes? And what motivates your employees?

Answering these questions is valuable knowledge and it lets you match each employee with the right role. You can set up employee training to help team members reach their goals. This will help increase production along with job satisfaction.
Include your employees in decision-making when possible. You should also give your team open-ended projects instead of telling them what to do. You may find a better solution, and you should also encourage cooperation and the development of problem-solving skills.

4. Foster Teamwork and Team Strategy

When you establish relations with your employees, it’s time to have them work together. Encourage employees to share information with the organization and amongst themselves. This means you also have to communicate more with your team.
This is more than just holding meetings and saying you have an open door policy. You need to be honest and communicate with your team. You can also offer assistance if needed and ask about each team member’s work.

5. Adapt and Learn

High-performance teams usually don’t get stuck in stagnant work processes. They are able to spot and stop potential errors before they happen. This means you have to be willing to adapt.

You should encourage experiments with your team and not be afraid to try new ways. Listen to your team. They may have good ideas to help you move forward.

Execute Team Training Today

Ready to implement a team strategy? You can. Listen to your employees and create an honest, open working relationship.
Set the stage for how you want your employees to act by showing effective leadership to gain your team’s trust. Set some training goals, so your team can continue to learn and adapt.

Looking for more ideas? Keep checking out our site for more effective leadership advice and learn more strategies to drive your business forward.