Transitioning to Remote Work? 7 Tips from the Experts

What used to be a far-fetched dream is turning into reality: we’re all going remote because of the coronavirus crisis. In this article, we’re going to share 7 tips from the experts that can help you in transitioning to remote work.

Let’s take a look!

1. S. Lynton: Stay Connected When Working from Home

Stefan Lynton, Operations Manager, advises:

“Stay connected with your colleagues that you would normally work together with daily.”

How to Communicate with Colleagues When You’re Working From Home

Transitioning to remote work is a huge change for everyone. So as a manager, you should make yourself available to questions and coaching. 

Instead of relying on email, use an app like Slack that allows you to chat with your team members in real-time, and Zoom for videoconferencing. 

          2. J. Lux: Track KPIs When Working Remotely, not Hours

Jennifer Lux, VP of Client Services, shares her approach:

“You cannot thoroughly verify the working hours of your direct reports. Instead, rely more on the outcomes of their responsibilities to determine their productivity.”

How to Track Remote Work Performance with KPIs

Focus on the KPIs related to outcomes. 

You can use Spinify to monitor (behavior that drives) results. 

For example, tracking actual sales may be counter-productive. Tracking all the actions that lead to sales gives a clearer picture of remote workers’ productivity.

If you use Spinify, you can track a variety of KPIs.

         3. M. Frein: Train for Remote Work

Mark Frein, who has been researching remote work for decades, says that transitioning is not enough:

“Orient, onboard, and train for how to be an effective remote worker and remote supervisor.”

How to Train Your Team for Working from Home

The key aspects you should train your employees for are:

• Technology
• Communication and empathy skills
• Delegation and coordination

You can really speed up training if you use Spinify.

Simply use Spinify’s gamification features, and give points to employees for performing target actions.

For example, if they have to upload a document instead of physically giving it to you, you can give them 3 points for that action. This will help them get used to new processes. 

In the long term, you can prepare rewards and have them redeem points. 

It’s fun and productive; a win-win!

       4. S. Sutton: Understand Your Employees’ Circumstances

Sarah Sutton, CEO of FlexJobs encourages empathizing during these trying times:

“Understand, strategize, and support your employees during this pandemic.”

How to Support Your Employees During the Transition

You need your employees’ help to successfully transition. And if you show understanding for their circumstances, they’ll be more productive in turn.

Sutton recommends creating a team spreadsheet: 

• What are their schedules like?
• Are their family members staying home? 
• What do they need help with?

Then, you can create a strategy.

For example, if a lot of your team members have children and spouses at home, you could avoid videoconferencing, and focus on asynchronous communication.

         

              5. D. Nevogt: Create a Digital Workplace

Dave Nevogt, founder of HubStaff says: 

“Since it’s so easy to miscommunicate when you’re not physically in the room with someone, make sure every interaction you have with your reports is delivered on the right platform.”

How to Create a Digital Workplace

You should have one central platform that will be used for the majority of communications. 

For example, some teams use Slack. Others prefer project management tools.

Transitioning to remote work can be confusing, so tell your team members where they can find information and help. 

            6. J. Bullas: Acknowledge Accomplishments of Your Remote Workers

Jeff Bullas, a business consultant, advises:

“Acknowledge wins. If someone is going above and beyond, give them some praise in a public Slack channel.”

How to Acknowledge Accomplishments

First, you should track the performance of your team members. 

Then, automate achievement celebrations with Spinify.

With Spinify, you can automate celebrations with music when your employees achieve significant goals. 

           7. P. Orti: Visible Work Is Key

Pilar Orti, a business transformation consultant, says that work visibility is one of the most important catalysts for successful transitions.

How to Increase Work Visibility 

If you’re using Spinify, you’re automatically improving work visibility.

Since you can track all the KPIs important to your company, you can reward and coach team members accordingly. 

At the same time, reps will know what everyone else is doing.

How Spinify Helps You Transition to Remote Work

Spinify allows you to monitor performance, reward achievements, and make sure your team stays connected, even if everyone’s working from the comfort of their living rooms.

Are you ready to succeed at remote work?

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