With the new announcement made from the Prime Minister on Monday to stop all non-essential travel, more companies than ever will now find themselves working from home. At SimkissGuy Recruitment, we are not unused to working remotely when needed, but for many of our clients, this is the first time they have had to lead a team who aren’t all based in the office. As part of our commitment to supporting our clients in as many ways as possible through this period of uncertainty, we have put together our top tips to supporting and leading a home-based workforce.
- Technology – it is crucial that you have the technology and systems in place to support a totally remote workforce. This can include a Cloud-based IT system to replicate your desktop, GoogleDocs to share documents with colleagues in real time and Microsoft Teams or other video conferencing equipment. These systems give you the tools to ensure the transition to remote working is as stress-free as possible.
- Structure – reflect on the hours your team normally works and assess whether these are still the most suitable. Wherever possible, try and maximise the time that the whole team is logged on and working together as this limits any feelings of isolation and makes for easier virtual catch-ups and meetings.
- Virtual Meetings – normally start your day with an all-team briefing or a lunchtime get together? Absolutely ensure these transition across whilst working from home. Bringing everyone in your team together at least once a day to re-align priorities is crucial to ensure everyone is on the same page and not feeling isolated, particularly as work priorities may be shifting during this period.
- Communication – employees can find working from home difficult to adapt to and may struggle to reach out for help. A quick email to break up the day and see how they are getting on allows for any issues to be raising and for each team member to know it is still business as usual. Why not arrange a virtual “coffee break” – using web technology to bring everyone together for an informal catch up over a coffee or cup of tea once a day.
- Further Support – alongside quick check-ins, it’s helpful to remind each member of your team that you are available for them throughout the day, so if they would like to schedule a longer conversation over the phone, they are more than welcome to do so. This is the quickest way to handle any issues or concerns an employee may be having whilst letting them know the same support that is available in the office is there for them remotely.
- Breaks – when working from home it can be hard for some employees to mentally separate work from home-life, which is why encouraging each team member to take their usual lunch break is so important. Taking some time away to cook a proper lunch or take a walk in the fresh air really does help refocus the team as a whole for the afternoon and increases productivity.
At SimkissGuy Recruitment, we are continuing our dedication to award-winning customer service and are increasing our offering of complimentary client services to give added peace of mind to our clients in these unusual times. If you are a current client or a business that are looking for some added resource, please do get in touch at hello@simkissguy.com. We look forward to working with you.
